11 Plus Exams Forum

hi,
Assuming our DD qualifies in the Bucks 11 plus exam, we are bit confused on which school to opt BHS or DCHS. Any thoughts on these would be helpful. E.g. like strengths and weakness in these schools , GCSE results consistency etc..

Thanks

Little to choose between them: I'd go for the easier journey.

Are you in catchment / within recent years' offer distances for either / both?

Assuming the latter, which one did you and your DD prefer when you visited and as per Guest55, which one is actually easier for your DD to get to?

Good point ToadMum - are you living in Bucks now mgm3?

I agree with the above advice to go for the easiest journey, all other things being equal but crucially, you need to visit both, preferably on a normal school day, and see which you think fits your daughter best. Macro-statistics like GCSE rates won't tell you much about what your daughter's experience might be in four to six years' time.

mgm3, you were looking at schools in Taplow/Burnham weren't you? Are you confusing BHS with BGS - Beaconsfield High with Burnham Grammar? If you've moved to Bucks and you do mean Beaconsfield High, the advice above stands - go and see them both but make sure you do your research into the likelihood of getting a place from where you live.

Thank you for your suggestions and the update.
And by the way BHS I meant Beaconsfield school only and not Burnham.
We visited DCHS and my DD is ok with that ( although Kendrick is her first option ) .
I'm planning to take her to Beaconsfield too for the open event. Infact she has been to that school earlier for a mock exam and she liked it too.
Well my idea is to move into the Bucks area if she gets the qualifying mark in Burks exam and if she doesn't qualify for Kendrick .Work wise my preference would be Taplow area as I heard that there is a bus facility to BHS. If its DCHS I might have to look for a nearby place or not sure if there is a bus facility from Taplow/Burnham area to DCHS.

I've got a oral feedback ( although not sure how I should consider ) that DCHS is better in academics and sports while BHS is more into arts and music?

Any advise on this would be helpful.

Don't you have to have moved very quickly after the results come out in order t have your new address counted for the first round of allocations of Bucks grammar schools?

You do. Results are out on 13th and the deadline for the address to be considered in the first round is 31st October. There wasn’t much movement for the later rounds this year, more so for one than the other, but there’s no way to know if that will be repeated. In summary, moving after the results is a risky strategy unless you have a school you are happy to choose if you don’t get a place at DCHS or BHS.

I've got a oral feedback ( although not sure how I should consider ) that DCHS is better in academics and sports while BHS is more into arts and music?

Parents of children at each school may be able to provide personal input but this is exactly the sort of thing to probe on a school visit. “Better in academics” is an odd choice of words. I suspect both offer similar subjects at GCSE and A level and probably have very similar results, so what would make one better than the other academically? I think you need to look into how they teach, how they structure their timetable, lessons, etc to see which might suit your daughter best. If she has any particular interests such as a sport or music then it should be relatively simple to determine which supports those interests and how.