Buses

[Eromdap]

Ive just heard that the bus we were hoping use to get dd to either Ribston or, failing that, St Peter's will no longer be running. That leaves us with the option of HSFG by public bus or two buses to Ribston/St Peter's. Is two buses across Gloucester a mad idea? She's not exactly the most streetwise of girls!

[RedVelvet]

How long is the journey? My boys often get two buses home from Tommies. One into town and one home. What seems like a lot in Yr 6 if fine as they get older. They do get a lift in the mornings though.

[Eromdap]

It would be one in to Gloucester and then on to St Peter's/ Ribston. Then the reverse to return home.

I'm probably worrying far too early, she hasn't even sat her 11+ yet!

[ToadMum]

It would be one in to Gloucester and then on to St Peter's/ Ribston. Then the reverse to return home.

I'm probably worrying far too early, she hasn't even sat her 11+ yet!

As RedVelvet says, which seems daunting now probably wouldn't be a problem when the time comes. Why don't you arm yourselves with a couple of bus timetables and do the journey a few times? Are you worrying from the perspective of never using buses, either with or without offspring, or do you use buses yourself and there is something particularly scary about your local routes? I haven't travelled by bus in Gloucestershire for years (through no longer living there or visiting regularly), but I don't worry about our DC getting public transport elsewhere. She should be absolutely fine

[Eromdap]

Totally worrying from the perspective of only having used buses a handful of times in my lifetime along with the fact that I walked to school, so I never had to catch a school bus, plus the fact that my daughter is pretty scatty and prone to anxiety and panics when things go wrong!

Quite a while to worry about it some more! We will do some practice runs in due course. The other option would be take her in to town so that she doesn't have to do the changing buses bit to start with.

[steppemum]

Don't forget that you are currently looking at a year 5 kid, but withing a short while of starting secondary, you will have a hulking great teenager doing the bus route with their eyes shut and rolling their eyes at your inability to understand the route (speaking from experience here!)

If it helps, plan to drop her at the second bus stop to start with, and then work towards her doing the switch. Or ride with her for the first week, see her on to the second bus and then go home.

Are there any others on either bus, or who live near you? It is always reassuring to know others do the same journey.
Work out timings, what time will she need to leave home etc. Many grammar school kids are on buses which pick up at 7:30

[kenyancowgirl]

And whilst I 100% applaud you for checking out transport links before applying, you have over a year before she would be due to start - it may well change again! Our bus times seem to change every year!

[Eromdap]

I know that I have plenty of time, but like my dd I get anxious about stuff if not fully prepared! There would be no point visiting schools if they would be unreachable from where we are by public transport. I work and dd has 2 younger siblings that need to be considered, so getting the first bus there and back wouldn't work.

Anyway, plenty of time for things to change and routes to be considered. I was really just wondering whether two buses to school and two buses homes is a ridiculous notion or something to be further considered.

[ToadMum]

Take a deep breath. Visit the schools (your DD might decide that she prefers the school with the simpler journey, anyway?). Trundle around on the bus a bit and interact with the drivers (they usually like polite, well-behaved school children as much as they (and the general public) hate rude, badly-behaved ones). Hang out a bit round the bus station or wherever your DD will have to change buses. I doubt that I would recognise the centre of Gloucester these days, but do either of the buses go anywhere near the public library where she could spend some time on the way home? Our local libraries are quite well used by pupils for getting homework done or socialising. Anyway, the important thing is, no, a journey involving two local buses doesn't sound like a daft idea. (Daft school journeys are those which mean three buses, a train and a lift to the first one, or a parent driving fifty miles each way twice a day for no other reason than the school run - you will certainly find at least one person elsewhere on the forum apparently contemplating the latter... ).

[DC17C]

Hi I am just wondering what the journey needed would be? My dd is at Ribston and gets the number 10 bus from Hucclecote and this is one of the public buses that passes close to Ribston. The bus stops in town for about 10 mins... I guess to allow other buses to connect with it and because the buses are every 10 mins at that time of day you rarely wait long for one. ( I think there was an issue one day when the Rugby World Cup was on but that won't happen again) DD often skips off this bus to get a number 9 which other friends get ...so there are quite a few kids changing buses in Gloucester. I actually think using the buses has done both my children the world of good. They have to think for themselves a bit more, manage money and learn to be a bit more streetwise and yes that is hard on parents to begin with. Both kids value their bus time as a chance to catch up with friends and often choose the bus even if I offer them a lift. It is a tricky thing to begin with but we found an neighbouring Ribston student in Yr 9 who took dd under her wing and did not mind showing DD the ropes of bus travel. It did not take long for dd to get used to it and be happy to do the journey herself.