11 Plus Exams Forum

Has anyone else received their renewal today ? I see that my son's bus has now changed from 966 to 901 and will take 54 mins instead of 30 mins from Stokenchurch to RGS due to procurement of new service !

Think they've all changed numbers - both dcs buses are same routes though.

Only other change to ours is a 10 minute start delay in the afternoon from DCGS.

we had a letter a couple of weeks ago confirming the bus would be the same last year. then last week had another letter stating that the route and bus number would be different, as would the stopping point and the departure and arrival times. the letter also stated "other than the above, there are no other changes to the service". err?

I expect they will be keeping the same surly driver.

.. and there might even be the same tatty seats.

I need to get over my bus pass huff! Ds is going to our closest catchment school and closest grammar school but Cressex is 0.02 miles closer to our house - I thought that was 200 meters but it turns out it's 32 meters! I know they have to save money and all that but those 32 meters are costing me a lot of money (especially as both dc get free primary transport).

I must get over this, I must get over this, I must get over this (she keeps repeating) ....

Kittymum, are you saying that DCs don't get a bus pass to a Grammar school if there is an Upper closer despite sitting a transfer test and being told that the Grammar is their designated school?

Also what if the closest Grammar won't take them?

Tolstoy wrote:Kittymum, are you saying that DCs don't get a bus pass to a Grammar school if there is an Upper closer despite sitting a transfer test and being told that the Grammar is their designated school?

Also what if the closest Grammar won't take them?

Exactly that - if you're more then 3 miles from a school you get free transport to the closest school only. If you qualified for grammar it will be the closest grammar or upper (so my ds doesn't get it as there is an upper 32 meters closer) if they don't qualify for grammar it is the closest upper.

If you're in Bucks paid for transport is now £570 (under 16) over 16 and out of county children going to Bucks schools is over £1000 (can't remember exact figure) so still discounted. If you don't qualify for free transport there is no guarantee of a place on a bus.

Good grief that is as bad as Gloucestershire where many very bright children I know where unable to go to grammar school because their parents couldn't afford the transport. One family allowed their daughter to sit the test (heads recommendation, not strictly allowed but he was a sensible guy, she got her place by self -tutoring with papers I gave her), They have had to make huge sacrifices to afford her travel and couldn't even think about letting their son take the test (equally very clever) because they simply didn't have the money.

Transport costs are a bigger barrier to bright kids getting Grammar places than tutoring. I am appalled!

Kitty mum, I feel for you, take a big deep gulping breath and just feel for the kids who only have the choice of cressex...it's all you can do really.

Our village has a nearest upper school that is not catchment and is heavily over subscribed within its catchment, so no one would dream of bothering to put it on the caf as it would be a nonsense. The result is that parents have to pay for children to travel to their very closest, catchment, upper school with places....UNLESS they happened to have read about the fiasco last year and remember to put the over subscribed, non catchment school first, then they will get a free bus as bucks cc won't he able to allocate them the closest school.

So in essence four words on a caf list and a bit of local savvy could save parents 4k