11 Plus Exams Forum

I know it’s very very early to be thinking of this... but I can’t seem to help myself

We’re doing something incredibly stressful - a house hunt (buying) combined with the 11+ - it’s enough to drive anyone round the bend, and I was already a bit unstable to begin with

We’re looking for a house in the Chorleywood/WD3 area and hoping our child qualifies for Bucks and/or gets a decent score in the SW Herts exam. Our first preference is Becky High or Dr Challoners High, then St Clement Danes. Based purely on ease of commute for entire family and DD’s preference for all-girls schools.

If not qualified that’s something we can make our peace with - but my worry is the qualified-but-too-far heartbreak that I’ve seen so many face in 2018.

Realistically speaking, do we have a shot at Bucks at all from near Chorleywood? Should we play it safe and buy in Bucks?

Any advice appreciated! I know it’s hard to predict, and understand things have been rather fluid recently. Thanks!!

I can’t understand your predicament. If you are house hunting, then why can’t you just buy a house in Bucks?

Edited for spelling errors.

Presumably to try & get a shot at two counties & ease of commute as mentioned in the OP Have you looked at the distances from the previous years? How far would you be in a straight line from the schools? I would imagine it would be a risk with allocation distances shrinking each year.

scary mum wrote:Presumably to try & get a shot at two counties & ease of commute as mentioned in the OP Have you looked at the distances from the previous years? How far would you be in a straight line from the schools? I would imagine it would be a risk with allocation distances shrinking each year.

Presumably, if you live in Chorleywood, the fall-back if you fail to get a Bucks grammar school place is St Clement Danes, or at least a 'proper' comprehensive school? Whereas if you live in Buckinghamshire and fail to get a grammar school place, the alternative would be a secondary modern. Or are SCD's selective places completely open, residence-wise?

Have a look at the allocation distances this year as well as the trends that are notable for some of the schools. Use the straight line distance tool on google maps to see if a particular house/area you're looking at has a chance of being in scope. Things do change from year to year but the two Bucks grammars you mention allocated to distances that included Chorleywood this year, albeit both with a significant reduction in radius from last year's allocation. Competition seems to be getting tougher and the area as a whole is seeing more housing growth, so my view would be that distances are unlikely to increase in future years. Basically, it's a calculated risk that no one can give you a definitive answer on.

Thank you for your responses.

Yes, the reason we're looking at Chorleywood is the easier commute (20 minute shorter drive to work for one of us) and the additional options of good schools it opens up.
Also, having a wider search area makes buying a house a little easier overall.

Toadmum, I believe St Clement Danes merit places (10% of total places) are completely open, residence-wise.

We used to live in Croxley (WD3) and DD's best friend still lives there so we are still in contact with the locals. Best friend didn't get into Dr Challoner's but a girl who lives near Ricky School did get in. Best friend lives closer to Baldwin's Lane so got into Watford Girls but had Dr Challoner's as first choice so is hoping for some good news tomorrow.

I think living in Chorleywood is going to be very tight for a place CGS, although it was just within this year. I don't know about DCH or Becky.

What I would say, having gone through this dilemma last year is that if you move to Chorleywood, you have a guaranteed amazing school in SCD. Getting into a primary school in Chorleywood is very difficult though as last time I checked they were all basically full.