open evening CH schools
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open evening CH schools
Maybe some of the forum readers will attend the open evening at CHB tonight or tomorrow morning?
I would like to raise the awareness that yesterday, during the CHG open evening, it was mayhem on Vicarage road due to the fact that - since a few months – some little islands (or whatever they are called
) have been added on this particular road to improve the safety of the pupils. As a consequence, when some cars are not parked correctly on this road, the buses cannot pass, get blocked and then there is a congestion propagating nearby… and it becomes a nightmare for all drivers! 
I have no idea if the police will be here tonight to prevent any parking on Vicarage road ( which would prevent any traffic jam building up! Painting some double red lines on this road could be a good idea in the future if these little islands are here to stay.)
My only advice would be for you to park away from the school as far as you can ( maybe a 10 mn walk? the weather is so beautiful today!) if you do not want to be seriously delayed after you have toured the school. I had to pass through Vicarage road yesterday evening (I had not realised that there was an open evening ); when I saw the jams, I avoided this road, but still, even in the nearby roads, it has been a long wait... and my DS arrrived late at his appointment for volunteering.
So you are warned!
I would like to raise the awareness that yesterday, during the CHG open evening, it was mayhem on Vicarage road due to the fact that - since a few months – some little islands (or whatever they are called
) have been added on this particular road to improve the safety of the pupils. As a consequence, when some cars are not parked correctly on this road, the buses cannot pass, get blocked and then there is a congestion propagating nearby… and it becomes a nightmare for all drivers! I have no idea if the police will be here tonight to prevent any parking on Vicarage road ( which would prevent any traffic jam building up! Painting some double red lines on this road could be a good idea in the future if these little islands are here to stay.)
My only advice would be for you to park away from the school as far as you can ( maybe a 10 mn walk? the weather is so beautiful today!) if you do not want to be seriously delayed after you have toured the school. I had to pass through Vicarage road yesterday evening (I had not realised that there was an open evening
); when I saw the jams, I avoided this road, but still, even in the nearby roads, it has been a long wait... and my DS arrrived late at his appointment for volunteering.So you are warned!
Last edited by JaneEyre on Fri Sep 23, 2016 3:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: open evening CH schools
Thanks ever so much JanetEyre. We are going to CHB tonight and were planning to drive right up to the school. With your timely warning, we'll now be saved the trouble - we'll find a place to park 10 minutes away.JaneEyre wrote:Maybe some of the forum readers will attend the open evening at CHB tonight or tomorrow morning?
I would like to raise the awareness that yesterday, during the CHG open evening, it was mayhem on Vicarage road due to the fact that - since a few months – some little islands (or whatever they are called
I have no idea if the police will be here tonight to prevent any parking on Vicarage road ( which would prevent any traffic jam building up! Painting some double red lines on this road could be a good idea in the future if these little islands are here to stay.)
My only advice would be for you to park away from the school as far as you can ( maybe a 10 mn walk? the weather is so beautiful today!) if you do not want to be seriously delayed after you have toured the school. I had to pass through Vicarage road yesterday evening (I had not realised that there was an open evening
So you are warned!
What a blessing this forum is!
Re: open evening CH schools
I wanted to edit my first post to correct a grammatical mistake... But Imranb has posted quickly... so my mistake will stay here for ever.JaneEyre wrote:So you are warned!
I meant 'you have been warned'.
Re: open evening CH schools
Yes, last night all the no.11 buses had to be diverted to Howard Road.
It was complete chaos
with cars parked absolutely everywhere.
Not sure what happened tonight as I wasn't out at that time.
The idea was that Vicarage Road would be 'double-yellowed'. It was part of the plan which involved putting in the islands and another zebra crossing.
But the lines have not been painted yet.
I have noticed that, increasingly, pupils are being dropped off by parents despite living on a bus route to the school.
Whereas in ds1's year (he is now Y13) boys tended to get on the bus to school themselves from Year 7 onwards.
I'm not criticising anyone here, but feel that having some independence and taking the bus is not only beneficial for the traffic and environment, but also for the children as they grow into adults.
Boys also take the train to Bournville and walk or get the 27 bus.
When I took dc4 to the BV open day last week I went by train from Bournville (much easier than cross-city traffic and we got homework done too!) and we saw a good number of KECH students on the platform, going home.
It was complete chaos
with cars parked absolutely everywhere.Not sure what happened tonight as I wasn't out at that time.
The idea was that Vicarage Road would be 'double-yellowed'. It was part of the plan which involved putting in the islands and another zebra crossing.
But the lines have not been painted yet.
I have noticed that, increasingly, pupils are being dropped off by parents despite living on a bus route to the school.
Whereas in ds1's year (he is now Y13) boys tended to get on the bus to school themselves from Year 7 onwards.
I'm not criticising anyone here, but feel that having some independence and taking the bus is not only beneficial for the traffic and environment, but also for the children as they grow into adults.
