Practicalities of train from Coventry to Bgham Grammars

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Optimist
Posts: 424
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:37 am

Practicalities of train from Coventry to Bgham Grammars

Post by Optimist »

Hi

Do any parents from Coventry have DC that travel by train to Bgham grammars. I want to DS to do this, but I am concerned as DS is used to beeing car driven to school. How would he cope with a 15 min journey to station and a 45 min trip to school, and then all back again in the evening. Am I worrying un-neccessarily, or should I opt for LSS. LSS is an option, but I rate it marginally better than a good comprehensive. Sorry, I base this on destinations of their science based A Level students.
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: Practicalities of train from Coventry to Bgham Grammars

Post by mike1880 »

You know your own child best. IMHO none of the Bham grammars are very accessible from New Street but plenty of parents think otherwise.
muminbrum
Posts: 362
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:14 pm

Re: Practicalities of train from Coventry to Bgham Grammars

Post by muminbrum »

I think there is a significant number who arrive at HGS (and presumably KEHGS) via New Street/City centre but that would be another bus journey after the train. KES/KEHS are close to University station. There is a green bus to KEAS from Aston station and also a designated safe route to walk.

I think a confident, independent child could cope but you are talking about a huge amount of travel every day plus a significant cost. 2 hrs travel per day is close to 400 hours per year so >2500 over the seven years at high school. If I had a decent school close by I think I'd rather they went there and used the extra time on homework, activities etc or even a science tutor!
justathought
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Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 7:35 pm

Re: Practicalities of train from Coventry to Bgham Grammars

Post by justathought »

2 hours a day travelling and then potentially another 2 hours a night homework. Not sure I would do it, even with a confident, outgoing child who is organised and focused. Just think that sometimes there needs to be a balance between education and life.
Guest55
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Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Practicalities of train from Coventry to Bgham Grammars

Post by Guest55 »

I would not want a child of mine walking near Coventry station. Last time I went there I was approached by a number of undesirables and I thought it quite scary; this was during the afternoon!
Optimist
Posts: 424
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:37 am

Re: Practicalities of train from Coventry to Bgham Grammars

Post by Optimist »

Guest55 wrote:I would not want a child of mine walking near Coventry station. Last time I went there I was approached by a number of undesirables and I thought it quite scary; this was during the afternoon!
You think that's bad. I was in the city centre on Tuesday morning and I ambled past a sprinkling of "undesirables". It was a case of head down, keep quiet and walk on and on!

Well I will be taking my DS to the station, as I commute by train to Lodon, so i will be able to see him off on his train. My wife will be waiting on the return journey. PS, I also friends nearby BV who will be available - just in case.

As regards sciences, I was mostly impressed by BV.
um
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Location: Birmingham

Re: Practicalities of train from Coventry to Bgham Grammars

Post by um »

My ds2 has a friend at CHB who travels from Coventry. I don't actually know the full details of his journey but apparently it is an extremely long and arduous one - there have been days, for example in the bad weather, when the boy didn't arrive home until very late in the evening.

The boy seems to get a bus toward Kings Norton, then get a train to New Street, then on to Coventry.

Personally if I was doing it, I would wonder if it would be easier to get the 11 to Stechford Station and then get a train straight to Coventry.

But I do think that commuting for that length of time every morning and evening, would really take its toll on a child's health and wellbeing.

I know that a bus (I think a minibus) goes from Balsall Common to the Stratford Grammars, if that is any help.
Okanagan
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Location: Warwickshire

Re: Practicalities of train from Coventry to Bgham Grammars

Post by Okanagan »

um wrote:I know that a bus (I think a minibus) goes from Balsall Common to the Stratford Grammars, if that is any help.
There's also a bus from Kenilworth.
mike1880
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Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: Practicalities of train from Coventry to Bgham Grammars

Post by mike1880 »

um wrote:My ds2 has a friend at CHB who travels from Coventry. I don't actually know the full details of his journey but apparently it is an extremely long and arduous one - there have been days, for example in the bad weather, when the boy didn't arrive home until very late in the evening.

The boy seems to get a bus toward Kings Norton, then get a train to New Street, then on to Coventry.

Personally if I was doing it, I would wonder if it would be easier to get the 11 to Stechford Station and then get a train straight to Coventry.
Sounds as though he gets the 11C to Cotteridge, train to New Street then change for Coventry? Sounds convoluted compared to getting a 35 or 50 into B'ham in opposite direction to rush hour traffic - but even that is going to be 40+ mins on top of the journey to Cov.
um
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Location: Birmingham

Re: Practicalities of train from Coventry to Bgham Grammars

Post by um »

Yes, mike1880, I think that's what he does.
I think ds2 said he tried the 35 but it doesn't come regularly enough...and the 50 must take quite a long time in the traffic, and means more of a walk through the city centre to New Street station.
I still think he may as well get the 11 straight to Stechford and go from there, but then it would still be a long and difficult journey...
There are boys who travel from Derbyshire too, and some who travel long distances from around the Midlands, get shared taxis from New Street to the school. In fact one boy I mentioned a few years ago, was commuting from London!
We are very fortunate to be relatively close by.
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