Bucks to QEB

[test2014]

[Daogroupie]

No! Why would you? Every year boys drop out of Year Seven at QE unable to cope with the travelling any longer. Location has to be your number one consideration. They have to get there and back five days a week for seven years and also local friends are wonderful! DG

[Sally-Anne]

A similar question has been asked before. The journey time by public transport from e.g. Amersham is nearly 2 hours, thus condemning a child to a school day of approaching 12 hours.

It would be utter madness to attempt it for a week, let alone 7 years, as DG says.

[southbucks3]

when I think back about the amount of time we deliberated about opting for a school that was two miles further up the road, then chose the closest one to avoid the hassle! Two years later we have another son at the aforementioned rejected school and guess what, we do moan a lot about the extra journey time.(love the school though....worth those ten minutes)

[indiemom]

During my visit to QEB open evening, I asked the teachers about this commuting thing, they said that they would not recommend any travel beyond 1 hr door to door max for the kids even if it's by a private coach. It will be too much for the kid to handle and that might affect their performance.

And who is not aware of the infamous 'CULL' process of QEB.

Bucks school are great, yes may be not as great as QEB on league tables, but then may be better to relocate near the school if one is very keen for QEB.

[Daogroupie]

This is very interesting feedback. Thanks for posting Indiemum. It is very good to know that QEB themselves are advising against unrealistic travel for their students. QEB is not the promised land, it is a good school but there are lots of good schools in Bucks. DG

[test2014]

Thanks for the reply. Would you recommend Bucks children not to try any tests in the area unless the parents are prepared to relocate?

[indiemom]

@test2014

I never said that Bucks kids should not sit exams in other areas. I just mentioned what I was told during the open evening. I also do not live in London, that's why I asked the question during open evening.
It's entirely upto the parents to decide whether their DSs are capable of doing a long commute every day and then do their studies well to keep upto the school's pressures.

[kittymum]

Well my ds sat one test - the Bucks one, in his primary school (entered automatically by the school) and is now at his closest grammar school, SWBGS (which is also our closest catchment school). All his friends live within about 6 miles of us which is great. It never occurred to me to consider any other tests / schools / areas but I guess we're all different

[Daogroupie]

You are free to sit tests for any schools that you are in the catchment area for or which have no catchment. But there is a big difference between sitting for a school and actually going there and back ten times a week for seven years. Some parents intoxicated by the success of their students sign them uo for a completely unrealistic journey and any extra benefit from the school is lost in the travelling. DG