To feel cross that it's going to cost £120 per month in bus fairs to get my dc's to school

[NotMostPeople]

I have another year to go until DS starts secondary school, but when he does this is what it's going to cost. £2 per day, 3 children. We were just under the distance to qualify for a free bus pass however that's irrelevant now as the free bus pass has been cut for everyone. To be honest we can afford it but I'm sure that there are lots of families who wouldn't be able to and it makes me cross.

errr, but you have 3 children , so it's bound to be expensive isn't it? I'd be amazed if bus fares were ever less than £2 per day.

I think you're being a bit harsh to the OP about the grammar. If she is living in a bona fide grammar area (to which she may not have moved by choice) then the expectation is that one stream of children will go to School X and the rest will go to School Y. Neither school is really set up for the other school's pupils.

Now obviously there's a huge argument to be had here about whether that system is right or wrong, but for an individual parent who happens to live in a GS county, putting a child who passes the 11+ into their nearest grammar does not constitute unreasonable pickiness - it's exactly how the system is meant to work. Those schools are intended to be the most suitable for those children.

Silver. Ouch!

DS2 goes to our catchment school at the moment and DS1 goes to the nearest 6 th from college to our house. We have a free bus pass for DS2 and pay £360 forDS1.

DS2is due to go to sixth form next September and has applied to the local grammar school. We know if he gets in we will have to pay for his bus pass, but we see it as a small price to pay because he really needs good grades to get into Uni for his chosen career. We don't feel he'd get them at the local sixth form, it's swings and roundabouts IMVHO!

That's beyond ridiculous, Silver!

How do you know that ds will get into the grammar? He might end up walking to the local school

/what does FSM stand for ?

It's your choice to have children, it's your choice to use that school. I have no sympathy at all.

is it £120 for three dcs per month?

Your choice = you pay. That's life!

How far away? If you were just under the old cut off is it under 2 miles? 2 miles shouldn't take long on a bike.

Free School Meals

Silver, I am preparing myself for the LEA SEN transport battle when my ds2 starts Special school next year.
I would love him to be able to walk to the local school or even the next nearest but he can't.

my sons sen school has the same distance rules for transport as the local schools. To qualify for transport you have to be over 3.5 miles away. We are just under that.

well op hasnt been back shame really could of done with more info

never mind,im assuming the school was her choice so op IBU

Strictly speaking its not an out of catchment school as we are within the catchment for the grammar, which is about five miles. This is a state grammar school so in theory it should be open to all regardless of income and I do therefore think that it's unfair that some people won't be able to take up a place for their child due to transport costs. I am not sending my dcs on bikes, we are in a heavy traffic area and as a cyclist I know how potentially dangerous it can be. As I said it isn't so much as issue for us although I do resent it.

We got grammar school results this week which is why I know DS is going.

cantspel, thats just stupid. My son will be going to sn secondary & he couldnt get himself there if it was next door.
He has cerebral palsy, autism & learning difficulties, plus a few other bits & bobs.

cantspel, we have a similar problem except I am spending £750 per child per year each for two kids.

If other families can't afford the travel then surely they'd send their children to a school closer?

Both my Dc are September babies so turn 16 at beginning of year 11. I had to pay full adult fare for Ds for yr11 but now he is 6th form we get a 1/3 off his fares. Doesn't seem right that while they are in compulsory education that they pay full fares but older dc get a discount.

Yanbu. Its not some middle class choice to waft off to grammar, spurning the fantastic comprehensve. Grammar school areas have high schools and grammar schools - its not that simple. I hate the grammar school system, but the flip side is high schools, which I also hate. Dd goes to grammar, ds will not pass; I don't like either of these choices, but i havve to do the best with what's available.
I suspect the op is in a similar position.

We moved into this house 12 years ago and I remember having the discussion when she was 1 about how convenient it was going to be for her to walk to high school. 5 minutes nice safe streets.
You pay your money and make yer choices.

Don't listen to the naysayers about grammar school, no decent parent would deprive their child of a superior education - so you can tuck that one away whilst they all choke on a socialist apoplecy

Have to say, I'm a hard bitch and I make mine walk 4 1/2 miles when it snows and the buses have all jack knifed Even when I know they get to school they will be sent home again. I don't care it takes 2 or 3 hours each way - theres a whole world out there that would weep for our education system and it's not to be taken lightly.

Thats easy for me to say with a free oyster - but even if my kids didnt have a an oyster - there is no way I would compromise their education by sending to a comprehensive if there was a choice.

If you can't afford the fares, then its shanks pony or a bike.

But I find it disgraceful that school children don't get free fares country wide.

What I find quite astonishing is that my well to do parents get free bus passes while I am scrabbling around trying to find fares.