Any Tips for those starting Year 7 in September

[Gbarr]

Hi I have 2 boys started year 7 in September. HGS and Queen Mary's. Any tips or advice will be very much appreciated. The boys will be travelling via bus from Great Barr (Scott Arms) area of Birmingham.

[alex1]

Hi Gbarr
what class is your son in at queen marys?

[Gbarr]

Hi he will be in 7g.

[mashk]

Son starts in HGS tomorrow. Travelling from Perry Barr. Did a dry run on the bus already. And I've got the day off from work should he run into any problems.

[Gbarr]

Hi I have decided to drop and collect tomorrow as its the first day, but after that DS will be on the bus. He will also be travelling in the same direction as your DS.....is it the 11 and 101? That was the best route I found.

[UmSusu]

U might have already made ur plans now, but I really would advise that if you are able to take your DS in, then you might want to catch the bus in and back out with him (if you have not done a dry run before). It will relieve a lot of anxiety.

I caught the No.11 with DS last year as it seemed like the most straightforward route, but it took forever and stopped in front of several other schools, so we decided 2 buses would be better for him - but we live quite far from the school.

I suppose with 2 DS in different schools, you will have a lot on your plate tomorrow.

Best Wishes

[um]

Hmm, if the journey involves a lot of changes then I completely understand parents wanting to do a 'dry run' with your child first.
However if it is a one-bus journey I don't think they can go that wrong.
I'd work on the premise that if your children were bright enough to get into their Grammar School, they are bright enough to get to their Grammar School.
I told my boys that when all the children in Camp Hill uniform got up on the bus and walked towards the exit, they'd know that they'd arrived at school. They have since confirmed that this prediction was correct.
My ds1 did once miss the stop, probably due to playing on his phone, but he then got off somewhere in Stirchley and crossed over and got the 11 back.
Sorry to sound harsh but my ds's do tell me of some boys who actually live on the 11 bus route, or relatively close to school, and still have to be dropped off and picked up by worried parents, and I'm not really sure it does them any good.

[Gbarr]

I agree with you Um. It will be tough as he has 2 catch 3 buses, but we did practice runs over the summer and he went on his own once. I did do the drops today as I have 3 kids. But as they are all in different schools the boys will be on the bus from tomorrow. I am a little worried but that's just me being a mom, and like you say...others will be getting off at the same stop, so hopefully they will be fine

[UmSusu]

I suggested you might want to go with him if you haven'ttried out the journey before.

I am sure that parents who drop off their kids have their own good reasons though. It might be on the way to work or to save some time in the morning. Being bright enough to get into a grammar school has no bearing on whether it is more practical to drop off kids. DS1 got a lift in the morning and 2 buses back in the afternoon until he was more confident in the summer term to catch a bus both ways. DS2 walks to school but will on a cold wet morning I would rather take 5 minutes to drop him off than have him walk 20 minutes and get soaked before he starts his day. Being nearer to school just gives more options. Everyone has their own circumstances

[Gbarr]

Your advice was helpful, thanks. The first day went well, hopefully the trips on the bus go well tomorrow