Planning to put KE five ways, Aston and Bishop Vesey on LEA

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Get
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2013 4:46 pm

Planning to put KE five ways, Aston and Bishop Vesey on LEA

Post by Get »

Hi my DS got 225 in the exam for Birmingham consortium. Considering Five ways, Aston and bishop vesey. I wonder if any students travelling from Wolverhampton to KE Aston or Bishop Vesey and what is travelling like.? Is it safe for my DS.
um
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Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Planning to put KE five ways, Aston and Bishop Vesey on

Post by um »

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with Wolverhampton, but the 'Is it safe' question is always a tricky one.

I guess some will feel that Aston is not a 'safe' area...yet the only place I have ever been mugged was in Sutton Coldfield and the only place I ever suffered serious racial/religious abuse was Solihull.
Sadly my ds1 was once beaten up at our bus stop by local pupils. Fortunately the school they were from took it quite seriously and put a staff member on that bus stop for a while.

You may also want to ask the schools you're considering, if they take many pupils from your area - if they do, you may assume that it is feasible and your ds can join up with others.
Assuming that you can take a train, both BV and Aston are walking distance from the local train station. Aston have an agreed route between the school and train station that I understand is patrolled by police. Although I imagine the boys are walking with friends anyway.
Get
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2013 4:46 pm

Re: Planning to put KE five ways, Aston and Bishop Vesey on

Post by Get »

Thanks for letting me know. We parents are always worried about kids. My DS2 also got beaten up by local kids outside KECHB as he tried to protect his friend from assault. I guess it can happen anywhere. How is walk from Station to KEA and B V? Will speak to schools on Monday. Thanks again!
Happy dad
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Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:10 am

Re: Planning to put KE five ways, Aston and Bishop Vesey on

Post by Happy dad »

The 0719 from Wolves goes direct to Sutton and it is then 10 minute walk up the high street pass the police station to BV. Unfortunately there is no direct train back - change at New Street :?: I have noticed BV children get on in New Street.

The same train stops at Aston, and the half hourly service from Wolves to Walsall stops at Aston. The train from Walsall to Wolves stops at Aston via New Street. I am afraid when I visited Aston it went straight to the bottom of our list -in fact I would have had to seriously consider whether to accept a place if the need arose or my wife would have had to drop off and pick up daily. walking upto the school surrounded by high green metal fencing I wondered if I was visiting the US embassy in the Yemen as opposed to a grammar school. The pack we received had a page on the "safe route" as advised by WM police for your child to move safely from Aston station to the school. This concerned quite a few parents on the day. There is a green bus that runs from the station to school - but what happens when trains are invariably late. I certainly wouldn't want my 11 year old making that journey on his own.

To give some perspective the week after we accepted a place at KEFW two boys were mugged in the alleyway by the side of school, so there is always risk. However, The public transport journey to Aston I felt was a risk I wasn't prepared to accept for my 11 year old.
Get
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2013 4:46 pm

Re: Planning to put KE five ways, Aston and Bishop Vesey on

Post by Get »

Thanks for letting us know Happy dad. It is scary for sure. Would hope if my DS could get in FW as otherwise would be a lot of stress for us.
orianagirl
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Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:53 pm

Re: Planning to put KE five ways, Aston and Bishop Vesey on

Post by orianagirl »

Get

If you really are worried about crime in Aston you can look at the crime figures for Aston and Sutton Coldfield for the last 12 months and make up your own mind if there is a major difference between the safety of the two areas.

http://www.ukcrimestats.com/Neighbourho ... nds_Police" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope this helps.
firebrand1
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Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 11:40 am

Re: Planning to put KE five ways, Aston and Bishop Vesey on

Post by firebrand1 »

The walk from sutton station up to bisop vesey is no problem I think - not far, nice area, lots of other kids. The walk from aston station to the school has a safe route with greater police presence - I think if kids follow this rare to be problems - its when they take short cuts and meet kids from other schools that there can be some problems
newbiemum
Posts: 159
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 11:58 am

Re: Planning to put KE five ways, Aston and Bishop Vesey on

Post by newbiemum »

My DS goes to BV we live fairly local to the school but he has just set off for the bus at 7.15 and for the first time it is pitch black, raining and he walks to get bus on his own. He does then meet others on route and then they walk up from Sutton town centre to the school takes about 10/15 mins. As it has been said it is a fairly safe route, lots of children and young adults from the College next door too, train station even closer. However I think any journey for a young person is daunting and we are always going to have that worry and concern which is just a sign of the times I'm afraid isn't it :( so I am sure each school has its worries! I would just say consider journey times when applying as going into winter and setting off in the dark etc..isn't great, not so bad in the summer! Also as a parent we have already been back and forth into school for meetings etc..so our journey each time and picking up from clubs etc is a consideration too if you work. Good luck everyone, i am keeping and eye as I have 2 more too go yet..seems pretty much the same as last year so i think scores will be the same. I know the scores dropped by 2 points from initial cut off at BV to 215 and a few boys dropped out after first week as journey was too far in reality which was a shame.
Get
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Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2013 4:46 pm

Re: Planning to put KE five ways, Aston and Bishop Vesey on

Post by Get »

Thanks everybody for the valuable advice. Really appreciate it. Hope everything works out.
Wolves mum
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Joined: Tue May 14, 2013 11:07 am

Re: Planning to put KE five ways, Aston and Bishop Vesey on

Post by Wolves mum »

Get wrote:Thanks for letting me know. We parents are always worried about kids. My DS2 also got beaten up by local kids outside KECHB as he tried to protect his friend from assault. I guess it can happen anywhere. How is walk from Station to KEA and B V? Will speak to schools on Monday. Thanks again!
That is shocking!
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