Anyone from Andover?

Eleven Plus (11+) in Wiltshire (Wilts)

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amoeba
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 4:14 pm

Anyone from Andover?

Post by amoeba »

We're currently split between staying around Andover and trying for SWGS, or moving Winchester/Whitchurch way for the better comps.

Does anyones daughter/son from Andover travel to SWGS/BWS? I assume you get the train, is the commute okay?
bravado
Posts: 468
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:28 am

Re: Anyone from Andover?

Post by bravado »

This board is usually quite quiet so I'm going to butt-in from the Essex board, if I may?

I'm basing this on past experience of the City of Salisbury but suspect that very little has changed :lol: Andover to Salisbury on the train shouldn't be an issue as it's on the London Waterloo to Exeter St David's line as you probably know. Depending on whether you get stopping train or not, the travel time is around 20 - 30 minutes. I'm allowing for delays etc.

You can walk from the station to BWS in about 20 - 25 minutes as it's on the other side of Salisbury. v You can catch a bus into town and then one to Exeter Street. There's various walking routes - happy to let you know if you need them. A keen, brisk walker could probably do it in 15 if they tried :lol:


How would you plan to get your DD from the station to SWGS? You could catch a bus into town from Fisherton Street and then another to Castle Road/Stratford Road. Perhaps buses now stop at the station but it's a two minute walk from the station to the bus-stop in Fisherton Street. Walking is do-able but at least 30 minutes at a brisk pace. Or you could walk into town and catch a bus from there. Walking from the station to SWGS would be pretty miserable in the rain and not something I'd want my DD to do unless she had a long, wonderfully warm, waterproof coat - the wind tends to whistle down Castle Street and Castle Road :(

If trains still have goods' wagons/cars and your DD likes cycling, then she could travel with her bike on the train and cycle to SWGS :D

Hope that helps
amoeba
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 4:14 pm

Re: Anyone from Andover?

Post by amoeba »

Thanks, very useful.

I can't understand why the witshire board is so quiet - I am hoping its because the Salisbury grammars are not in high demand?

It is SWGS that is my primary concern, son wont be a worry for 7/8 years.

I was wondering if there might be a bus from Andover that makes the commute more bearable, as 22 mins train +20 mins walk seems a bit much for an 11 year old girl to me. Or do any Andover parents group up and take it in turns to drive? I've heard of girls from the Tidworth/Ludgershall area going to SWGS, but rarely anyone from Andover.
bravado
Posts: 468
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:28 am

Re: Anyone from Andover?

Post by bravado »

amoeba wrote:Thanks, very useful.

I can't understand why the witshire board is so quiet - I am hoping its because the Salisbury grammars are not in high demand?
I'm afraid I'm largely out of the loop in terms of SWGS and BWS but as they're the only grammars in Wiltshire, one might reasonably expect them to be in demand. The next nearest are Bournemouth and Poole. I'm sorry but I don't know why this board isn't as active as some. Perhaps other regional boards are more active because they have more grammars and therefore more interest and awareness? This is probably true of areas where the 11+ is an "opt-out" ,like Kent and Bucks, rather than an "opt-in" like Essex and Wilts.




amoeba wrote:I was wondering if there might be a bus from Andover that makes the commute more bearable, as 22 mins train +20 mins walk seems a bit much for an 11 year old girl to me. Or do any Andover parents group up and take it in turns to drive? I've heard of girls from the Tidworth/Ludgershall area going to SWGS, but rarely anyone from Andover.
In days of old, SWGS had a catchment area and because of that, Tidworth, Ludgershall and Andover were unlikely to have been represented at the school. I'm not able to say whether many girls travel from Andover. Your local bus company should be able to tell you about the route into Salisbury ie does it come down the London Road or Castle Road? If it's Castle Road, then that would be okay as Stratford Road is off Castle Road, as you probably know. If it's London Road and then to the bus station, then it would be a short bus ride up to SWGS from there.

Perhaps you could try the journey options for yourself at the appropriate times of day and see if it's feasible for your daughter? I'd also recommend doing it in the depths of Winter. I'm so sorry that I'm unable to give you more information :(

Does SWGS have an open day/evening in September? If it does, then you could pop along with your daughter and see it in all its glory. This may well present you with an opportunity to ask if other girls travel from the Andover area, too.

By the way, welcome to the forum :D
hopefulmum2
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2009 2:22 am
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Anyone from Andover?

Post by hopefulmum2 »

Hi my daughter has just finished year 7 at SWGS and there are quite a few girls that go from Andover or Grateley as the train goes through. The walk the other end is just under 20 minutes but there is a large crowd that walk that way. The classes are organised by addresses - so she would be in a class with all the other girls from Andover or that way so should be with friends when travelling. When we went for the induction day the school shared parents Email addresses (for those that were happy to) so quite a few Emails went about to check no-one's child was walking on their own. They seem to have a lot of fun on the train journey. Please ask me if you want any more info on the school.
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