Secondary Considerations

[smalex]

Jesus! That's a lot. (another tick for the school literally round the corner from us, when the time comes...)

[Texaco Shirley]

Somerset CC is broke so we’re probably subsidising libraries or the CAB.

L has had a phone for the first time now he’s at secondary, just an old handset of mine. He hasn’t really had cause to use it yet so today decided he’d phone one of his old primary school friends, who now lives in Germany. Really should have discussed the cost of overseas calls with him

[Faddy]

Oh

[Marth]

I'm so grateful we get free bus travel for children in London (and reduced tube fares). Though SB2 walks to and from school now. SB1 used to get two buses to and from secondary.

[Sofa]

Thankfully both of mine get free school transport as they both go to our catchment secondary. However, friends of ours have to pay for busses and I think it costs around £450 a year, which I think is pretty steep. When it comes to Sixth form, it'll cost us around £100 a month for the local public bus service.

ETA: B started secondary school last week and seems to be settling in fine. However it's really weird for me, not having to do the school run twice a day for the first time in 18 years. This feels like a massive change for me, and I'm no longer beholden to after school clubs or 3.00pm pickups.

[Luce]

God, the bus money is terrifying! I had no idea it was that much. Another reason for F to go to the school that is 5 minutes walk away rather than the (Catholic, that all his friends will be going to) school that is 10 minutes bus ride away.

F is in year 5 now and is, unusually for him, starting to worry about secondary. Can I take him to the local open day so that he can feel excited about it rather than spending the next 2 years worrying? Or will that backfire horribly and it's really supposed to be for the year 6s anyway?

[smalex]

Loads of people go in yr5 I think (Loads I know anyway). There's a lot of plausible options round here so I think people use it as a way of narrowing down a bit, maybe.

[Squirrel]

I can’t work out who has to pay for buses here, I’m obviously being thick.

Our catchment secondary is in the same county, it’s our nearest and we live more than three miles away, so it will be free. But those who do pay, who I guess are people who don’t fall into some or all of those categories, pay £350 per year for less than three miles or £660 for over three miles, if there are spaces available.

[Loralei]

F is in year 5 now and is, unusually for him, starting to worry about secondary. Can I take him to the local open day so that he can feel excited about it rather than spending the next 2 years worrying? Or will that backfire horribly and it's really supposed to be for the year 6s anyway?

I'm going to look a few schools in the next couple of weeks (as Smal mentioned, there is a LOT of choice round here) but I'm not taking J as my fear is he will either panic about not feeling ready (even though he's not supposed to be ready) or obsess about one. I also want him to be involved in the decision so will not take him to see any I completely hate . There's no actual reason you can't, but be aware lots of them will be happening very soon so it's worth checking the dates.

[Pippedydeadeye]

Do people really go in year 5? I didn’t. I’m aiming to go to one next week for the school Squeak prefers and then the other is the week after.

[Mayday]

We looked at both the local secondaries when eldest was in Y5 and y6 and it was really helpful to see if anything had changed/if it felt different but also because you don't get a lot of time to choose between open days and when the application form has to be in. It was actually really useful to compare. In y5 I'd definitely have said school X but by y6 it didn't feel quite as good as it had previously so we went with school Y.

At our previous house eldest walked to school but when we moved here I massively misjudged the distance and assumed he'd walk until I realised it took well over an hour. I didn't think we'd get a bus pass as I didn't think we were 3 miles away but I applied anyway and they gave us one. We have no public buses here so I've no idea what we'll do with sixth form (if he gets in, which is a whole other thread )

[Ismee]

Hannah and I went to see some secondary schools in year 5 and found it really helpful. She felt a bit overwhelmed at the first one but after that she enjoyed them.

[Texaco Shirley]

The open days here are in July of year 5 anyway so I don’t think anyone goes early.

[Mayday]

That makes a lot more sense. Ours are October, with forms to be in at the end of October.

[Luce]

Yeah, open days here are October but obviously we don't need to make an application this year anyway so wonder if there is much point. F was asking how it all works and I was trying to explain how everything is sign-posted and rooms are numbered etc. He couldn't get his head around finding his way around. So, taking him might back-fire since we don't need to worry about it yet. Hmm. I'll think on. A huge part of me just wants a nosey around my old school for some trips down memory lane but this isn't a concern of his

[Faddy]

I am going to one tomorrow and another in 2 weeks. J is in year 5. I know I might miss the open days in year 6 as you don't get a lot of notice and I work late on Thursdays.

J is a bit worried and says he wants to stay where he is. He is a creature of habit. I think it is important for him to look to get used to the idea

[Loralei]

The one I went to last night made me realise I can't do two in an evening so I'm glad I started this year. I won't get round to the ones I wanted to use as comparisons; it's hard enough to just get to the four that are serious contenders.

[smalex]

I'd be interested to know where you went Lora, and what you thought ( by PM if preferred!)

[Loralei]

Sure, I will pm.

[Flora Poste]

I'm looking at our 4 local schools this year (A is Yr 4) mainly because I want to get a feel for them, but not taking A. I get the impression here that people start looking in Yr 5 without children, then take them in Yr 6 to a shortlist. We are looking to move in the next year or so locally, so secondary will probably be part of the decision where we move (one outstanding local school we are out of catchment for at the moment so may move closer if we love it).