What schools

[Road Runner]

Would anyone be willing to share thier personal views on schools in Bucks.

I am considering
Wycombe High
Beaconsfield HIgh
Sir William Borlease (though not in catchment)
The Beaconsfield School
Wye Valley
Great Marlow

Obviously I have looked at league tables etc and will be visiting the schools but it would also be good to know of anyones personal views based on thier own childrens experiences in any of these schools. How happy they are has the school brought the best put of them. Do they encourage all children. How is it at an all girls school??

I know you can look at offsted repots but I would like to hear from any people with children in these schools.

I have only lived in the area three years so don't really know any of the schools or anyone whio attends them.

Obviosuly I am hoping my dd passes the 11+ so goes on to a GS however I still want it to be the right one for her.

Hope it is ok to start such a topic but maybe we could all help each other on the mater of choices.

Thanks

Mel

[andyb]

When I went to Wycombe High it was considered one of the best state schools in the country (along with The Royal Grammar) - but that was la-la-years ago!

Out of catchment for Borlase = no hope at all of getting in!

I have heard good things about Great Marlow and plan on visiting this week.

Sorry have no knowledge of the others.

[bucks mum1]

Hi Mel X,

Although I don't have children at Secondary school yet, many friends do.

Beaconsfield High seems a great school, all the girls seem happy and make good progress. Need to live in catchment and close to have any chance of getting in as it is very popular.

Beaconsfield Secondary School seems to be on the up. Very impressive head teacher by all accounts, and GCSE results were much improved this year after being described as 'failing' due to being below the 30% GCSE threshold only last year. He seems to be making a real difference to the school and bought in new staff etc. Friends children all seem to be happy there - even the ones who were disappointed not to get into grammar and left with level 5 sats.

[Guest55]

Mel X,

Check the allocation profiles for each of these as the number of children is very similar to last year.

Do not just look at 'raw' results as intake will vary -

I would go round during the day - which one feels 'right' ie a good balance between academic and pastoral.

I believe that Becky High are considering a shortened KS3 - is this right for your daughter? What are her interests? Which one has the clubs to match this?

[Sally-Anne]

Check the allocation profiles for each of these as the number of children is very similar to last year.

Do not just look at 'raw' results as intake will vary -

I do have a copy of the final allocation profiles for September 2008, but I haven't yet got around to posting it here because the "Code" format takes hours to get right!

I will get around to it a.s.a.p., but in the meantime I am happy to answer questions here on what the distances were for individual schools.

Sally-Anne

[sensible mum]

What was the maximum distance used by John hampden & Royal Grammar schools to offer places.

[Road Runner]

Hi there

Thanks for your responses. We are going to listen to HT talk tonight at Wycombe High and then DD and I are visiting it during the day. We will also try and visit some of the others during the day too as I agree you probably get a more realsitic feel. Thank you Guesst 55 for highlighting the Shortened Key stage three, I didn't know about this and no I wouldn't want my dd under pressure so taht is a consideration.

Andyb someone said to me the other day they would not consider Wycombe High as they thought it was 'too academic'? I found that an odd satement really. She also went there sometime ago and said she was never academic enough so struggled.

I think we will also consider Great Marlow although we are not in catchment.

Other people have commented that Beaconsfield High really pushes and that if you aren't quite there you get left behind.

I have heard good things about The Beaconsfield school and its Head so thank you Bucks mum for confirming that its good to know.

Sensible mum from what I understand JHG offered to all its applications last year in and out of catchment, not sure about RGS.

Mel

[Sally-Anne]

What was the maximum distance used by John hampden & Royal Grammar schools to offer places.

Hi sensible mum

John Hampden was "All offered" on Allocation Day, 3rd March, so needless to say, that didn't change.

Royal Grammar is a very interesting example of how things can change between March and September. On 3rd March, the position was:

- In-Area Siblings + In Area children to 10.645 miles from schoool gates.

By 29th August the position was:

- All catchment children offered, Out-Area Siblings and Out-Area children to 18.537 miles.

That is a huge change, and some people will have needed nerves of steel to spend up to 6 months on the waiting list.

Sally-Anne

[Sally-Anne]

I have had an email request for the figures for Sir Henry Floyd (All Offered on 3rd March) and Aylesbury High, which was as follows:

3rd March: All catchment and Out of Area girls to 16.339 miles from school gates.

29th August: All catchment and Out of Area girls to 18.682 miles.

Not much change there over 6 months, but I suspect that it was very close indeed to being "All Offered" - 18 miles is a pretty long way out.

Sally-Anne

[Jazz]

There was an eleventh-hour 12+ admission to RLS this September - a girl who was due to go to AHS but was given a place at RLS in the end.

(Just a piece of random info).