Reigate area travel to Sutton

Eleven Plus (11+) in Surrey (Sutton, Kingston and Wandsworth)

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JLC
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2011 2:32 pm

Reigate area travel to Sutton

Post by JLC »

Hi

I am looking at sending my son to Wilsons, Wallingtons or Sutton but I’m concerned about the journey.

It seems like too much for an 11 year old to cope with. Although the distance isn’t huge it seems like a long journey due to connections. Is there anyone from near Reigate who might be sending their children and would consider some kind of taxi share?

If anyone has any advice I would really welcome it!
Last edited by JLC on Fri Sep 02, 2011 10:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
la boume
Posts: 287
Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2010 7:33 pm

Re: Reigate area travel to Sutton

Post by la boume »

Sorry, but it may be too early to plan the journey. First your son needs to get in...after that you will have the whole 6 months to plan/share a taxi/find a travel buddy etc.
laretta
Posts: 179
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:51 pm

Re: Reigate area travel to Sutton

Post by laretta »

It is a little early to make solid plans, but it is very prudent to be sure you can/ are willing to undertake such a journey before filling out your CAF which is now only 2 months away. The proximity and journey to a school may well influence your rank order of preferences and so it makes sense to research at this early stage.
Have you thought about trains, I'm not sure if they run direct from Reigate to Sutton/Wallington. I know it seems a bit young, but many children get the train in year 7.

Best of luck
loopylou
Posts: 403
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:08 am

Re: Reigate area travel to Sutton

Post by loopylou »

People do very long journeys to reach all of these schools. They mentioned at open evening that boys from North London make the journey everyday but really it is the transport links rather than the distance in miles that can be the main factor in assessing whether it is feasible or not.
You'd have to change at Dorking I think for Sutton Grammar which would be two trains.
Wallington and Wilsons would involve more changes because you'd need to get to Reigate then Selhurst for the connections so about an hour's journey plus a 15 minute walk at the other end.
Basically it isn't a long journey as long as the trains are on time for the connections and as long as we don't get a snowy winter every year with the trains cancelled. I don't know if the buses offer a better route though and it also depends if there is anyone else he could travel with - an older brother or friend or another boy from the same area going to the same school. That would make it much less of a worry.
huntlie
Posts: 211
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 11:08 am

Re: Reigate area travel to Sutton

Post by huntlie »

I'm sure I'll be pilloried for saying this, but aren't there any good schools in or near Reigate? Why do you have to come to Sutton & take away a place from a Sutton child, who may then have to travel miles away?

Reigate to Sutton is a very long way.
catcool
Posts: 159
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:50 am
Location: surrey

Re: Reigate area travel to Sutton

Post by catcool »

Try this web site .
http://www.transportdirect.info/Web2/Jo ... Input.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I had a look and there is a 420 metro bus from Redhill to Sutton Would be good for Sutton Grammar and maybe Wallington buts depends on route .
Also a train goes from Reigate to purley them change for waddon which would be good for Wilsons .
wildlaulau
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2010 1:26 pm

Re: Reigate area travel to Sutton

Post by wildlaulau »

There isn't a direct train from Purley to Waddon/Wallington stations. From Purley he could get the 289 bus and then there's a walk to Wilsons (10 mins or so). The 289 isn't a great service. Or he could go from Reigate to East Croydon and outside the station get a 410 direct to Wallington Boys or walk a bit to get the 154 or 157 direct to Wilson's. From East Croydon he could get a tram round to West Croydon and get a train from there to Waddon (10 min walk to Wilson's I'd guess) or Sutton for SGS. It's not very easy! There may be better ways but I can't think of them.
surreymum
Posts: 553
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:26 pm

Re: Reigate area travel to Sutton

Post by surreymum »

We have friends whose children have gone the other way to Reigate grammar and tried various means public transport-parents ended up doing a lot of driving :D
Sorry don't know any specifics about routes.
sostressed
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2010 10:45 am

Re: Reigate area travel to Sutton

Post by sostressed »

My daughter secured a place at WHSG eventually but after much debate we
decided not to accept. Living in Reigate we felt the journey was too difficult
and as I work and have a younger son driving there and back was not feasible.
We had thought when applying that we would manage it somehow but the logistics
were extremely difficult and we also worried about the social aspect and how difficult it
would be to see friends outside of school when you have to think about how you are getting home.
ThreeKids
Posts: 199
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2011 1:16 pm

Re: Reigate area travel to Sutton

Post by ThreeKids »

Personally I would try for the schools if you think that they would truly be the right place for your son. There are children for whom the Grammars are likely the right place, those who would be equally happy at a more local school, and those that would be miserable at a GS even if you lived on the doorstep. 11 is not to young to travel by train, and there are boys who make quite complicated journeys to the sutton Grammars at that age. However - the day starts early, and your son will have to be there on time. If that means leaving the house at stupid O'clock - then factor that in. The Journey almost certainly can be done, but you truly do not want to have to get your child out of bed every morning at 5am just to make sure he gets there on time because the train/bus times simply do not tie in and he'll spend half the morning hanging around stations waiting for connections.

If you feel that a GS is truly the right place, and we felt that about our son (as did his school) so I know how that feels, then go for it, and have in the back of your mind that potentially you might be sensible to consider moving house if your son gets in, maybe not far - but within reach of a more direct route to school.
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