The grammar schools in Bucks are going from strength to strength. With job uncertainty and changes in circumstance as a result of the pandemic, the demand for a coveted place at one of the 13 Bucks grammars is high. Many children in Year 6 across Bucks took the exam last week – either at their primary school or at one of the grammar schools that offered the exam for children out of catchment.
Schooling is often the driving force behind so many of our relocation enquiries. Families who have preschool children in London find that the London schooling system is too competitive and pressurised and names need to be on registers practically at birth. Many look to move to Bucks to get their child into a grammar, enjoy greater size of house and garden, a better quality of life whilst being within an easy commute into London.
Where are the grammar schools in Bucks?
Aylesbury Grammar School (boys)
Aylesbury High School (girls)
Beaconsfield High School (girls)
Burnham Grammar School (co-ed)
Chesham Grammar School (co-ed)
Dr Challoner’s Grammar School in Amersham (boys)
Dr Challoner’s High School in Little Chalfont (girls)
John Hampden Grammar School in High Wycombe (boys)
Royal Grammar School in High Wycombe (boys)
Royal Latin School in Buckingham (co-ed)
Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School in Aylesbury (mixed)
Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School in Marlow (co-ed)
Wycombe High School (girls)
Universities are now seeking out state school applicants
With increasing pressure on universities to redress the balance between privately educated and state educated children, the draw of a selective state grammar is now even greater. This week the Murray Edwards new President, Dorothy Byrne, has called for 93% of Cambridge students to be state-educated and that Cambridge University should be more representative of wider society.
The Exam
There is the small matter of passing the 11+ exam in order to gain a place at one of the sought-after grammar schools. The specialised exam covers a range of skills including maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning and is taken in the September prior to the year of entry. Grammar schools will also offer a 12+ exam and 13+ exam offering places subject to availability. Many children are tutored for the exam however the content is changeable and the exam providers focus is on setting an exam which is non-tutorable in order to try and make the system as fair as possible.
Exam date timeline
You need to have registered your child for the exam. This year the closing date was 24th June 2021. Late registration is only available after this date for children moving into the area.
Catchment
If your child is successful in the exam the next criteria is catchment area. Given the increasing desire for places, you can no longer feel secure that you live within catchment based on previous years’ data. In order to be sure of being within catchment you need to consult the Bucks County Council catchment maps but also take note of the changing landscape. The closer you are to the school the better your chances.
In 2020, only 3% of appeals were successful for Buckinghamshire grammar schools for children living outside the county.
Is a grammar school the right school for your child?
The grammar schools are amazing, with fantastic results and often seen as the equivalent of a ‘free’ private school experience. However, not all children are suited to the often intense work ethic and work load. Children at grammars need to be self-starters. There is no ‘spoon-feeding’ of information and they are encouraged to work independently. Homework load can be heavy. Also no one is going to invite your child to join a sporting, music or drama club – they have to seek it out and want to participate.
If you are thinking of moving to the area with a very young child and have no idea yet as to their suitability for grammar then make your move a smart one.
Here are our five top tips for clients wanting to move for schooling:
1. Keep your options open. It is risky to map out your child’s schooling path aged four as your child will change and develop at different rates
2. Look ahead and consider it as a fourteen-year investment – seven years in primary and seven years in secondary so location, location, location, is important
3. Move to a location whereby you are close to a selection of schools or close to bus routes to a range of schools so you know you have options – grammar, excellent state and private
4.Don’t just rely on OFSTED reports or rule out schools not classified as ‘outstanding’. Schools are constantly evolving and changes to head teachers and staff will often change an OFSTED rating
5. Visit schools, ask lots of questions and get a feel for the school ethos yourself
Cost of housing
Living within catchment of one of the grammars will certainly push the prices up. A recent survey claimed that parents are paying a £180k premium to buy a home near an ‘outstanding’ state school in England. Factoring in the price of housing certainly needs to be part of the maths.
Chiltern Relocation can help
With such favourable – and free – schooling on offer it is no wonder that so many families are drawn towards Bucks. Chiltern Relocation has helped many families move to the area in order to secure school places in both state and private sectors. If you would like to make the move for schooling and you would like some help with your school search, please contact us on 01494 672086 or email enquiries@chilternrelocation.com
