Over reliance on greenbus as transport

[ric1982]

Hi,

How often greenbus changes its route (completely or marginally)? The GS that we are looking at has good Greenbus route at the moment. Looking down the line one year on how likely they change the route? (prob. no one knows but just some companies have raptutation) For this particular GS , green bus is only viable option. Public transport will be too long (multiple changes) for year 7 and 8. So for at least first two years we are looking at using Greenbus.

Our concern is that if they change the route during 7 and 8 then not sure what options we would have for school run.

Thanks

[hermanmunster]

I think the problem with greenbus etc is that they were dependent on pupils doing much more travelling in B'ham than they used to - I suspet that they will look at the projected figures now that far more of the pupils are in Catchment.

[ric1982]

Thats good point. Doesnt make it easy for us being in Shirly (Solihull) for Birmingham GS. May be different story for Warwick.

[hermanmunster]

Have you discounted TGA?

[ric1982]

Have you discounted TGA?

This is been our conundrum for all these 3/4 weeks. Everyone who I speak to says TGA is great school - can't go wrong etc. Then we speak to everyone who send their kids to GS and they says GS is the way to go. Its been absolute **** these few weeks for us. Sometimes it feels like would have been easier if our DD have got below qualifying score!

[JustOutside]

I do feel for you, ric1982. The future reliability of the Green Bus was a factor for us in choosing a GS for our DD as well. There was a bit of correspondence about it in the first page of this thread:

https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum ... 11&t=62514

If we put Handsworth Girls as our first choice, we'd be relying on the Green Bus, as the alternative journeys would add an element of risk to our DD that is beyond our tolerance. Fortunately for us, we have two other grammars within easy reach on local buses, and DD preferred one of them anyway.

If you feel that the alternative commute (multiple changes) is too much for Y7-8 but might be manageable when your DC is a little older, I guess the risk is not so great for you. I note that the Green Bus has not published its routes for 2022-23 yet though, so you don't even have certainty for Y7.

I don't know anything about your local school (TGA?) but when people on this forum and elsewhere are agonizing over which is the 'best' GS for their high-scoring DC, I've noticed some reassuring posts from Hermanmunster and others that remind us that it is not so much the overall academic results of the school that matters, as whether that school will enable our individual DCs to realise their potential.

[ric1982]

I do feel for you, ric1982. The future reliability of the Green Bus was a factor for us in choosing a GS for our DD as well. There was a bit of correspondence about it in the first page of this thread:

https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum ... 11&t=62514

If we put Handsworth Girls as our first choice, we'd be relying on the Green Bus, as the alternative journeys would add an element of risk to our DD that is beyond our tolerance. Fortunately for us, we have two other grammars within easy reach on local buses, and DD preferred one of them anyway.

If you feel that the alternative commute (multiple changes) is too much for Y7-8 but might be manageable when your DC is a little older, I guess the risk is not so great for you. I note that the Green Bus has not published its routes for 2022-23 yet though, so you don't even have certainty for Y7.

I don't know anything about your local school (TGA?) but when people on this forum and elsewhere are agonizing over which is the 'best' GS for their high-scoring DC, I've noticed some reassuring posts from Hermanmunster and others that remind us that it is not so much the overall academic results of the school that matters, as whether that school will enable our individual DCs to realise their potential.

Thanks

TGA : Tudor Grange Academy in solihull.

when people compare GS with good comprehensive like TGA , the one thing that goes for GS is the fellow pupils. As they are selective , all are more or less on same page/ability. While in comprehensive (even in excellent one like TGA), you will have children from all around abilities. For us TGA is nearby (30 minutes walk/5 minutes by car etc) while GS is 1.15 hr commute each way by bus.

[JustOutside]

when people compare GS with good comprehensive like TGA , the one thing that goes for GS is the fellow pupils. As they are selective , all are more or less on same page/ability. While in comprehensive (even in excellent one like TGA), you will have children from all around abilities. For us TGA is nearby (30 minutes walk/5 minutes by car etc) while GS is 1.15 hr commute each way by bus.

I guess it depends how the comprehensive school copes with the mixed abilities of the pupils. Is there streaming? Or setting for certain subjects? If the able pupils are stretched, maybe it's easier to appreciate the other benefits of a comprehensive school. I am conscious that by selecting a single-sex grammar we are electing to reduce the breadth of experience for our daughter in her teenage years. That's not entirely a good thing. I also worry that the GS environment might be too overtly competitive for her (though some will thrive).

DD is our only child, and I have no recent experience of secondary schools, and none at all of grammar. I went through a three-tier system, so even moving schools at age 11 is new to me!

[ric1982]

Intrestingly we thought single sex school would be good for DD as it would be less distraction from boys. I understand your concern about GS competitive environement. It could go either way. I have heard some schools try to get rid of acadmically weaker pupils for the ranking/status of the school.

It does looks like they have settings and some streamings https://www.solihull.tgacademy.org.uk/t ... formation/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[hermanmunster]

Intrestingly we thought single sex school would be good for DD as it would be less distraction from boys. I understand your concern about GS competitive environement. It could go either way. I have heard some schools try to get rid of acadmically weaker pupils for the ranking/status of the school.

It does looks like they have settings and some streamings https://www.solihull.tgacademy.org.uk/t ... formation/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re single gender schools - well believe me the girls will find a way to meet the lads whatever. I used to go on the KE special bus from Acocks Green in the 70s - there was a girls bus, a boys bus and the LATE bus (mixed) - the mothers put their daughters on the girls bus and several got off 2 stops along the journey to wait for the late bus and the lads who would be on it.

What I did miss out on doing that trip was the local friends in Solihull - they all went to 6th form college and arranged meet-ups and events and generally socialised during the day - v hard being part of the "group" when that happens