Hertfordshire vs Buckinghamshire!?!

strawberries1

getmore4less said:

Yes, proximity to airports from Buck and SW Hertfordshire is good. 
Would like a station nearby about a 15min walk but I understand school proximity is probably more relevant. 
We've not looked a bungalows. 

With £1m you missed this, walking(<10min) to the  grammar&high schools and station.

Chumy said:

1. I love plantains Good taste! 😁 I also love ethic markets for variety plus cheap fruit and veg. We'll like a huge garden for a veg patch. 
2. We decided to add good private schools instead of just grammar schools as we can afford it to the mix I'll consider this too. We'll be mortgage free so perhaps it'll be achieveable. I watch an interview of Peter Hitchens on YouTube about GSs. He says that private schools can afford to charge exorbitantly not because they're providing value but because the environment of non GSs means they're the only viable option for children wanting that rigour. I won't be surprised if they also encourage the abolition of GSs cos they know it'll increase their market share. 
3. Like you, we didn't really have ties to anywhere, just looking for a good location with easy access to London incase we ever needed to switch jobs So where did you go for? Where do you recommend in South Bucks and SW Hertfordshire? 
4. Most will jump on you wanting what you thi best for your kids   Many online seem to think the govt is best placed to bring up a child. 
5. All the very best with your seaThank you. 

Please keep the suggestions coming. 

Rosa_Damascena

Owleyes00 said:

Cannot see any need to base your housing decision on whether or not there is a grammar school.

Have you got kids yet? How old are they? No guarantee that they would even get in.

Seems like you have no idea where you want to live as you are looking all over the place. What other ties do you have?

Its clearly not on your list of priorities but if you have children and are academically ambitious for them - which is typical of immigrants who know what it is to have to pay for education so value it - it is going to be a priority. If you live in catchment it will alway be a selling point. Don't be dissing the grammars.

OP - I'd stick with Wycombe or Amersham but bear in mind everything is still a schlep away. In fact scrap that thought and come to Essex. We have 4 grammars is Southend and they are wonderfully diverse.

KittleSkittle

I grew up in Bucks and went to one of the grammars. Not been back for 15 years though, and most familiar with the north of the county. 

Owleyes00

Rosa_Damascena said:

Owleyes00 said:

Cannot see any need to base your housing decision on whether or not there is a grammar school.

Have you got kids yet? How old are they? No guarantee that they would even get in.

Seems like you have no idea where you want to live as you are looking all over the place. What other ties do you have?

Its clearly not on your list of priorities but if you have children and are academically ambitious for them - which is typical of immigrants who know what it is to have to pay for education so value it - it is going to be a priority. If you live in catchment it will alway be a selling point. Don't be dissing the grammars.

OP - I'd stick with Wycombe or Amersham but bear in mind everything is still a schlep away. In fact scrap that thought and come to Essex. We have 4 grammars is Southend and they are wonderfully diverse.

The OPs children can do equally as well at a non grammar school if they are academically capable though. Seems like a lot of potential upheaval and living somewhere you don’t necessarily otherwise want to live when they could go to a perfectly decent comprehensive 

Rosa_Damascena

Owleyes00 said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

Owleyes00 said:

Cannot see any need to base your housing decision on whether or not there is a grammar school.

Have you got kids yet? How old are they? No guarantee that they would even get in.

Seems like you have no idea where you want to live as you are looking all over the place. What other ties do you have?

Its clearly not on your list of priorities but if you have children and are academically ambitious for them - which is typical of immigrants who know what it is to have to pay for education so value it - it is going to be a priority. If you live in catchment it will alway be a selling point. Don't be dissing the grammars.

OP - I'd stick with Wycombe or Amersham but bear in mind everything is still a schlep away. In fact scrap that thought and come to Essex. We have 4 grammars is Southend and they are wonderfully diverse.

The OPs children can do equally as well at a non grammar school if they are academically capable though. Seems like a lot of potential upheaval and living somewhere you don’t necessarily otherwise want to live when they could go to a perfectly decent comprehensive 

Decent comps aren't in large supply, and the new OFSTED framework doesn't exactly help with the focus taken away from academic achievement. So why spend 7 years wondering whilst you put your faith in the system when you could just load the dice in favour of academic success if that is what's important to parents?

strawberries1

Rosa_Damascena said:

Owleyes00 said:

Cannot see any need to base your housing decision on whether or not there is a grammar school.

Have you got kids yet? How old are they? No guarantee that they would even get in.

Seems like you have no idea where you want to live as you are looking all over the place. What other ties do you have?

Its clearly not on your list of priorities but if you have children and are academically ambitious for them - which is typical of immigrants who know what it is to have to pay for education so value it - it is going to be a priority. If you live in catchment it will alway be a selling point. Don't be dissing the grammars.

OP - I'd stick with Wycombe or Amersham but bear in mind everything is still a schlep away. In fact scrap that thought and come to Essex. We have 4 grammars is Southend and they are wonderfully diverse.

Thanks Rosa. We're viewing in Maidenhead and Amersham tomorrow. I'm not hot on these areas. We'd looked in there last year but I wasn't hot on them. I'm now having to reconsider since I became aware that non Grammar schools mean non selective. My DH and I went to super selective schools and still work in industries requiring a lot of research and writing. 

Thanks for your kind invite to Essex. I've worked in Southend for two weeks sometime ago. It felt nice; was sunny and clean but we're trying to narrow down places in Buckingham and Hertfordshire. KittleSkittle said:

I grew up in Bucks and went to one of the grammars. Not been back for 15 years though, and most familiar with the north of the county. 

15yrs is a while ago. Which areas do you suggest we consider?