Boys also take the train to Bournville and walk or get the 27 bus.
When I took dc4 to the BV open day last week I went by train from Bournville (much easier than cross-city traffic and we got homework done too!) and we saw a good number of KECH students on the platform, going home.
Re: open evening CH schools
Does anyone have any feedback about the CHB open evening? I would have liked to have gone and taken DS as e did not take him to any last year - he always loves the science demos - but we didn't in the end as it is very unlikely he would score anywhere near enough and I didn't want him to like it!
They always seem to be well organised. What was the Head's speech like?
Can anyone tell me whether the school expanded physically since it took on extra numbers in each year?
They always seem to be well organised. What was the Head's speech like?
Can anyone tell me whether the school expanded physically since it took on extra numbers in each year?
UmSusu
Re: open evening CH schools
Hi Umsusu,
Concerning the school physical expansion, an opening ceremony took place during the first week of this term. Thanks to the extension built, each science now has its own prep room and each science now has three labs in its name. There are also a new office and new storage. Most importantly, there are three new classrooms
and, because those rooms have a removable partition, there is also a new meeting room.
Concerning the school physical expansion, an opening ceremony took place during the first week of this term. Thanks to the extension built, each science now has its own prep room and each science now has three labs in its name. There are also a new office and new storage. Most importantly, there are three new classrooms
and, because those rooms have a removable partition, there is also a new meeting room.
Last edited by JaneEyre on Sat Sep 24, 2016 10:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: open evening CH schools
The open evening at CHB was great. The head's speech was inspiring but a tad business like. I loved listening to him but not sure if DS understood all of what was being said.
The school has excellent facilities particularly the arts and science sections. The sports hall looked new and well maintained. Didn't get to see the swimming pool which was a disappointment for DS.
There weren't as many guides to take families around, so we ended up doing a self tour.
From DS's perspective Five Ways is leading in terms of choice due to the comparatively better organized and welcoming evening, the larger campus, on site beautiful grounds and sporting facilities. However there are various factors at play including school's distance from home and the small matter of passing the exam.
The school has excellent facilities particularly the arts and science sections. The sports hall looked new and well maintained. Didn't get to see the swimming pool which was a disappointment for DS.
There weren't as many guides to take families around, so we ended up doing a self tour.
From DS's perspective Five Ways is leading in terms of choice due to the comparatively better organized and welcoming evening, the larger campus, on site beautiful grounds and sporting facilities. However there are various factors at play including school's distance from home and the small matter of passing the exam.
Re: open evening CH schools
imranb wrote:However there are various factors at play including school's distance from home and the small matter of passing the exam.
oh yes, that small matter! I might be the only one, but I think I am starting to enjoy this phase now. Everything is still possible and DS3 is blissfully oblivious to anything other than his science blog and how many views or comments his latest posts have had!Yes I think the size of the school/grounds compared to others is striking. Having said that, they have a larger year group so the building would need to be able to accommodate more people.
UmSusu
Re: open evening CH schools
I do not know how the swimming pool at FW is nowadays. A few years ago, it used to be an above ground one. Has this changed?imranb wrote:Didn't get to see the swimming pool which was a disappointment for DS.
The pool at CHB is similar to the one at QM if you have seen the latter: it is an in-ground one. Pupils at CHB use to go there once a week from year seven till year 10 during one term ( or is it two terms? I have forgotten). In year 11, pupils choose the sport they do; my DS has chosen swimming so he is also swimming once a week.
There is also a swimming club at lunch time on Wednesdays and a ‘serious’ club after school on Friday where pupils at competition level train.
I totally agree with you um! However, if it happens that your DS go to BV in the future and take the train, do not expect him to do too much HW on the train ( welcome to ‘the real world’um wrote: When I took dc4 to the BV open day last week I went by train from Bournville (much easier than cross-city traffic and we got homework done too!)
). To say the truth, I had the same expectations as you when my DD started the commute by train Kings Norton/Wylde Green to go to SCGSG many moons ago. My 'dream' just remained 'a dream' as ‘train time’ was ‘socialising time’ which is great too! I take the train everyday to go to Stratford –upon- Avon and when I see on the train some students doing quickly their English or history HW on their lap early in the morning, I usually think that it will really be botched up! On another hand, there is a group of KES and its sister school that I like. It is so lovely to see the cute year 7 pupil revise his mandarin for his lesson on the day. They are a group of pupils of different years and from two sister schools and they are very nice to each other, which is lovely to see.
Re: open evening CH schools
From what I saw in the open evening last week, it looked like an above ground pool. Seems like CHB has managed to beat five ways on the aquatic front.JaneEyre wrote:I do not know how the swimming pool at FW is nowadays. A few years ago, it used to be an above ground one. Has this changed?.imranb wrote:Didn't get to see the swimming pool which was a disappointment for DS.
