Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter Break.

Congrats to all those who have secured a place at TGS. For those still waiting, good luck. Fingers and toes crossed for you.

If there is anyone interested in discussing travel arrangements to TGS from Whitton/Hounslow area please get in touch.
Happy to accept private messages as long as forum rules allow.

Best wishes
GiJotMum xx

It would be better to meet other parents on celebration day, if they still organise it, or on induction day. The parents who opts for it would have their addresses detailed in form wise lists, making it easy to find travel buddies. Lot safer this way than to contact complete strangers.

Just in case you haven't seen the EPE standard warning about car shares...
Checklist when considering a car share:

• How much do you really know about this parent from a child safeguarding point of view? (Remember, anyone working with children, e.g. bus drivers for the school service, must have a current DBS form.)
• How much do you really know about their driving skills? Have you seen their insurance and car roadworthy details? (Remember that public transport and dedicated school services are required to have these, to a high level.)
• How would you cope if your child fell out with the other children in the car pool, or wanted to do different after school activities, or didn't want to stay after school when the other children were staying late?
• How would you cope if one of the other car pool parents had their car break down, or off the road for some other reason, at short notice?
• What if it's your turn to drive, and you or your child is sick?
• What if the other family turns out to be unreliable, or the driver/their child is regularly late, or ill?
• What if the other child moves to a different school?
• What if one child needs to stay after school for an activity or event?
• What if the driver smokes when driving?
• What if the driver's conversation turns out to be objectionable or age inappropriate?

Well reminded, scary mum.

Train to Richmond / Kingston then bus (the public variety, free to use with your Zip Oyster card)?

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

If coming from Hounslow, there is a direct bus to Kingston too (route 281)

From Whitton area too, there is a direct bus to Kingston (route 111).

From Kingston, either bus 65 or a short walk, which is preferred by many TGS girls.

Most children from Hounslow, travel by buses, though I believe some private mini-coach services are also used by some children. Buses are preferred as these give freedom to travel and make best use of after school clubs and sports.

And if a tfl bus finds itself declared uninsured / unroadworthy / its driver unfit to be in charge of a public service vehicle and is taken off the road when it has just dropped your DD at school, there will actually be another, legally compliant, one along to get her home again at the end of the day and you won't get a message from the school to say that 'girls who use Fred Bloggs Minibus Hire should make alternative arrangements this afternoon, please' .

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

So true.... That has actually happend few times at Tiffin and TGS.

Most of those who are driven seem to come via Kingston (there are lot less buses from places like Esher etc),

There are also some girls that get the bus to Richmond then change to 65
Buses like H37 from Hounslow

Depending on where you are there are also some parents that drop their daughters at a bus stop as a deviation from their own journey to work if they are driving

There are other buses from South Whitton area (the Fulwell-Twickenham side) that may be alternative

You need to balance number of changes and overall journey time, so sometimes makes sense to walk a bit further to a stop on another route

It is easy in this (no coat) weather to spot the routes other TGS girls use, just check out your local bus stops between 7:15am and 7:45am (do it in next 2 weeks as Year 11 then only go in for exams, so will be fewer)

At the induction day (or before) will get details of other classmates and locations so easy to buddy up and share bus journeys.
New Year 7s always start a day earlier than main school in September, many have lots to carry day1 so will be glad to be driven, by day 3 probably wont even want you taking them to a bus stop

has you got letter or welcome pack from TGS as they said they will be sending more detailed information about school uniform , induction day after the easter break