SWBGS versus Wycombe Girls...
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SWBGS versus Wycombe Girls...
We are potentially moving this year, not great timing, but necessary for various reasons. We will still be in Bucks, but depending on the date of our move, our catchment schools will change.
BHS will still likely be a viable option (if passed of course!), but we wondered how this would compare with Wycombe High. We also really like co-ed, so are quite interested in SWBGS. Our daughter is a strong all rounder with particular interest in maths and music, but not very sporty. How do these schools compare for girls with STEM and extra curricular? Also, I notice that catchment for SWBGS has changed from OA upto 11 miles, to only 3 miles within area over recent years, does anyone know why this is?
Would appreciate any feedback on these schools, thank you.
BHS will still likely be a viable option (if passed of course!), but we wondered how this would compare with Wycombe High. We also really like co-ed, so are quite interested in SWBGS. Our daughter is a strong all rounder with particular interest in maths and music, but not very sporty. How do these schools compare for girls with STEM and extra curricular? Also, I notice that catchment for SWBGS has changed from OA upto 11 miles, to only 3 miles within area over recent years, does anyone know why this is?
Would appreciate any feedback on these schools, thank you.
Re: SWBGS versus Wycombe Girls...
They are very different schools I would suggest you visit both to get a feel for them.
The current year 10 went OA to 11 miles or so - that year was an anomaly. Prior to that the school would admit one or two out of catchment children a year. From the current year 9 onwards they have not offered all of catchment. For September they offered 1.7 miles - this is basically just Marlow and Marlow Bottom. They are moving to 5 classes in year 7 which will obviously widen the area they offer to. Why has the distance offered changed? WHS is slightly out of favour in Marlow + lots of new houses + possibly a lot of catchment siblings?
The current year 10 went OA to 11 miles or so - that year was an anomaly. Prior to that the school would admit one or two out of catchment children a year. From the current year 9 onwards they have not offered all of catchment. For September they offered 1.7 miles - this is basically just Marlow and Marlow Bottom. They are moving to 5 classes in year 7 which will obviously widen the area they offer to. Why has the distance offered changed? WHS is slightly out of favour in Marlow + lots of new houses + possibly a lot of catchment siblings?
Re: SWBGS versus Wycombe Girls...
Thank you Kittymum. I will be visiting both over the coming few weeks. The general word is that they are very different schools, but not so much as to why or how. I presume all the grammars have similar academic results, so there is probably little to differentiate on that score.
I have seen BHS already which we are currently in catchment for, but I honestly cannot see what makes this school so popular?!
I have seen BHS already which we are currently in catchment for, but I honestly cannot see what makes this school so popular?!
Re: SWBGS versus Wycombe Girls...
Hi
My children are at Borlase and v happy. They have friends at WHS also v happy.
Some differences:
Mixed / single sex
Size (120 yr 7 v 192)
Distance pupils come from
In town / out of town
Curriculum & subjects offered at GCSE WHS do Latin and offer GCSE Latin, Ancient History, Graphics and I think Textiles. Borlase don’t but offer Design Tech, Computing and Dance to GCSE.
V different head teachers / different ethos
Sports offered - Borlase row WHS don’t. SWBGS girls play contact rugby / football / netball/ cricket/ rounders / hockey as their Games rotation.
Different school uniform. WHS no uniform in 6th form (also requires lower grades to stay for 6th form).
Very different school campus- WHS much more sprawling.
WHS not allowed inside at break.
Borlase has quite a Christian ethos (assemblies in Chapel every other week, Christmas service in All Saints Church on last day of term etc).
These are just a few off the top of my head but there are many.
My children are at Borlase and v happy. They have friends at WHS also v happy.
Some differences:
Mixed / single sex
Size (120 yr 7 v 192)
Distance pupils come from
In town / out of town
Curriculum & subjects offered at GCSE WHS do Latin and offer GCSE Latin, Ancient History, Graphics and I think Textiles. Borlase don’t but offer Design Tech, Computing and Dance to GCSE.
V different head teachers / different ethos
Sports offered - Borlase row WHS don’t. SWBGS girls play contact rugby / football / netball/ cricket/ rounders / hockey as their Games rotation.
Different school uniform. WHS no uniform in 6th form (also requires lower grades to stay for 6th form).
Very different school campus- WHS much more sprawling.
WHS not allowed inside at break.
Borlase has quite a Christian ethos (assemblies in Chapel every other week, Christmas service in All Saints Church on last day of term etc).
These are just a few off the top of my head but there are many.
Re: SWBGS versus Wycombe Girls...
Thank you Kittymum, that really helps. Borlase sounds reassuringly traditional, looking forward to seeing it!
Re: SWBGS /Wycombe Girls/ BHS?
Bit of an old thread now, and we have since discounted Borlase. Great school, but it didn't feel right for dd.
Have also been to see WH and BHS, three times now, and am really struggling to decide between them. Does one have a better 'reputation' than the other? We hear lots of comments about Becky girls being a certain ‘mould’, but I’m not sure if this is true!
Looking at results, BHS seems to have fared less well at A level recently. Particularly compared with Challoners. Is this a general decline, or just the usual ups and downs from year to year? Maths also seems to fare less well, which is a slight concern.
BHS seems buzzy and you do get an energetic vibe walking around. However, I did wonder if this was at the expense of concentration sometimes; for instance, a library based class we looked in on, was decidedly chatty, and the science class we saw, was a bit of a riot, albeit an organised riot
For a child with auditory processing issues, such that even minimal background noise can be a huge distraction, I am wondering whether somewhere like BHS would be too busy as a learning environment, particularly when compared with some of the more sombre schools such as Challoners, and even Borlase, which was impressively quiet and studious when we last visited.
If anyone has any experience or background info on any of these schools, would really appreciate your thoughts!
Thank you
Have also been to see WH and BHS, three times now, and am really struggling to decide between them. Does one have a better 'reputation' than the other? We hear lots of comments about Becky girls being a certain ‘mould’, but I’m not sure if this is true!
Looking at results, BHS seems to have fared less well at A level recently. Particularly compared with Challoners. Is this a general decline, or just the usual ups and downs from year to year? Maths also seems to fare less well, which is a slight concern.
BHS seems buzzy and you do get an energetic vibe walking around. However, I did wonder if this was at the expense of concentration sometimes; for instance, a library based class we looked in on, was decidedly chatty, and the science class we saw, was a bit of a riot, albeit an organised riot
For a child with auditory processing issues, such that even minimal background noise can be a huge distraction, I am wondering whether somewhere like BHS would be too busy as a learning environment, particularly when compared with some of the more sombre schools such as Challoners, and even Borlase, which was impressively quiet and studious when we last visited.
If anyone has any experience or background info on any of these schools, would really appreciate your thoughts!
Thank you
