Moving from Scotland to Bucks

[fast trak]

DH will be posted central london but he could travel an hour by train.....like many other londoners.

Probably Wycombe or South Bucks then? Avoid the very southern extremities of the county, especially Gerrards Cross, Denham, etc. Your GS choices from there are very limited.

The other thing to consider is what the alternative schools are if she doesn't qualify for grammar. Some are very good, some less so, and others are not that great.

Thanks for all the helpful replies. Makes me feel so good now.

Very good suggestion Sally-Anne. I'l have to make provision for incase DD doesnt U mentioned Challoner's as very good isnt it? There are also wycombe, Beaconsfield and Aylesbury isnt it. r they all really good or okay? Dont have an idea how far they will be (Right now focus is just on preparation )

Also need to check and see good state schools. Do you know any good names offhandedly?

[guest666]

All the GS are state schools, albeit mostly recently switched to Academy status.

The problem comes with where you live if DD doesn't pass as the Upper Schools are very variable in quality.

There are no comprehensive schools in Bucks, only in MK and adjoining counties.

[fast trak]

Thanks G666

Whats MK? Does it mean that the upper schools other than GS are not that good in Bucks? Too confusing and am trying my best to understand the whole system and process

Ive understood that Challoners is the best. what abt the rest like beaconsfield, aylesbury and wycombe? what areas in bucks are excellent for families with ease of school access? Do schools have school bus system or do we have to manage the transport. ive got another wee one starting nursery soon so have to look at primary schools as well.

[Guest55]

Challoners is not necessarily the best - it's in a very expensive part of Bucks and it reflect the intake. I think you need to be in catchment by now for 2013 entry ... or is that just DCGS?

ALL the Bucks GS are good - some Upper Schools outperform comprehensives (PM me for more detail). Look at the DFE performance tables but do remember they are a year old and historic data.

[Sally-Anne]

Whats MK?

MK is Milton Keynes. Although Milton Keynes is situated within the County of Buckinghamshire, it has a separate school system and runs its own Admissions process.

Does it mean that the upper schools other than GS are not that good in Bucks? Too confusing and am trying my best to understand the whole system and process

The Bucks system is wholly selective - we have grammar schools (selective) and what are known as upper schools (non-selective). Around 25% of Bucks pupils qualify for grammar school and the remaining 75% will go to an upper school.

In other counties, where selection was abolished, comprehensive (all ability) schools replaced the selective system. (That's the short version ... the full version is here: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/advice/what-is-11-plus" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

The issue in Bucks is that although some upper schools are very good, others are less so, so you have to be careful when choosing where to live.

Ive understood that Challoners is the best.

They get good results, but it that doesn't necessarily mean that they are the best. It is very subjective.

Guest55 is correct in saying that for Dr Challoners Boys' School you needed to be resident in catchment before April 1st 2012 in order to be considered for entry. The rule was introduced a couple of years ago to cut down on address fraud. It is the only grammar school in Bucks to have such a criterion, but it means that you must rule it out of your thinking from the start.

what abt the rest like beaconsfield, aylesbury and wycombe?

All the grammars are good schools, when it comes down to it.

what areas in bucks are excellent for families with ease of school access?

In very general terms, based on top-line statistical data (ACORN, as it is known), Chiltern and South Bucks (the centre and south-east) is the leafy, expensive part of Bucks, Wycombe (south-west) slightly less so, and Aylesbury (north and north west) is the most socially disadvantaged. However those really are sweeping generalisations, and there are huge exceptions to them in each of those areas.

The catchment area maps for all schools can be viewed here. http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/schools/a ... _maps.page" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?

Do schools have school bus system or do we have to manage the transport.

If you live more than 3 miles away from the school you would be eligible for home to school transport. Until this year it was free, but charges for it have just been introduced, a very controversial move. There has been a lot of discussion about it on here - this is just one thread about it http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 12&t=24960" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ive got another wee one starting nursery soon so have to look at primary schools as well.

Again, schools vary considerably. Possibly a good way to sort the wheat from the chaff is to look at the Allocation Profiles for Secondary Schools (Grammar and Upper), which you can see here: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/school ... n-profiles" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... and for primary schools here:
http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/assets/conten ... er2012.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The shorter the distance, the more desirable the school - it's a very rough guide, but not a bad starting place when you are completely new to the system.

[Guest55]

Be aware that the distances may not tell the whole story as some parts of Bucks are very rural and so the population density is lower. So for example I can see a couple of very good schools in North Bucks had spare places and some less desirable schools in South Bucks didn't.

House prices tend to be cheaper north of Wendover - fastest trains from Aylesbury are 54 minutes to Marylebone.

[Sally-Anne]

Be aware that the distances may not tell the whole story as some parts of Bucks are very rural and so the population density is lower. So for example I can see a couple of very good schools in North Bucks had spare places and some less desirable schools in South Bucks didn't.

Yes, it is worth making sure that you compare "like with like" - so compare the schools within a given area, rather than across the whole of Bucks.

It is only a starting point as well - you must research possible schools in more depth.

[fast trak]

Whoa! thats a huge load of info. Did go through house prices around chilterns/little chalfont and the costs are skyrocket I guess its bec of good schools ranking.

The more im digging deeper the worse its seeming. am totally stressed out.

r comprehensive schools private schools? Also looked at MK.....dont seem to have any GS there. but trains to london are 35 mins. read somewhere that beaconsfield area has some good and not so good pockets. but im sure that factor is true for any place. have still not looked at wycombe area in detail. is it really good? what are good pockets within beaconsfield/wycombe?

any other good areas to live in???? with schools access.

sorry abt too many qstns

[Guest55]

House prices tend to go with distance to London/time for commute.

MK is not to everyones taste as a place to live; some parts of it are not very nice.

Private = fee paying. Comprehensive = all ability state schools. The schools in MK are comprehensive but some pupils do go to Bucks GS in Buckingham or Aylesbury (distance permitting) so the 'top ability' may be missing. Oxfordshire also has comprehensives.

[Sally-Anne]

Whoa! thats a huge load of info. Did go through house prices around chilterns/little chalfont and the costs are skyrocket I guess its bec of good schools ranking.

It is because of schools, commutability to London, generally attractive area, etc.

The more im digging deeper the worse its seeming. am totally stressed out.

We are here to hold your hand.

Also looked at MK.....dont seem to have any GS there. but trains to london are 35 mins.

I can't stand MK, personally, but I suppose there are those who love it ...

read somewhere that beaconsfield area has some good and not so good pockets.

Beaconsfield has some cheaper housing "over the railway tracks" (on the south side), but otherwise it is a very middle-class town.

have still not looked at wycombe area in detail. is it really good? what are good pockets within beaconsfield/wycombe?

Mostly the expensive ones, I'm afraid!

any other good areas to live in???? with schools access.

There are cheaper parts of Amersham, and even though Challoners is ruled out for you, you would be well within range of Chesham grammar school, and the upper school there (Amersham school) is a pretty good one. There are some good primary schools there as well, although the really outstanding ones are really only accessible from the pricier areas of town.

The commute into London is pretty straightforward as well, with both the underground and main line railway coming through the station - around 40 minutes on a fast train.