London to Colchester.

[yummy3]

First timer
If you read from my post I said some and that is from my opinion.i donot want to offend anyone but I feel questions asked by eleven were around the best route and not much suggestion have been forthcoming instead everyone is talking about the distance. From his prev statements distance is not an issue

[NOTLEY PARENTS]

These times cant work out, my DD wakes up at 6.30 herself and her bus is at 7.30 from Braintree so surely any bus (if there is one from where you live) would leave much earlier?

On another note I must stress that the after school clubs etc are not compulsary, my DD does not do any of them as we cannot pick her up after school, nor does her friend who lives locally, she is not bothered as she has activites near home such as dancing, karate and football at weekends, she meets her friends from school in the holidays and at parties, and she has the odd sleepover, in fact we are taking her to a party tomorrow in Colchester where she will get to see everyone, she is a happy energetic girl and though sometimes tired she is extremely organised and self sufficent and as long as she is happy, I am happy. She does have flute lessons but these are during school time and she does the occasional evening orchestra. There a lots of clubs I believe at lunchtime if she has the energy!

I cant see anyone after your DD`s place as if I have read correctly those commenting have already had a place confirmed, we are just concerned for your daughters welfare, in fact I must admit to being a bit worried about the thought of her being alone, I feel like coming over to pick her up myself

[mad?]

I cant help but feel some parents believe your DD's place belongs to their child.

I think it would be a good idea for anyone who wants to take a view on this to read the thread. Clearly, most posters on this thread have no DC affected, either in area or in year. To be sure check out their posting history.

[Moonlight]

First timer
If you read from my post I said some and that is from my opinion.i donot want to offend anyone but I feel questions asked by eleven were around the best route and not much suggestion have been forthcoming instead everyone is talking about the distance. From his prev statements distance is not an issue

Yummy3, the reason that everyone is talking about the distance is because it is a real issue! Whether a child travels by train or bus from London (the latter being incredibly unlikely) it is going to be an extremely long day.

I also do not believe, for one minute, that anyone has posted here to try and deliberately put 'eleven' off of sending her child to Colchester. I can only speak for myself in that I have no vested interest whatsoever in the girls' grammar. Both of my children are already at secondary schools. However, I do know Colchester very well and this is what I have tried to base my opinion on.

[dez]

If you considering just your DD, then there are alternatives such as submitting a late application to Southend High School for Girls and Westcliff High School for Girls for which there may be better travelling arrangements for your DD. If you were offered a place at CRGS, then your score should put you high on the list for these two schools. I do not know your score and if you had already put Chelmsford County High School, but you may consider being on the waiting list since ChCHS is a 5 minute walk from the train station and there are other children who make the still lengthy commute from London to Chelmsford.

If you are considering the future options for your other children, then this involves a much greater lifestyle choice. Have you considered relocating? There are plenty of good indie and state primary schools around Essex and if Grammar Schools are important considerations for your other DC, then this should be something to discuss sooner as to if this is viable and the appropriate timing.

I cannot comment on option 3 as I do not know your area, but once you and your DD have tried the commute to CRGS, you may view a local comprehensive as preferable to making your DD commute four hours every weekday.

This is a tough decision and I sympathise for you. Know that this forum is full of good natured people offering their help and support so if you have any questions, I am sure people will try to help.

I think this is most likely to be a typo as it is more than 5 mins walk from the station!!

[aang]

DDs experience (hopefully) 6.30 wake up, shower/uniform, 7.00 in the car/breakfast on the go, 7.30 on the school bus, 8.35 arrive at school. Is this stress or am I too old school.

Your timings are optimistic as your DD has to be on the 07.00 train leaving London Liverpool Street in order to arrive in time for 08.35 registration. You can also pick up this train at Stratford at 07.02. This train arrives at Colchester at 07.50 so you should be able to board the 65 bus and be on-time. I don't know how long it takes for your DD to get from your house to Liverpool Street or Stratford but even if this was 20 minutes, you are looking at a two hour daily commute each way.

There is a 525 bus leaving Chelmsford for Colchester school which leaves at 07.25 but I am not aware of any public school bus starting further west that goes to Colchester schools. If you can leave your house in East London at 07.00 and get to Coval Lane in Chelmsford by 07.25, then you have a really fast car!

Note to Dez ChCHS=Chelmsford County High School which is a five minute walk from Chelmsford train station

[dez]

I used to travel to west London from mid Essex area. As previous forum member had mentioned, long delay from London Liverpool Street to Southend and Colchester is quite a common occurance (ie. signal failure or person under the trail) and you might need to drive and pick her up yourself from Colchester.

Is it at all possible for you to move to an area between London and Colchester that all your DCs could have a reasonable travelling between home and school???


I have no personal interest for a GS place for 2012 entry.

[dlb]

It is quite a distance - but depends where in London you are coming from. Whose to say what you should do but if you do take the place - see how it goes and if too much look into moving between the 2. Obviously don't know where family need to be etc and if this is feasible, but You can work round this if it is definitely the school of your choice! Be positive!

[SEP18]

I cant help but feel some parents believe your DD's place belongs to their child.

I think it would be a good idea for anyone who wants to take a view on this to read the thread. Clearly, most posters on this thread have no DC affected, either in area or in year. To be sure check out their posting history.

I have two DS's and also have no interest in taking the place!!!!!!

I just find it hard to understand that you are considering such a journey for your daughter to undertake 39 weeks a year. My DS are tired from travelling an hour to the school.

I would try the journey next week so that you understand what is involved. I think most parents on here have your DD's safety and concern in mind only and not for any other reason than what has been suggested.

[tangle1]

Dear Eleven,

I seem to have opened up a can of worms. Sorry!!
I just wanted to add that I have a DS going to CRGS this year and that the concern about your DD having such a long journey was in no way motivated by the want of her place at school. Looking at the posts I think that the majority of replies are also just from people who have experience in the trials and tribulations of the school commute, and they live much closer than you.

If there is a bus that leaves close to you at 7.30 and comes all the way to Colchester in time for school, then that is not too bad. I would however be very surprised if one existed. Have you investigated this? If my DCs had not gained GS places they would have possibly gone to an Ipswich school which would have meant a bus at 7.30, but Ipswich is only about 16 miles not 50 odd.

We moved up here from London with the aim of sending our DCs to the GSs if we were fortunate enough to get in, so I have the utmost sympathy with you. I however, commuted up here for my work from London for about 8 months, before we moved (my Dcs were still at junior school in London). I drove up but I was leaving at 6 am to get here at 7.45-8 and that was with minimal (early morning) traffic in London. If the A12 gets blocked which it frequently does, there can easily be delays of 1-2 hours.

I suppose the other considerations are what happens if your DD is sick or has a problem.Would you be happy being 50 miles away? (If they have their mobiles confiscated, you have to go in and sign them out!!) The suggestion of a host family for your daughter is a sensible one, but a difficult decision for you. Is there no way that your other DCs could be moved? If they are older and in school this is obviously more difficult than if they are younger and less fixed.
Ultimately your DDs wellbeing and safety are the most important things in life and I am sure that you will make a good decision for her. I think that in the euphoria of gaining a place, you really need to be aware from people who know what you are potentially letting yourself, and more importantly your DD, in for.
I really, really do wish you all the best.