Transport from Reading East to Slough Schools (2017 Entry)

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panit
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Joined: Sat Oct 15, 2016 9:02 am

Transport from Reading East to Slough Schools (2017 Entry)

Post by panit »

Hi All

We are based in Woodley and our DS got a score of 108.5 for Reading and 118 for Slough consortium. Now that Reading is a distant dream, we have to settle for Herschel, Upton or St.Bernards.

Spoke to Herschel school and I was told that there is a bus service now from Lower Earley and 118 is a half decent score with reasonable reasonable chances of getting into Herschel. last year's cutoff was 117.

But, on the off chance my DS doesn't get into Herschel and gets into St.Bernards or Upton Court, we'd be interested to know if there are any car pools or similar travel options operating in and around Woodley and Lower Earley.

Regards
Aethel
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Re: Transport from Reading East to Slough Schools (2017 Entr

Post by Aethel »

I love the way that posters "have to settle" for a grammar school.

Please be aware that many children strive very hard to pass these exams and if you do not really want a place then leave it for a family who genuinely want it. There is no obligation to take up a grammar place just because your DC qualified for one.

On a more practical level, I seem to remember last year there was a family trying to commute from Earley who described the traffic as very unpredictable. Is this really fair on your child for seven years worth of commute? Google maps says it': 21 miles and a minimum of 50 mins if the m4 is behaving....

Edit: seen your comments on the other thread about buses/train options.
It's up to you, but do be aware that there is a walk from Slough station to Herschel, somyoo need to factor that into your journey time. It still sounds like a lot of work for a school option you're not actually that keen on....
Tinkers
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Location: Reading

Re: Transport from Reading East to Slough Schools (2017 Entr

Post by Tinkers »

And the M4 is not well known for 'behaving'. I see the M4 eastbound at a stand still at 7:30 several mornings a week as I drive along the road parallel to it.

Last week had not one but two incidents that closed the M4, for extended periods of time. This impacts all the other roads around Reading too, as anyone who lives in this area know well. Colleagues of mine were walking to work last week from Reading town centre because it was quicker than trying to drive.

I happily admit that my DD uses a bus (public transport) to get to school, but if push came to shove, she could walk it in 35mins. It means it doesn't matter what she wants to do after school, whether it is to going into town to get stuff she needs for school, after school activities, I know she has transport home. If for any reason that transport fails (and it hasn't yet in 3 years) I also know she can walk.


ETA I've just seen this on the local news. M4 closures. Again.
http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/readin ... -Read-main" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
panit
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Joined: Sat Oct 15, 2016 9:02 am

Re: Transport from Reading East to Slough Schools (2017 Entr

Post by panit »

[quote="Aethel"]I love the way that posters "have to settle" for a grammar school.

Sorry Aethel, we didn't mean "have to settle" in a pejorative way and didn't intend to demean the Slough grammar schools either, in fact we are quite keen to get him into Herschel or Upton Court. The frustration was more from the fact we recently bought a house and moved into Reading area(should have rented instead...hindsight is such a wonderful thing). Now my DC ,as in the case of many other children, worked really hard and as you rightly pointed out has to commute almost 2 hours a day for the next 7 years unless we move again.

By the way, Google map shows 16 miles and 22 mins without traffic to Herschel from our door step , I guess takes about 40 mins in typical rush hour , as we are not far off from M4 junction 10.
mad?
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Re: Transport from Reading East to Slough Schools (2017 Entr

Post by mad? »

panit wrote:
Aethel wrote: Now my DC ,as in the case of many other children, worked really hard and as you rightly pointed out has to commute almost 2 hours a day for the next 7 years unless we move again.
.
No, your DC does not have to do that at all, you are choosing to make him do that, despite the good local options you have. Be under no illusion this is a choice, one many would love to have and one from which I suspect most would make a different decision.
mad?
Aethel
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Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 6:24 pm

Re: Transport from Reading East to Slough Schools (2017 Entr

Post by Aethel »

Herschel may be 40 minutes (ish) but it Can take a whole hour to get down the a4 in rush hour towards Upton Court (seriously, it's an awful route, most locals avoid it like the plague).

I do sympathise with the move issue, we are trying to toss up between the grammar that is a mile down the road and another that's down the train line (my DD prefers the further one slightly but it's very much her choice if she wants the school with the further commute). But my options mean she has to be able to do the route herself whereas a car journey every day on the route you describe would either mean a parent losing huge chunks of time to drive, or the less flexible minibus option.
panit
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Joined: Sat Oct 15, 2016 9:02 am

Re: Transport from Reading East to Slough Schools (2017 Entr

Post by panit »

Thanks Aethel. Also looks like St.Bernards is relatively easier to commute than Upton court . The planner shows only 32 mins by train from Twyford which is 10 min drive from our place.

So on CAF, we'd go for Herschel, St. Bernards and Upton Court in the order of preference. In the end, if my DS is struggling, we'd move closer which is always an option and we have up to next September.
Aethel
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Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 6:24 pm

Re: Transport from Reading East to Slough Schools (2017 Entr

Post by Aethel »

Um..... St Bernard's is 20 yards across the road from Upton Court!
They're both on the a4 itself.
In fact they are so close that they arrange some shared classes for certain a-level options

Plus do read the admissions criteria for St Bernards: it is a catholic school that prioritises a) catholics, b) Christians, c) other practicing faiths, d) no faith or non practicing.
In order to be categorised as a/b/c (they haven't given any non-faith places for several years), you had to submit a supplementary form to their school by 16th October signed by your local priest/vicar/imam/rabbi/etc. So if you hadn't considered the school
Before and arranged this it's unlikely to be worth applying for it now.
panit
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Joined: Sat Oct 15, 2016 9:02 am

Re: Transport from Reading East to Slough Schools (2017 Entr

Post by panit »

You are right Aethel, Upton Grammar School is very next to St.Bernard's. I was thinking supplementary forms A and B will need to be submitted with CAF. Deadline was yesterday, its not worth applying for then as we are now considered Any other children category.
11plusmomquery
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Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 10:28 am

Re: Transport from Reading East to Slough Schools (2017 Entr

Post by 11plusmomquery »

Hi

Can you please explain what you mean the Deadline was yesterday, its not worth applying for then as we are now considered Any other children category.
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