Borderline Candidates

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 11:40 pm

Another troll here I think!

How can it take a round trip of 4 hours - as I said I can do the round trip to Chelmsford from Bucks in under 4 hours - I was not assuming they lived in Essex.

I cannot think there are many parents who would send their child to a Grammar and then not allow them to be in a team or meet friends at the weekend.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 11:42 pm

Believe me there are many!

Darren · Post by **Darren** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:19 am

I feel sorry for the kids travelling this far to their School. I commute 4 hours (public Transport) round trip and it kills me.. Kids are more less stressed about it and take it as a bit of fun.

My local Grammar is exactly 4.8 Miles away. If she passes my wife wants us to move as she says it's too far for her.

Maybe I should let her take a look at some of these posts...As I don't want to move..

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 8:32 am

Most of the girls come in from London.

Two of the schools nearish to us (Latymer in Enfield and Dame Alice Owen in Herts) will only take children if they live in certain postcodes or can demonstrate they live within an hours travel by public transport. This is to allow the children to join in after school clubs and get home with enough time to do any homework and still have time to themselves in the evening without being completely exhausted. Maybe some of the Essex schools should do the same to stop the ridiculous commute some children seem to be going through. I live in London and if my child does not make it into the local grammars then I'm afraid it will be the local comprehensive. I could not possibly consider sending them to Essex. I wouldn't even consider doing that to myself!! What do they do if there is heavy snowfall when they are on the way home (as in previous years) or other travel problems? At least if they are local they can walk home.

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:29 am

Darren - presumably you don't live in Bucks - hardly any children have their nearest school that close to home!!

Karen · Post by **Karen** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 1:07 pm

It's a shame we are debating the commute to grammar school this late in the proceedings. Any sensible parent would take that into consideration prior to deciding to let their child take the test - or else be prepared for the consequences.

Darren · Post by **Darren** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 1:21 pm

Hi Guest55,

No I'm not in Bucks. So can't comment for Bucks..

still think If my daughter was offered a place 1.5 hours commute. I'd take the place. Even if it mean't I drive , and she missed after school clubs,,,.

the state of my local comps would make my mind up easily.

007 · Post by **007** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 1:37 pm

Going back to the original post about borderline candidates.I spoke to a parent the other day who told me that last year her daughter was 1 mark below the borderline and got accepted for Woodford.
So there's hope for anyone who may find themselves in a similar situation.

Bo Peep · Post by **Bo Peep** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:04 pm

Sorry everyone,

Just wanted to write something obnoxious to see what the reaction was (don't think I can even speel obnoxious in reality.

It's nice to know David wasn't a real troll - just a parent misbehaving himself! Tut tut David...go and report to Patricia - she may be lenient since you confessed rather than get the whole topic thread into trouble.

007 - wow, someone was one point below borderline and still got into Woodford? That's amazing considering the standard for Redbridge is so high, but hopefully this will give some hope to parents who are fretting that their child didn't do as well as he/she could have.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 3:27 pm

Anonymous wrote:Yes we are lucky to live near such good schools, but realistically the chances of getting into them are remote. However, I still wouldn't put Colchester, Westcliff, Southend or the London or Herts grammers down, just to get my child into a grammer and these schools are a lot easier to get into. I looked at the schools available within Chelmsford and made the best choices I had.

I do have one daughter who goes to the High school and think it is so sad for those children who commute. They cannot join any of the after school clubs, they do not get picked for any of the sports teams and do not get included when all the girls meet up at he weekend or straight after school. There has to be a life after Grammer.

Please don't feel sad for people - some may feel sad that you have never let your children try any other area than Chelmsford! We come from a smallish town not too far from Chelmsford and my daughter commutes to County High every day although the bus only takes about 30 mins (maybe even a bit less). I always said I didn't want my children to go to secondary school in our town as I wanted them to go outside the area, meet children from other areas etc - there is nothing wrong with that. However, I do agree that a commute of 2 hours plus is too much.