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Best primary schools in Beaconsfield and Gerrards Cross
Best primary schools in Amersham and Chesham
Best primary schools in Marlow
Best primary schools in North Buckinghamshire
Around 75 per cent of all grammar school pupils come from state primary schools so it’s no surprise to find quality teaching at every turn. Somewhat unusually, smaller villages in Bucks frequently have infant schools for ages 4-7, many with tiny class sizes and a lovely nurturing, country feel. Recent years have seen applicants to some of the most popular schools having to live within a few streets from the school gates to be offered a place. Read our article on primary school applications to equip yourself with the necessary knowhow.
Fulmer Infant School, Jordans School and Chalfont St Peter Infant School are considered to be the best infant schools and are often used by parents as a free pre-prep, although most of these tiny treasures move up to the equally superb Chalfont St Peter Academy, which – along with its neighbouring Gerrards Cross CofE School – has a first track record of transitioning a good number of pupils to local grammars.
For such a large town, Beaconsfield is surprisingly poorly served by good primaries, with parents holding their breath and crossing fingers for a place in either Butler’s Court School or Holtspur Schools.
Best state secondary schools in Beaconsfield and Gerrards Cross
Best private schools in Beaconsfield and Gerrards Cross
Best nurseries in Beaconsfield and Gerrards Cross
Amersham is well served by high-performing state primaries, with the ever-popular Elangeni and Chestnut Lane Schools helping to keep local house prices at a premium. Other schools pulling in the punters include Woodside Junior School and St Mary’s CofE School, as well as the Roman Catholic Our Lady’s RC School.
In and around Chesham, Chesham Bois CofE School is popular, with its village and community feel. Ditto for Chartridge Combined School, Elmtree Infant School and Ley Hill School.
Best state secondary schools in Amersham and Chesham
Best private schools in Amersham and Chesham
Best nurseries in Amersham and Chesham
Spinfield School and Danesfield School have long been considered the two best primaries in Marlow, with some parents lucky enough to be in catchment for both. Holy Trinity CofE School has become more sought after, and Burford School in Marlow Bottom is oversubscribed.
Best state secondary schools in Marlow
Best private schools in Marlow
Among the most populated towns of north Bucks are Princes Risborough, Buckingham, Aylesbury and Milton Keynes. Each has primary schools worthy of consideration but in our opinion they are not necessarily worth moving house for.
Long Crendon School in Aylesbury stands out for its outdoorsy approach and dedication to the whole child rather than ticking boxes. ‘My children skip to school – who could ask for more?’ summed up one parent we spoke to.
Best state secondary schools in North Buckinghamshire
Best private schools in North Buckinghamshire
Best nurseries in North Buckinghamshire
SEND education options and admissions are covered on the Buckinghamshire County Council website. There are under 10 specialist state schools in the county. Westfield School in Bourne End is a good primary choice for younger children with autism or speech, language and communication needs, while Furze Down School, in Buckingham is a specialist all-through (2-19) and large community special school for children with communication and interaction needs, including autism, some complex needs and MLD. Big team of therapists.
Mainstream primary schools with additional resource provision include Holtspur School & Preschool, where staff, including a speech and language therapist, help develop pupils’ speech and language skills.
Need help? Perhaps you suspect your child has some learning difficulty and you would like advice on what you should do. Or perhaps it is becoming clear that your child's current school is not working for him or her, and you need help to find a mainstream school which has better SEN provision, or to find a special school which will best cater for your child's area of need. Our SEN consultancy team advises on both special schools, and the mainstream schools with good SEN support, from reception through to the specialist colleges for 19+. Special Educational Needs Index
Find top international, British, IB and American schools in over 40 countries. The Good Schools Guide International publishes impartial and forthright reviews of international schools across the world.
We examined the value-added from KS2 to GCSE for 2022 to see which state selective grammar schools added the most value to their offspring. A note of caution - the more highly selective a grammar school, the less scope there will be to add value.
Grammar schools are state-funded, academically selective senior schools. The education a child receives at grammar school is paid for by the state unlike at private schools which provide education for a fee. There are currently around 163 located in 36 English local authorities, with around 167,000 pupils between them. Northern Ireland has a further 67 grammar schools, but there are none in Wales or Scotland. A word of caution: there are private schools that have the word 'grammar' in their name but this is purely for historical reasons.
At specialist music, dance or performing arts schools, the arts aren't optional extras. They’re intrinsic to the school curriculum. Students are expected to fit in high level training and hours of practice alongside a full academic provision. It's a lot to ask any child to take on, but for those with exceptional performing ability this kind of education can be transformative.