7 replies to this topic

[curiousturtle]

Hi We are locating to Amersham from Scotland and my elder daughter will be starting in P6. I have phoned few schools (little chalfont & Elangeni) but it seems these are full. I know the admissions are driven from Bucks county but being realist I am targeting Woodside Jr school and residence for rent around Scholars way or Brudenell Close (both near Raans Road).
Would appreciate feedback from the denizens here on both these places (School and the residential areas are these good for a family)
Thanks in advance

[cathindia]

We moved here last summer and also had problems finding schools. I don't have any children at Woodside (my older two are at Chesham Bois) and my youngest is at St George's which feeds to Woodside. However I have now visited the school a number of times and met the headmistress. It was ofsteded in February and received a "good" rating. My impression is that it is an up and coming school. The headmistress is very committed and enthusiastic and really knows the strengths and weaknesses of her school. I like her. I would be happy for my youngest to move there when he moves up to juniors. But to be honest, the best way to assess a school is to visit it and talk to the teachers and see for yourself. We all have different expectations and demands. Every child is different and what works for one, may not work for another. The other schools in Amersham are (for your reference): Chesham Bois CE Combined School (this takes from Reception to Year 6). They do get spaces from time to time. St Mary's (Old Amersham) which also runs from Reception to Year 6) and Our Lady's (which is Roman Catholic) and you will be unlikely to get a place unless you are RC.

Hopefully someone who has a child at Woodside will be able to offer you more advice. But Amersham is a friendly place and there are other scots here!! (Not me, but another family arrived at the same time as us last summer from Scotland and have children at Chesham Bois with my older 2!).

Good Luck with the move.

[HP6]

I would also familiarise yourself with the secondary school admission process at the same time.

[curiousturtle]

We moved here last summer and also had problems finding schools. I don't have any children at Woodside (my older two are at Chesham Bois) and my youngest is at St George's which feeds to Woodside. However I have now visited the school a number of times and met the headmistress. It was ofsteded in February and received a "good" rating. My impression is that it is an up and coming school. The headmistress is very committed and enthusiastic and really knows the strengths and weaknesses of her school. I like her. I would be happy for my youngest to move there when he moves up to juniors. But to be honest, the best way to assess a school is to visit it and talk to the teachers and see for yourself. We all have different expectations and demands. Every child is different and what works for one, may not work for another. The other schools in Amersham are (for your reference): Chesham Bois CE Combined School (this takes from Reception to Year 6). They do get spaces from time to time. St Mary's (Old Amersham) which also runs from Reception to Year 6) and Our Lady's (which is Roman Catholic) and you will be unlikely to get a place unless you are RC.

Hopefully someone who has a child at Woodside will be able to offer you more advice. But Amersham is a friendly place and there are other scots here!! (Not me, but another family arrived at the same time as us last summer from Scotland and have children at Chesham Bois with my older 2!).

Good Luck with the move.

Thanks CathIndia for the response. It is reassuring. I did visit Woodside, spoke to their rep in Admin office. I was happy with the school and the way she dealt with my questions. In some ways the school is similar to the one my daughter goes to right now in Edinburgh. I am also cautious of the fact that my daughter is coming from a different system and not sure if there are differences between the Scottish and English primary curriculums. I don't want to burden or overwhelm her with too much as she would be moving to primary 6 with pupils in her class aleardy preparing for 11+.

I would also familiarise yourself with the secondary school admission process at the same time.

Thanks HP6 we are in process of working out what would suit her for secondary for next year. In Scotland there is an additional year of primary 7 before moving to Secondary. So is another challenge for us.

[PaulEden]

However I have now visited the school a number of times and met the headmistress. It was ofsteded in February and received a "good" rating. My impression is that it is an up and coming school. The headmistress is very committed and enthusiastic and really knows the strengths and weaknesses of her school. I like her. I would be happy for my youngest to move there when he moves up to juniors.

Well said. Word for word what I was just about to write.

My daughter is moving to Woodside this year - we've just ordered the uniform and she and I are happy with the move. I hope it goes well - she's got *two younger brothers who we expect will go the same St Georges - Woodside route.

Edited by PaulEden, 26 June 2012 - 11:00 AM.
Two brothers, not three!!!

[Bawbag]

Thanks HP6 we are in process of working out what would suit her for secondary for next year. In Scotland there is an additional year of primary 7 before moving to Secondary. So is another challenge for us.

We moved from Scotland last year and due to the differences in intake cut-off dates out son effectively missed a year of primary schooling (bad planning on our part 5 years previous!).

It's not so much that there is an extra year in Scotland, just the terminology and intake cut-off dates are different:

England - Reception, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Scotland - P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7

Our son was due to start P1 in West Lothian in September 2011, but because he would've started school a year earlier in Reception in Bucks (first intake after his fourth birthday in May 2010), he went straight into Year 1 last September.

Sorry if you already know all this, it was a bit of a shock when we finally realised and I wish we had it explained to us! Sounds like your daughter is perhaps in the same boat?

[Laura S]

Hello - you asked about the residential areas as well as the school. Not sure about the new Cala homes development but we have lived off Scholars Way for about 7 years now and really like the area. Its fairly quiet, friendly neighbours, a nice place for the children and a good mix of ages around. Hope that helps.

[Soz]

Hi
I have a daughter at Woodside (and in the spirit of full disclosure I should add I'm a Parent Governor) plus my son left last year and is now at secondary school. My son joined Woodside towards the end of Year 5 after we moved into the area and I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly he settled. I think that being a small school made it easy for him to get to know people and for them to know him. Both of us were made to feel welcome by pupils and staff and the admin staff were knowledgeable and helpful, all of which made the transition much easier for us.

When my son left, his verdict was "the lessons were more interesting and the pupils better behaved than at my last school". (And that was a school he was perfectly happy at) From the way he talked about his time at Woodside I think he meant that the lessons were more imaginative. He has fond memories of his time there and is coping well at secondary school.

It's encouraging to read in some of the replies above that Woodside is seen as an improving school, that's certainly how it feels 'from the inside'.

Although not strictly part of the school, I find the on-site After School and Breakfast Clubs useful - they are flexible and usually have spaces available which works well for me as I do not have to use them on a regular basis. My daughter loves going there, they're relaxed and she can do as much or as little as she likes depending on her energy levels. She particularly recommends the crumpets and jam!

Sorry to raise the spectre of secondaries again, but be warned that the open days/evenings for these are early in the Autumn term, so make sure you get the dates for them from County asap.

Hope this is useful, please let me know if there's anything else you'd like to know.