How to get to Wolverhampton Girls High from Stoke-On-Trent/Newcastle

[superye]

Hi all,
My daughter has been offered a place in Wolverhampton Girls High. We are struggling to find ways to get to/from there. She's just turned 11, obviously traveling alone on the train isn't an option.

Any advice is highly appreciated!

Thank you

[Comefromaway]

Seriously, you must be mad. It’s an horrendous commute. Dh used to do it. Train is the only way. (& I speak as a parent whose dh and dd commuted to school from Stoke to Chester each day.

[KingsHeathen]

You may find more responses on the 11+ forum, under the Birmingham, Walsall, Wolverhampton page. There are usually people trying to resolve travel issues.

Presumably when you decided to enter her you considered how she would get there? Most secondary pupils do travel together school by themselves, even the Y7s, many by train.

[superye]

We planned to move to Stafford this summer, unfortunately it didn't work out. thanks all

[Comefromaway]

Not in Stoke they don’t. Although my dd used the train alone occasionally from year 8 onwards.

They would be travelling to Nuls, Stafford Grammar, Denstone, St Dom’s, Kings Macc, I don’t know anyone who would contemplate Wolverhampton from here.

[Comefromaway]

So will it be short term? When we first moved to Stoke from Walsall dh taught in Sandwell and the commute that way for him in his private car was awful.

Your dd will be exhausted with homework & extra curricular etc and she will find it difficult to socialise out of school.

[KingsHeathen]

It's twice as far from Stoke, isn't it? No school is worth that journey, sorry. Where do you work? Could you temporarily move to Wolverhampton?

[Comefromaway]

I cannot emphasise even in a car how horrendous that journey will be.

[superye]

The school has school buses from Stafford. I hope we can still sort it out for short term.

[Comefromaway]

Seriously, schools round here are not that oversubscribed. In the current climate somewhere decent will have places.

[Comefromaway]

Train then from Stoke to Stafford. It’s your only option.

[superye]

apparently train doesn't allow under 13s traveling alone

[Comefromaway]

That’s not true. Some train companies don’t advise it and will call British transport police if they are concerned at a young child travelling alone but a secondary aged pupil in uniform travelling to school is fine.

[KingsHeathen]

Children travel by train to KES/KEHS, BV, SCGSG ,Solihull etc. from Y7, no question. It's very normal. Some get trains into Birmingham, then buses out to CHG/CHB/KEFW/KEAB (though presumably that will end with new admissions arrangements?) The travel.companies sell train passes to children.

[Comefromaway]

It's Avanti that say the under 13 thing. West Midlands trains would not be a problem.

[Comefromaway]

I've just realised this is in middle schools. You might have got more response in secondary schools.

[superye]

Thanks all!