11 Plus Exams Forum

Hi all,

As the time gets near and my hopes are of a place for DS at AGS I have started to consider the practicalities.. but finding some information is like trying to hack the CIA! - the Warwickshire Council school bus web page contains no tangible information at all, just links that go round in endless circles.

Anyway, I have worked out we would be using Ridleys 130 bus, can anyone tell me how much the annual pass costs please? I suspect it won't be pleasant!

Kind regards.

http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/vacantseatscheme" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Warwickshire pricing this year for the 'vacant seat scheme' is £330 per year for under 3 miles, £660 for over 3 miles - assuming there's a seat available!

You can pay in monthly instalments over 8 months. This year they asked for the first payment by cheque when you apply, which can be around the middle of the summer term when the new form is published. You then get an invoice at the beginning of the autumn term for the further instalments.

Hope this helps!

Warks mum wrote:http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/vacantseatscheme

The Warwickshire pricing this year for the 'vacant seat scheme' is £330 per year for under 3 miles, £660 for over 3 miles - assuming there's a seat available!

You can pay in monthly instalments over 8 months. This year they asked for the first payment by cheque when you apply, which can be around the middle of the summer term when the new form is published. You then get an invoice at the beginning of the autumn term for the further instalments.

Hope this helps!

ah thank you, I hadn't thought of looking under that, I assumed it was some sort of car share scheme by the name!

I heard from someone who's child is at AGS that arriving by car is considered a cardinal sin, but as you say, it depends if there is even a place on the bus, otherwise not much choice.

I was under the impression that if your child got a GS place, the bus pass was free if you lived more than three miles away because it counted as your first choice school?

Am I completely wrong in that assumption?

I'm afraid so - the county will only pay for transport if your nearest secondary school is more than 3 miles away. If there is a more local school but you choose to send your child to another one (such as a grammar) then you're responsible for paying for the transport.

I believe there was a court case a while ago when the parents argued that the local school would not meet their daughter's needs so she 'must' go to a grammar school. Unfortunately they lost!

Thanks both.

I don't know if it makes any difference but I actually live in Worcestershire (just) which operates 3 tier schools but my kids are in a Warwickshire Junior which operates 2 tier. It could be argued that we didn't have the choice of sending them to the nearest (Worcestershire) schools as they couldn't take them at 11, therefore the nearest that offers him a place even might be AGS!

I don't think you'd win any argument that involves the council paying out extra money these days! They'd probably say you'd need to go to a Worcestershire middle school for a couple of years.

I suppose you could apply to do this and if there isn't room then the argument stands. Bit of a risky strategy, though...!