Chances of getting into Dr Challoner's

[anotherdad]

Hi anotherdad,

I do agree and we are taking her there this week. Things might change after our visit but I am preparing myself. I would have to explain her the fact that it is not practical to consider that school unless we move there etc.

Do we stand a chance in any of the SW Herts schools or even there it remains a question mark?

Thanks

Very sensible to go and visit but yes, you'll have to manage expectations if she likes it. Perhaps it would be advisable to visit your local comprehensive(s) first, if you haven't already? In my experience, children tend to use the first school they visit as a benchmark for the others, it's human nature. The risk of taking her to DCHS first is that she loves it and then everything else seems a lesser option. You're then facing the situation that if you don't move, she's looking over her shoulder at what might have been rather than embracing her new school destination.

I know very little about the SW Herts schools. As you've discovered, Bucks is an interesting option. Yes we have the grammar schools and many people do move to access them but unless you are reasonably close to the county border and have the luxury of a comprehensive choice, you have to commit to Bucks and the mixed bag of upper schools that we have here. The list of people who expected their child to qualify is a sad and lengthy one each year and no doubt it will be the same again next month. It's definitely a risky strategy to move here seeking a grammar school place unless you can hit the sweet spot where you have good upper or comprehensive alternatives and of course, the house prices correspond to that demand.

Good luck with it all.

[unprepared]

Hi anotherdad,

I do agree and we are taking her there this week. Things might change after our visit but I am preparing myself. I would have to explain her the fact that it is not practical to consider that school unless we move there etc.

Do we stand a chance in any of the SW Herts schools or even there it remains a question mark?

Thanks

Very sensible to go and visit but yes, you'll have to manage expectations if she likes it. Perhaps it would be advisable to visit your local comprehensive(s) first, if you haven't already? In my experience, children tend to use the first school they visit as a benchmark for the others, it's human nature. The risk of taking her to DCHS first is that she loves it and then everything else seems a lesser option. You're then facing the situation that if you don't move, she's looking over her shoulder at what might have been rather than embracing her new school destination.

I know very little about the SW Herts schools. As you've discovered, Bucks is an interesting option. Yes we have the grammar schools and many people do move to access them but unless you are reasonably close to the county border and have the luxury of a comprehensive choice, you have to commit to Bucks and the mixed bag of upper schools that we have here. The list of people who expected their child to qualify is a sad and lengthy one each year and no doubt it will be the same again next month. It's definitely a risky strategy to move here seeking a grammar school place unless you can hit the sweet spot where you have good upper or comprehensive alternatives and of course, the house prices correspond to that demand.

Good luck with it all.

It indeed will be a risky step for me. If I were to consider moving there properly, by when should I be in Bucks to be eligible to be considered for DCHS?

Out of curiosity, what is the preference in admission criteria - is it the close proximity or the score? Would someone who lives next door to the school but did not qualify still get a place in DCHS?

[anotherdad]

It indeed will be a risky step for me. If I were to consider moving there properly, by when should I be in Bucks to be eligible to be considered for DCHS?

Out of curiosity, what is the preference in admission criteria - is it the close proximity or the score? Would someone who lives next door to the school but did not qualify still get a place in DCHS?

You need to look into the whole Bucks system much more because these are fundamental questions you're asking. With respect, you're far too uninformed at the moment to be "planning to move".

Each school has its own admissions policy which can be found on their websites and there's more guidance on Bucks County Council's secondary transfer testing pages, including dates of when home addresses are considered for allocations. You can move into the area after knowing the results (properly move, not temporarily renting to game the system) but your original address would be the one used for allocations in the first round and you'd have to wait until a later round to see if spaces become available. I believe for DCHS there is a tiny window of 19 days this year between results and an address being used for allocations in the first round so if you can plan a house move to hit that tiny target, you'll be ok....

Common to all Bucks grammar schools is that qualification is essential. You cannot get a place without qualifying, no matter how close you are. That's the first and most empirical aspect of the system. Scores of 121 and above are treated equally, there is no benefit to scoring 140 for example. A child on 121 living near the school will be ahead of a child with 150 living further away on the allocations list, all other things being equal.

[Amber]

Moving to a new area on the basis of what a 9 year-old's current best friend may or may not do in 2 years time seems a little silly to me, unless I am missing something. As I am sure you are aware, children's friendships are very fluid and they usually make a whole set of new friends once they go to secondary school. Buckinghamshire is probably the daftest county of all to try and navigate your way into, schools wise, and this forum is littered every year with the remains of those who tried and failed, because they didn't understand the system or thought it would all be OK if their child out-scored every other child.

What about Parmiters? I think people from Harrow sometimes go there. Are there no local schools you would consider?

[Louey]

HA6 is Northwood. Your best bet from there would be St Clement Danes via the SW Herts consortium test. But be aware that it is very competitive. There are only a limited number of academic places each year via this route (distance is not one of the factors unless there is a tie). If you daughter plays an instrument there are also music places.

I agree with the previous posters - you are highly unlikely to get into DCHS on distance from your current address.

[Aqua]

There is no such creteria for No House in within 20 mile for DCHS - it is only for Boys school as per as I am aware.

You are in catchment for both Watford Girls and Parmiter’s from HA6.

Hi anotherdad,

I do agree and we are taking her there this week. Things might change after our visit but I am preparing myself. I would have to explain her the fact that it is not practical to consider that school unless we move there etc.

Do we stand a chance in any of the SW Herts schools or even there it remains a question mark?

Thanks

[Sunshine08]

HA6 is outer catchment for the SWHerts schools I believe. I know people who have got into Watford (academic and music places) and St Clement Danes (music) last year. So I think your daughter will need to score relatively well on the academic test or music test to get a place in one of those schools, although of course it will all depend on that year group.

[anotherdad]

There is no such creteria for No House in within 20 mile for DCHS - it is only for Boys school as per as I am aware.

There's still a potential problem with what I think was the OP's plan, which was to retain their current house but rent closer to DCHS to improve their chances of allocation. I've assumed the current house is owned rather than rented but that might be wrong, OP hasn't declared the exact situation.

Address fraud, if suspected, is investigated and if proven, will result in the place being withdrawn, even if the child has already started at the school. That's why I and some others have advised investigating further and if DCHS is still the first choice, to take the plunge and move properly into Bucks. That might be moving from a rented property in HA6 to another in Bucks, or selling and then renting or buying in Bucks.

[Guest55]

This page may be useful: https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/edu ... ing-house/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[loopylala]

There is no such creteria for No House in within 20 mile for DCHS - it is only for Boys school as per as I am aware.

The OP is looking at 2020 entry. There is the risk of the school amending the admissions criteria. Watford Girls amended their critieria this year to include the following:

"If a parent, with whom the girl is resident for the majority of school nights, owns an alternative property within 20 miles of the school
which has been the main family home within the last five years, a property closer to the school will not be accepted as the
designated normal home address for the purpose of applying the admission rules, even if the former property is leased to a third
party."

You are in catchment for both Watford Girls and Parmiter’s from HA6.

HA6 1 to 3 postcodes are in the outer catchment only for Watford Girls.