Oxfordshire schools

[manyhappydaysoutside]

Hello. I was hoping for some thoughts about pairing DS and DD schools. DS will go to Abingdon so natural choice for DD would be St Helen and St Katherine, which she likes. She also really likes Headington. We are moving in to the area in the near future. Does anyone have any thoughts on whether the Abingdon and Headington logistics will work? I would prefer DS to be doing the longer journeys - he is a bit older- so looking at being based Oxford way, possibly near the station.

[manyhappydaysoutside]

St Helen and St KathArine..oops...

[Abraiid2]

Lots of pupils at both SHSK and Abingdon come from various parts of Oxford or far farther away on the school bus network. Even from year 6 of the junior dept of the former, there were plenty coming in from all over the county. Quite common to have brothers at Magdalen, for example, and a daughter at SHSK, or girl at Oxford High and son at Abingdon.

[Abraiid2]

Just be aware that the traffic around the ringroad and the A34 can be awful.

[manyhappydaysoutside]

Thank you. It's tricky to interpret the bus routes when you are not familiar with the area. I guessed from the extensive bus network that schools have children coming in from all over- where I live now all children pretty much walk to the one school. I don't want to pick a school on ease of travel but It is a consideration.

[Abraiid2]

If you looked to move to somewhere like Botley or Cumnor you might be well-placed for both Abingdon and the rail station.

Some of my daughter's friends have bus journeys of almost an hour, plus however long to get to the bus stop. I would hate that, but they seem to take it in their stride, doing their homework and listening to music and talking to friends.

[manyhappydaysoutside]

Thanks- I don't really know those areas v well. I have always lived North of Oxford so are more familiar with that end. I would love to live close to Oxford but maybe we would be better off Abingdon way. That assumes that we could get a place at SHSK, the standards seem higher than for Abingdon!

[Abraiid2]

Yes, that's been the case for a few years, I think. My daughter has loved SHSK but there are certainly other excellent schools in Oxford. The new SHSK head has impressed me when I have met her and seems to have a real girls first attitude. My daughter likes her a lot, too.

[manyhappydaysoutside]

Thank you Abraiid2. It certainly felt like a really happy school when we came to visit. I think that my daughter would be very happy there.

[deplorabelle]

Direct bus service from Abingdon to headington. It's long (1hr) but very very easy. If you live on oxford rd in Abingdon your dd could travel basically door to door to headington.