Colchester parents looking at Colchester schools

[Proudmumregardless]

Just wondering how you're getting your dc there if you're not on a straight bus route.

My dd could walk or cycle but it means cutting through Norman way fields which I'm not keen on her doing in lower school in the winter.

Any thoughts?

[Colcmum]

DD is likely to walk. It should take her between 25 and 30 minutes. We have a friend whose child goes there already, so they will probably walk together.

She will probably be going the long way to avoid Norman Way Fields, mostly because of the terrible condition of that connecting path.

I have noticed that a lot of the Phillip Morant and St Benedicts pupils congregrate on the fields, especially around the narrow entrances. Not many ColCHS girls seem to go that way, I was wondering if the rumours I have heard about inter-school issues was true? I was told a lot of the grammar school girls choose to hang back after school for ten minutes or so to avoid.

[Proudmumregardless]

Have to say that's what Im worried about even though dd's peers will be going to Philip Morant it's the bottle neck of the three schools that is making me worried.

I might get her to go the long way round too. It's hard isn't it.

[Minesatea]

Unless there are plans to change it, the Philip Morant school day is out of step with the other two ? 8:15 - 3:00. So they should be in school/gone before your DDs are using the path. Some PM pupils using the buses from the bus park on the Colchs side may hang around after school as the buses dont go til later when the other two schools finish.
DD uses a bus from the bus park so no experience of going the other way.

[Colcmum]

I have had to be in that area around 3.20/3.30 recently and there were still a lot of PM students hanging around the entrances from the fields to Norman Way, socialising and waiting to be picked up by parents there.

Last week I noticed a ColCHS girl being closely followed by four Bennies students, who looked really quite uncomfortable and we ended up crossing the road so we could walk behind her instead, but I've only seen that once. That was really what sparked my concerns, silly or not.

DD will know lots of children at Philip Morant, most of her school go there and she has friends there from after school clubs, so I am sure it will be fine. I suspect quite a lot of this is influenced by my own experiences of being at a grammar myself and being targeted by the local comprehensive school.

[Stressed.mum]

Unless there are plans to change it, the Philip Morant school day is out of step with the other two ? 8:15 - 3:00. So they should be in school/gone before your DDs are using the path. Some PM pupils using the buses from the bus park on the Colchs side may hang around after school as the buses dont go til later when the other two schools finish.
DD uses a bus from the bus park so no experience of going the other way.

Yes, Philip Morant school day starts earlier, they are in their first lesson at 08:35., but there will always be late ones. They finishes at 3.

I drop off my dd year 7 around 08:25-08:30 at the entrance of Norman fields, and she walks to Colchs by herself, no problems as such yet. Sometimes she arrives into school just before or just after the school bell, but on time for class registration. I see a few Colchs girls making their way through the field entrance during that time, so I assume its fine for them to walk that way.

At the end of the school day, I collect her from the school car park and have noticed St Benedicts finishes 5 mins earlier than Colchs. She walks out with the colchs crowd, so no problems there either.

Hope this ease your concerns.

[jaj366]

Could you let me know what time Colchester County High School for Girls start and end their day.

Can anyone share their experiences of travelling to Colchester Town train station from Chelmsford and catching a bus to Lexden Road/Norman Way.

[Stressed.mum]

Could you let me know what time Colchester County High School for Girls start and end their day.

Can anyone share their experiences of travelling to Colchester Town train station from Chelmsford and catching a bus to Lexden Road/Norman Way.

Colchs start at 08:43 and finishes 15:35.

[Minesatea]

They can train into Colchester North or Colchester Town, either way they will end up on the same bus. Plenty of children do catch the bus at Colchester North, and I would personally choose that option as there are more train options, the station is fully staffed and unlike Colchester Town is a barrier controlled platform. Colchester town is not a station I would chose to let my 11 year old use in winter in the dark.
Bus wise there is plenty, first 65 (lots) or Chambers 84 (school special) seem to be the main choices and both would serve both stations. Timing wise she would need to be at Colchester North by 8am. DD uses the 84 bus and has friends who train from manningtree and bus from Colchester North.

[Proudmumregardless]

It seems a lot of us are over the same side of town.

Once we know about allocations would anyone be up for getting the girls together to meet up to have a friendly face for day one/a walking buddy?