Hi all,



I am facing a huge dilemma and feeling so stressed out.



I live in Harrow (Rayners Lane) and my DS has secured a place in Wallington County Grammar School. It's 1.5 hour journey each way in fast trains. My son also has got a place in St. Clements Dane in Chorleywood which is a good comprehensive school. So, I have to choose.



My son is alright to travel as we did two days trial but I am feeling nervous. Due to my work in the city, I can go with my son half way (Balham) to Wallington County Grammar School. But a daily commute of 1.5 hour each way, is it worth to make for the Wallington County Grammar School? I wonder if any parent's child from Harrow or Wembley or similar areas make a journey to these areas for Wilson's, Sutton Grammar, Non-such Grammar, Wallington Girls schools etc. which are in the similar location.



What you advise? Do you know anyone who has the similar experience? I am going mad with stress of making this decision. My son will be 12 years in Oct and I know he will only grow to make a commute which is a reality of working life in London. I hope you can help or even better share if you have similar experience or know someone doing the same. I will highly appreciate any help.

I know Southern Rail has become better and more reliable than before.


Regards.



Auar

Unless by some quirk of Tfl timetabling, travel time to St Clement Danes is even longer than 90 minutes, no, WCGS is not worth it. Imho.

Although if you commute / can commute via Balham (Gateway to the South - sorry, showing my age here), could you not just move to somewhere more convenient for your DS to travel from to Wallington?

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I don't believe any school is worth a 3 hour commute (or more) for 7 years. Any perceived benefit for your son (presumably league tables, which, after all, reflect the intake rather than any magic happening in the school). Your son may well do worse at a school with a long commute as he will be too tired to do his homework. He wouldn't have any local friends and wouldn't be able to join in after school activities, or sports teams.

Harrow to Wallington is a ridiculous journey. Your son would be exhausted all the time. I’m exhausted from a far, far easier commute. If you work in the City, you must know that trains so seldom run on time that being late is only counted (literally) after a delay of at least 15 minutes. That applies to fast trains too. A two-train journey would be a nightmare every time (and there will be many) that the first train is delayed or cancelled. People who don’t commute into and out of London every day will think I’m making it up, but train reliability and punctuality in the London area is shocking - in my experience, there’s never a week when every train you’re planning to get even runs, let alone does so at the expected time. It is only tolerated because there are vast numbers of people and the traffic / bus takes even longer. Don’t do that to a child.

Anyway, Chorleywood is the best thing since sliced bread.

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Tiffin Girls' School has a designated area; see the determined admission arrangements. Use the journey planner. Note the Admissions timetable and FAQs.

This sounds like a horrendous journey. Personally, I would say any journey over an hour each way is not really realistic to perform in the long run. What if there's any after school events such as plays, concerts or sports matches? Also, you need to need to do the journey 5 times in the morning rush hour with a bag of books and sports kit to make it more realistic. Going to a grammar school should not be done at all costs. Your DS is likely to be a big fish in the local pond. Going to school locally also will allow DS to build up a set of friends more easily.

Thank you all. I am grateful to you for your participation.

The Wallington Grammar School has no catchment policy so this boys only school has boys coming from far off places with average an hour journey. The Clubs take place only in the Lunch time and its only sports club that takes place maximum till 4:30 pm. The Northern Line from Balham to Moorgate in 20 min and then Moorgate to Rayners Lane in 40 min sounds realistic to me. I am worried that if I let the super-selective place in Wallington School go then my son who worked so hard for 11-plus exams will not get justice.

Justice is a strange word, but honestly, if he's that bright & hard working he will do well wherever he goes. Probably even better if he's not exhausted.

Not one person replied (here or on the other site where you asked the same question) that Wallington is feasible from Harrow, never mind the better choice. We’re not being mean. Take the school place in Chorleywood.

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Tiffin Girls' School has a designated area; see the determined admission arrangements. Use the journey planner. Note the Admissions timetable and FAQs.

I’ve just looked at google and Apple maps myself out of interest.

In short, move if you can or look at a local school if you can’t.

Longer answer.
It’s absolutely and completely unfeasible for anyone (adult or child) to try and do that journey everyday, especially if they have to arrive at a fixed time.

I left a job and took a pay cut after 5 months of doing a slightly shorter commute with less changes, on a route I’d be guaranteed a seat. And I didn’t have hw to do when I got home as your son will. Seriously, you don’t realise how much it gets to you until you try it, and the relief you feel when you don’t have to anymore.

No school is worth it. No school at all.

If you really want your DS to go to this school you have to move closer.

(You’d also have to factor in parents evenings, after school events like info evenings he and/or you will be expected to attend, detentions, picking him up if he is ill, possible GCSE revision classes, getting to gcse exams on time etc. On average as a parent I’ve gone to at least two if not more events after school each year. Things like choosing options, Sixth form options, school residential trip information. Things that you’ll really ought to be going to.)

Clement Danes is a semi selective school where your ds will be challenged and have some chance of having fairly local friends.

We turned down a Super Selective for a semi selective where my dds had local friends, went to clubs every day after school and played for the sports teams on Saturdays and after school at least once a week and were able to attend the intensive prep for the annual drama production on Saturdays and Sundays.

They were part of the family of the school and are welcomed back anytime to help out and play in the orchestras.

Now at University dd1 meets students who had long commutes to school and ended up with no local friends and no strong connections to the school and feels very sorry for them.

Justice for your son is to go to a school where he can be part of the community and build friendships that can last a lifetime.

Three hours a day by himself on the train?????

What is it exactly that Wallington will offer him that Clement Danes does not?

Have you just been offered this spaces as you cannot have been holding onto two spaces for very long?

Surely you have already been on the induction day at Clement Danes?

Turn down the space so someone else nearer can have it and start investing in a future at Clement Danes. DG