The Mock Turtle

Top button undone would be a warning in J's school. They are very hot on uniform* but it's been one of several measures that's pulled it from being a poorly thought of school to a really good one, so I'm not complaining.

Local school sounds like a winner to me. I hope G comes round to the idea. Are any of his particular friends going to his allocated school?

*They aren't always that observant though. A couple of times J left his tie at a friend's house and got away with wearing a plain black one the next day. Given the uniform tie is navy with a brightly coloured logo I think he was lucky

They probably turn a blind eye if the child is generally a good egg / not a repeat uniform offender.

I just stand at the door reminding them continually. As if I actually give a shit, but sweating the small stuff is unfortunately what pulls them into line. When they're in Year 7, you quite often have to do their top button up for them.

Ruby wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 5:29 pm I just stand at the door reminding them continually. As if I actually give a shit, but sweating the small stuff is unfortunately what pulls them into line. When they're in Year 7, you quite often have to do their top button up for them.

Same at the boys schools. They brought in blazers and badges and were really strict on uniform. They both went from a school in hackney with no uniform to schools with. I was dreading it more than they were, but it was ok.

Such a lot of store is put on school places. I walked home crying when Sb1 didn't get the primary school I wanted (and where he went to nursery). Its all so fraught.

Hope all the children are doing ok.

Loralei wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 4:59 pm Top button undone would be a warning in J's school. They are very hot on uniform* but it's been one of several measures that's pulled it from being a poorly thought of school to a really good one, so I'm not complaining.

Local school sounds like a winner to me. I hope G comes round to the idea. Are any of his particular friends going to his allocated school?

*They aren't always that observant though. A couple of times J left his tie at a friend's house and got away with wearing a plain black one the next day. Given the uniform tie is navy with a brightly coloured logo I think he was lucky

George's BFF is going to a girls school and his other closest friend is going to a CoE school so he understands that he didn't have a chance of getting into either of those

The school is sponsored by a former deputy Tory party chairman and super hot on uniform and also attendance - that state in their policies that they expect students to aim for 100% attendance. All absences have to be made up after school. But I expect some of that will have changed with covid? When I looked round (in 2019) I was kind of shocked that they had a one way system and lines down the middle of the corridors but the rest of the UK has caught up with that now

Cerise wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 1:47 pm How did the hatchlings get on with their Secondary placements?

A ended up getting into her first choice, but we've actually ended up with a local independent girls' secondary which was originally a backup but ended up being by far the best fit for her.

Just looking up the page and one of A's friends fell foul of the lottery system that a couple of the schools brought in after CAFs were submitted and has ended up with none of her 6 choices - and they did everything right and didn't get into their nearest school which was originally on distance but became lottery.

Good news on the waitlist for G, emma_p - hopefully there'll be lots of movement. I've been hanging around the secondary bit of a well known forum for mums and I think there'll be more movement than usual this year as everything has been so up in the air with covid lots of people applied for everything going.

Can I ask about school transport costs? I’ve always known ours is expensive but with 2 of them going in September it’s going to get substantially worse, exacerbated by the phasing out of subsidised transport to faith schools. The non subsidised bus is currently £900 per year and will go up in September. We could have a week’s holiday for the price of bussing them both to school for a year! As it happens we will be able to drive them but I’m curious how much it would be in other parts of the country.

You have to pay to get the bus to school?? Here they send taxis to the kids who aren't on (free) school bus routes.

E’s bus is free to us - the local authority pays for it because her school is our nearest and we live outside their 3 mile cut off. A’s bus costs us £14 per week because he goes to a different school, further away, by choice.

Some parents at A’s school have to use a private bus service that costs £1500 per year, per child.

kiwi wrote: ↑Thu Mar 04, 2021 10:05 pm You have to pay to get the bus to school?? Here they send taxis to the kids who aren't on (free) school bus routes.

It’s free if they go to the nearest school and you live more than three miles away. Or less than three miles but it’s unsafe to walk.

This is ours:
Charges 2021/22 – reception to year 13

Travelling under three miles – £128.66(£386 per year)
Travelling over three miles – £239.66 (£719 per year)

Ah, I see. I guess here there are a load of kids who meet those criteria, I thought it was just the norm.

I don’t know what would happen if they went to the nearest school. That would be Frome College which is about 3 miles. Even with the bus we pay for I have to drive them to the bus stop which is actually opposite Frome College.

The three mile thing is national policy. I know all this because I looked it up some time ago and ended up down a big rabbit hole and also because I’m a very boring person .

Mr S wants to consider an independent school for G, and I know that their bus (same rabbit hole) is £1500 a year . It’s nearby and I would drive!

Yes - the bus for A's school is £1,500 a year. They also charge the same whether you get on at the first pickup point or (as we would be doing) geting on at the very last pickup point before it's a straight run to the school.

So it will be train (direct and super quick) or TFL bus for us (which is free for her age at the moment, but I suspect that will change).

Flora Poste wrote: ↑Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:32 pmYes - the bus for A's school is £1,500 a year. They also charge the same whether you get on at the first pickup point or (as we would be doing) geting on at the very last pickup point before it's a straight run to the school.

Yes! Same here. It’s not far but it’s not a safe road and is also uphill so if he does end up going to that school I can’t see him getting there under his own steam for 8am . I will be very keen on finding a lift share buddy.

Does G start secondary next year, Squirrel?!

1,500 is pricey. I would get both my kids bussed for a bit less than that. This year I'm driving them, because of covid.

Yep, 18 months! So we’ll need to apply by October this year.

Waah! I'm always surprised by this, because R won't start high school until she's almost 14. But even that is sneaking up.

G will be only just 11 and he’s immature for his age. I know schools are used to this, but parents of first children aren’t!

£1500! Jesus.
I can't think about it being ours next Squizz. In my head it's basically still half way through year 4. Genuinely feel like we've all been robbed of a year.