11 Plus Exams Forum

Hi any advice very welcome, my son will travel to Skinners - we have found a bus from Brenchley that leaves at about 7.50 which is perfect, but he will get to school at about 8.35 - is this cutting it a bit fine? Anyone else who does it from round here - would welcome a friendly face in a similar uniform????

Hi amychaos - I seem to think that 8.35 a.m. might be cutting it a bit fine especially if that is without giving a bit of lea way for the bus to be delayed. I will speak to DS this evening and find out what time he has to be in registration etc. and get back to you.

Sorry been a bit of a mad-house here! DS tells me that registration is 8.45 a.m. Don't know if that helps your bus timings.

It won't be a problem at all. Your DS can either catch the 297 public bus which is more direct but gets to the town centre. about 8.30 i.e Argos or Monson Road, but means that he'll have to walk / catch the bus up to school - this one def gets them in on time and there are usually quite a few Skinners boys on it. Or catch the 267 school bus, which goes throught Tonbridge and then on to T. Wells, which tends to get in a bit later, as it goes round the houses, but drops them off straight outside school. Again there are quite a few Skinners boys on this one too. My son tends to catch the 297 in the morning to get in on time, and then the 267 in the afternoons. The afternoon 297 leaves at 3.50 from Monson Road, so it;s a swift walk after school. Wheras the afternoon 267 can be caught from just outside school at about 4pm. With a Kent Freedom Pass, you can go on all buses. My son is in Yr 7 and went from a short walk to his village school, to successfully working out that he can catch the 297, and then the 402 from Tescos up to school. You'd be amazed how much they mature in such a short space of time. Good Luck.

Thanks so much for this, would love for him to be close enough to walk but simply can't afford to live in town.

Blue Peter - can i just ask about he 297, if it drops them off in town (Monson road) how long roughly is the walk to Skinners including walking at a "very slow because i have no concept of time, i only wear a watch because i think it looks cool" pace???? Of course i know T Wells well, used to live there before escaping to the country but just can't visualise the distance.

I will have a look at the 402, I am hoping there will be so many walking that direction he will just tag along. I think i will have to physically restrain my husband from following the bus on the first day. I have also threatened to get a part-time job in Bean next door if DS spends too much time in there after school.......

I'll PM you. BP

amychaos wrote: I have also threatened to get a part-time job in Bean next door if DS spends too much time in there after school.......

Think I need to set up a direct debit to them