Another St Alban's question!

[Waiting_For_Godot]

Sorry! Do they play matches on a Saturday and are they compulsory?

[onetogo]

I have several friends with children at the school. There are definitely fixtures on Saturdays and if you are selected you are expected to turn out.

[zorro]

Yes they do.
My DS played against them on Saturday at hockey - St Albans won!
Most schools play matches on Saturdays and it is usually compulsory .

[Waiting_For_Godot]

Two more questions:

If a child is in a music group how often do they spring on a rehearsal on a different day and if this happens does a child need to attend if they have a prior commitment?

2) I'm planning on putting DS on the bus but it says that it's 40mins for a 3-4 mile drive. I'm wondering if I should do it myself. I drove up Holywell Hill at school start time previously and it was pretty dire, although the rest of the journey had been good, and I'm wondering how bad it is at 4pm and 6pm. Also if I drop him at the bottom of the hill, would it be much of a walk to school - is there a cut through where it has a sign to the primary school?

[lotsakids]

It's a 10 minute walk from the bottom of Holywell Hill. Drop him round the back of the Duke of Marlborough pub next to the Abbey School, and there's a footpath alongside the primary school which leads to the Abbey Orchard. My DS will be taking exactly this route in September!

[Waiting_For_Godot]

Is it a ten minute walk from the primary school too or just the bottom of the hill? It feels silly to drive when the bus is so close to my house but 40mins for one stop seems excessive. :/

[lotsakids]

It's the same - the primary school is at the bottom of the hill.

[chapuza]

It's a 5 minute walk from Abbey Primary (ditto my DS next year as route to school)