primary school requirements

[k80]

If you are moving to Chesham anyway, then presumably you will rank CGS first on your CAF? But if things go pear-shaped re BCC accepting your new address, you won't get CGS on first allocation and then it is a gamble that there will actually be places to offer out in the second round. Meanwhile, if your DS's score is sufficient to have achieved an offer from QE and you have named it second, that is the place he will be allocated. So potentially travelling from Chesham to Barnet every day - as your move is permanent and you have no option to go back to your old house. A fair deviation from the parent's Chesham to Stevenage commute?

And all for schools that you - or, more importantly, your DS - haven't even visited apart from on the exam days...?

We will wait till Bucks admission team respond to us. We will do either Chesham grammar school or qe. We did seen few school in open days and that's where our DS liked Chesham and QE. If we get satisfactory response from Bucks admission team we will go for Chesham or we will target QE to keep things simple. Either way we will need to move for both schools due to distance from current home but for QE we can move after we know the allocation.

First time I have used forum for any query and I have to say all of you are great at responding and giving information to someone need help. Thank you all for your kindness.

[Deb70]

Most people move or buy houses do look for better schools. I know quite a few children who gave 4 or more exams. Most parents decide after results what they wants to do. This is known to authority and hence they have rules on moving.

No, most people don't do that!

Most people check which schools are nearby before they buy the house!

They don't buy a house, then make their children take exams in all different areas, then wait and see which ones they pass, then move there!

[k80]

Yes, that what we are doing essentially. Finding out about secondary school before we buy our next home. sometimes you can't choose everything when you buy your first house . It is also dependent on circumstances, job and how old children are. When we bought our house we looked at primary schools and job location at that time. And now it's time for secondary school. Not all areas have both primary and secondary good schools.

[loobylou]

Yes, that what we are doing essentially. Finding out about secondary school before we buy our next home. sometimes you can't choose everything when you buy your first house . It is also dependent on circumstances, job and how old children are. When we bought our house we looked at primary schools and job location at that time. And now it's time for secondary school. Not all areas have both primary and secondary good schools.

I understand what you are saying but that's not quite how it works in reality. For pretty much most schools (QE being one of the notable exceptions) you need to be in your house - or at least area - by the end of year 5. The system does not work well for people who are prepared to up-sticks and move anywhere for any selective school at the last minute. Personally I think that's a good thing because there's so much more to life than schools (don't get me wrong; I love my children's school. But I'd never have heard of it if we hadn't been living in the area. I would not have been looking for schools where we didn't live).
Truly, most people don't sit the 11+. By the far the majority of people in the UK send their child to a school where they live. There are very few areas where all the local schools are poor. I have friends in Stevenage who are delighted with their school and whose children are predicted fantastic results.
Without claiming to be an expert, it seems to me you either need to move to Chesham and hope that a place becomes available (I'm assuming your dd would become top of the waiting list though not sure?) but accept an upper school in the meantime or accept QE from where you are and move closer before September.

[ToadMum]

Yes, that what we are doing essentially. Finding out about secondary school before we buy our next home. sometimes you can't choose everything when you buy your first house . It is also dependent on circumstances, job and how old children are. When we bought our house we looked at primary schools and job location at that time. And now it's time for secondary school. Not all areas have both primary and secondary good schools.

I understand what you are saying but that's not quite how it works in reality. For pretty much most schools (QE being one of the notable exceptions) you need to be in your house - or at least area - by the end of year 5. The system does not work well for people who are prepared to up-sticks and move anywhere for any selective school at the last minute. Personally I think that's a good thing because there's so much more to life than schools (don't get me wrong; I love my children's school. But I'd never have heard of it if we hadn't been living in the area. I would not have been looking for schools where we didn't live).
Truly, most people don't sit the 11+. By the far the majority of people in the UK send their child to a school where they live. There are very few areas where all the local schools are poor. I have friends in Stevenage who are delighted with their school and whose children are predicted fantastic results.
Without claiming to be an expert, it seems to me you either need to move to Chesham and hope that a place becomes available (I'm assuming your dd would become top of the waiting list though not sure?) but accept an upper school in the meantime or accept QE from where you are and move closer before September.

But I thought that the OP already has somewhere in Chesham that they are set to move to on Bucks results day? Surely that will have involved a fair financial obligation and an address in Chesham will be no good for QE, although the school probably has some students undertaking even less sensible commutes.

[k80]

Yes, we already have reserved house to rent in Chesham which will become available to.move in on 18/19th. There will be some financial cost if we don't move but even lot more if we decide to move again. When we reserve that place, we were really clear that we are moving to Chesham as we wanted to target CGS. We were thinking about October 31 moving date and didn't realise that owing house in Stevenage will create his much of an issue in terms of evidence. We don't want to move twice and also don't want to target multiple schools in different areas in the admission form hence want to make sure if possible that our DS will be considered as log as he clear exam which we think he will.

[k80]

Hi All,
As promised , please see response from Bucks admission team below which i received today. I hope that it will help someone to make decisions on moving house this year and in future.


A formal lease agreement, provided through an approved letting agency, confirming that your lease has started and showing that you will be living at the address for at list six month after 1 September 2020. ( March 2021)

* Or a solicitor letter confirming the date that you have completed the purchase of your new home.

* Evidence to show you have dispose of your previous property or that is no longer available for you and your family to live in. As you are renting your house in Stevenage we will need a copy of your rental agreement to show that your house it is not available to you until March 2021.

* Copy of two of the following document showing new address: driving licence, utility bill (showing usage) or doctor’s registration letter for your child.


Based on above, we have decided not to move for Bucks secondary school as we will not be able to secure rental agreement for our current home which last till March 2021.

Thank you all for your kind reply and suggestions to help us.

[hermanmunster]

Thanks for posting this K80 - good luck with your school applciations

[scary mum]

Very helpful, thank you.
It is pretty much what is linked to above but with the specific mention of March 2021.

[k80]

Thanks for posting this K80 - good luck with your school applciations

Thank you.