Transport from Reading to Upton Grammer

[Leo77]

Anyone going or will be going in Sep 2017 from Reading to Upton Grammar School please?

[ToadMum]

Anyone going or will be going in Sep 2017 from Reading to Upton Grammar School please?

It looks like a pretty straightforward train journey, so presumably there will be lots of other students doing it.

[Tinkers]

Whereabouts in Reading are you? The train is the best option as long as you can get to Reading station easily. It's just over a mile from Slough station to the school I think. It's still a long distance, but train is possibly a better option than road. There are regularly issues with the M4 and even if you don't use the M4, M4 issues have a knock on effect

I don't know of anyone from Reading going to Upton, though a few go to Herschel. Did you not have a suitable school option closer?

[Leo77]

Thank you for your responses

No this is the only school option we have, as you have rightly pointed out, train station is approx. 2miles away, so what's the best possible alternative from the train station to the school please?

Also looking for any school bus/car pool options as well, between Reading & Slough

We live in Earley area

[scary mum]

Have you asked the school? To be honest, it might have been an idea to sort this out before applying to the school, as it's not a great journey by car. There are all kinds of safeguarding things to think about in a car pool - will link to the questions that have been posted on here before when I'm not on my phone.

[Tinkers]

Thank you for your responses

No this is the only school option we have, as you have rightly pointed out, train station is approx. 2miles away, so what's the best possible alternative from the train station to the school please?

Also looking for any school bus/car pool options as well, between Reading & Slough

We live in Earley area

I know Hesrschel have a school bus, but have not heard that Upton has one. It's only in recent years that anyone from Reading even thought about the Slough schools and with good reason.

I live in Earley, and on a few occasions have had to drive to Slough early in the morning for a number of reasons. I really wouldn't want to be doing that everyday. You will know yourself what the M4 is like. I see it stationary going towards London on a regular basis when driving along Lowe Earley way, and that's at 7:30. When there's an issue on the M4, the alternative A4 gets stuffed up. The train is probably the best option.

As Scary Mum says, there's raft of issues with car sharing that you also should consider.

You also have a good choice of schools locally. Currently Forest is the only one not so hot at the moment. I'm pretty sure that will turn around soon.

[Tinkers]

Checklist when considering a car share:

• How much do you really know about this parent from a child safeguarding point of view? (Remember, anyone working with children, e.g. bus drivers for the school service, must have a current DBS form.)
• How much do you really know about their driving skills? Have you seen their insurance and car roadworthy details? (Remember that public transport and dedicated school services are required to have these, to a high level.)
• How would you cope if your child fell out with the other children in the car pool, or wanted to do different after school activities, or didn't want to stay after school when the other children were staying late?
• How would you cope if one of the other car pool parents had their car break down, or off the road for some other reason, at short notice?
• What if it's your turn to drive, and you or your child is sick?
• What if the other family turns out to be unreliable, or the driver/their child is regularly late, or ill?
• What if the other child moves to a different school?
• What if one child needs to stay after school for an activity or event?
• What if the driver smokes when driving?
• What if the driver's conversation turns out to be objectionable or age inappropriate?

[Leo77]

Thank you for all your post, it was indeed very helpful, really appreciate it!

I will try for the train option, as I agree by road is always a challenge.....second best is car pool, depending on the how many parents and also try to tick as many boxes in the checklist shared by Tinkers......