11 Plus Exams Forum

We are still un-decided as to which school to give our first preference to for my daughter and wondered if anyone could give some insight based on personal experience on the Henry Floyd Grammar School. We already have a daughter at AHS who loves it there, and is very happy. However, we loved the feeling of the Floyd when we visited this week, as did my daughter for whom we are currently now selecting. Our main concern is the sport there. Would love any info from anyone, as it does seem a very happy school.

Hi

We too have a daughter at AHS and are selecting for our son this year. Our daughter is extremely happy at School - like your daughter. I have friends with children at SHF, they are all really happy too. The reason they chose SHF is for the boy/girl mix. I personally feel that AHS is the better of the two schools, the pastoral care is second to none. It's a pity our son can't go there!!! We have decided on AGS as his first choice Grammar. Like you we were very impressed with SHF, we just don't feel that it would be the right School for our son.

That doesn't really help you though does it?!?! Sorry

Where does your daughter want to go?

Best Wishes

Nif229

Thanks for the reply nif. The problem is that my daughter is undecided. Originally she didn't even want to look round the Floyd, because she had heard that the sporting facilities were, through no fault of their own, lacking. However, we persuaded her to look round so that she had considered all options, and surprise surprise she loved it ! She said she liked the more informal atmosphere. We thought that was a decision on her part, but next morning she was undecided between the High and the Floyd and has asked us for guidance. Hence my post on this forum...

Hi,

I have hung about on the forum occasionally in the past year, but have not posted before. I have a son at the Floyd and another, I hope, to go there next year, and I wanted to speak up in its favour.

I feel the Floyd suffers from a local perception that it is "second best" because its exam averages are lower than those of the single-sex schools. Because of this, many parents of the ablest children opt for AGS or AHS and thus the intake at the Floyd probably has a lower proportion of the real high-flyers. This perpetuates the problem of lower average results in a circular way.

We found the choice difficult to make ourselves, but we were a bit uncomfortable with the very intense atmosphere at the single-sex school (which is also an excellent school of course), which we felt contrasted unfavourably with the huge enthusiasm and energy we encountered on visiting the Floyd. Of course we care deeply about exam results as well, so I admit it did feel slightly risky to send our extremely academic son to the Floyd.
We have not regretted it for a moment. The teaching is stimulating and interesting. Marking of work, communication and pastoral care have all been excellent and all the year 8 students we know are fulsome in their praise for their school, which is indeed a very happy place. Our son is achieving very highly, and we are glad we trusted our instincts. It is now our clear first choice school for our other son.

Hi again,

I forgot to say that we cannot really comment on the sports opportunities as we are not a family that excels in team sports! The facilities are certainly more impressive at AGS.

As someone who works in sport and has two sports-mad DCs (one of each ), can I offer a slightly different perspective.

I wouldn’t choose a school on the basis of sports resources/provision because it’s an aspect of life that is very well catered for in Bucks outside the school environment. Aylesbury has some very good junior football and hockey clubs, an excellent tennis and squash club (Wendover and Great Missenden are also very good), and a great swimming centre.

If your daughter wants to try lots of different sports, there’s a sports school run out of Dr Challoner’s Girls School on Saturday mornings, Saturday afternoons or Sunday mornings. DD has been going for 4 years and tried everything from fencing to American football, archery to volleyball [mods – hope this is OK, don’t have any connection to this, just think it’s brilliant!].

Thank you very much indeed for the information. We very much appreciate it, and it is making our decision ( a little) easier. Very kind of you to take the trouble to reply.

Hi BlimeyG'vnor
Are you able to say which one you chose as first choice in the end?
Good luck also for Friday.