Please help us make the right decision.
We have a very creative dd, she has passed her 11+ with the score of 590.
The nearest grammar is RGS and it is her first choice but only because she's got friends there who will be travelling on the same bus with her if she gets a place. She is very worried about commuting as she has never done it before. She has been to RGS for a taster evening earlier and loved it.
We have also visited fort pitt and she loved it for its art and textile department and to be honest I also felt like it was the best school for her. But commuting will be a bit more complicated and I personally don't feel safe going to that part of Chatham myself let alone sending her there on the bus. I don't think I will be able to drop her there either because of all the traffic in the morning as I've got another child at primary and one on the way. If she gets a place there, she will need to take a bus to Chatham station and then walk to school, where if she gets RGS, the bus will drop her off right by the school gate.
We are going to visit RGS this Saturday and hopefully decide after.
I don't want her to make a decision purely out of travel worries and then regret it after
Such a difficult decision:(

That's a great score! My DD attends Fort Pitt and loves it! You need to consider which school your DD is likely to get into based on their selection criteria. RGS is very competitive and focussed, Fort Pitt is mindful of a homework/life balance. Both are great schools. RGS do not offer A levels anymore only IBac so you may need to consider this as well.

Thank you for your reply, I so wish fort pitt was a bit nearer although we do have a girl next door that is in fort pitt year 7, so we never know.
I've read about RGS not offering a levels, is that something she will need later anyway or will ib be better for her? Sorry if my question sounds stupid but I have no idea, I grew up in a different country and finding it hard to understand the system, I just want the best for my dd

How does the girl next door get to school? Could they travel together?

_________________
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx

I have no idea to be honest, she is not exactly next door, more like next road and I never actually spoke to her parents at school, as our girls were in different years. She is a friend of a friend though so I will definitely try to find out once we decide on a school..

I understand your turmoil.

We have been viewing schools all week & still have RGS on Saturday.

My daughter sat Kent & Medway so before the results we felt that we should view some Kent schools also in case she passed one but not the other.
It turns out one of our ‘back up’ Schools, Invicta, we have fallen in love with.
We still have RGS to view but I can’t belive it will come close for us.
Fort Pitt was a strong 2nd but I don’t think we’ll get in on catchment being on the very edge of the Medway border.

Like you our dilemma is transport. We don’t know anyone that goes to any other school & will mean her travelling by bus/coach as I start work much earlier than her starting.
Although I don’t consider her sheltered she is in no way able to get the bus alone.

I wish there was some sort of child care provider that did school runs for this age group.

I don't know the area & how far it is, or how feasible the journey is for 7 years, but I just wanted to reassure you that your little 10 year old will grow up very quickly in the next year. You can practice the journey many times before next September. It's a long time ago, but I traveled on public transport from the age of 9. The first two days I went with an older neighbour, but after that I was left to my own devices.

We have heard very positive things about invicta, I wish we've viewed it as my dd has also passed both Kent and Medway tests. Where are you in Medway? We are in walderslade so also on the border and I am really not sure if we are close enough to get into fort pitt if we put it first. Visitin RGS tomorrow and I hope we all love it as it is the easiest school to get to for us.

Thank you for reassurance, I know it will all eventually work out but it's so hard to imagine my dd who never been on a bus or walked home from school travel somewhere on her own in just a few months time! We better start practising that journey now!

Now is the time, they need to start developing some independence, but best to start now rather than throw them in at the deep end next September. Honestly, by Christmas of year 7 you wont know why you were worried (disclaimer: I have no idea if this is a feasible journey)