The Trinity-Whitgift-Dulwich-Alleyns 10+/11+ thread 2015 PART 2

[Firefox1066]

Part 1 of this thread can be found here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/education/a2258026-The-Trinity-Whitgift-Dulwich-Alleyns-10-11-thread-2015

This is the follow on...

Thought this thread had dried up as had been checking every week and for some reason the website on my laptop had got stuck on page one ending on Mar 22. Just sorted it and glad to see it's still going! And yes shame about Mr B at T.

Thanks Dippingbackin and LadyMuck. Will keep the coat then - It did seem really warm and waterproof, and willget the extra PE kit if I can find anything small enough in the second hand sale.

Great tip about the mouthguards. I appen to be going in tomorrow so will check to see if he will do it on NHS for DS.

Just wanted to confirm that there is a uniform sale tomorrow at W?

Hi Firefox - yep, tomorrow from 10:30 - text from email below.

On Saturday 6 June our Whitgift School Parent’s Association (WSPA) will be holding a Second Hand Uniform Sale in the Concert Hall from 10.30am – 12.00 noon. This is a wonderful opportunity to stock up on good quality items of uniform to supplement items purchased from the School Shop.

Thanks Bit... My actual uniform appointment isn't until later this month but always good to get spare stuff

Hello
Planning for DS to sit 10+ next year entry can someone inform roughly how many sat the paper for T & W 10+ respectively this year ?

dippingbackin - that's strange about the school coats at W. My DS has been wearing a 'non-regulation' coat for last couple of years and nobody said a word at school - maybe because it was navy. I think as long as it is a plain navy or black coat, it should be ok to wear to school. I do like the rain-fleeces from W shop, they are very practical, but after the first year my DS declared they were 'hideous' and has refused to wear a W coat ever again!

Berora I was at the uniform sale at W on Saturday and one of the ladies was telling me that the boys HATE the rain-fleeces! Apparently, it in indeed deemed to be "hideous"!

Sharmila

My DS did 10+ for T&W in January, the numbers were roughly as follows:

W - c.190 for 60 places
T - c.205 for 45 places

Of course what you really need to know are how many are full fees, but it tough to really know at 10+

Interesting about the rain fleeces. DS has a long way to come by Public transport and he will need to wear something to keep him dry/ warm. Maybe we try it on with the navy one he has and buy the school coat if absolutely necessary!

My DS1 is finishing U6 at W and has never had a Whitgift coat, didn't know it was compulsory until this thread. I bought a number of items at his original fitting - valuable case, tracksuit top and jumper which he has never worn. So whatever you buy, I would recommend not labelling it until it is to be worn, so you can return it if it is never used.

Thanks Firefox

That's all the information I need.

Some questions on ZIP Oystercard for anyone in the know.

Just looking into getting DS's Zip card now for next year - not particularly organised but have seen that admin fees go up on the 15th June and I can do with saving every little penny at this point ..... He will be taking tram and bus so travel will be free but will need to have a train plan b if trams/ bus out of commission. Questions are..

1.My DS will be 10 when he starts in September at W - does he actually need an Oyster Zip 5-10 provided he can prove his age if collared by an inspector? Have read through the TFL terms and info and it says he doesn't need one. But it is ambiguous as I can't tell if that means he doesn't need one unless he is travelling alone, or unless he looks over 10. He doesn't look over 10 to me but I don't know what a 10 year old looks like to someone else.....
2.Can he just get a 11-15 card now even though he isn't quite old enough - birthday beginning December? Again, have looked at the TFL site which would appear to say that he can't get a card until he is 10 yrs 11 months, but if anything, tfl is is better off with him having the older one.

1. When we were being shown around by some boys at the school they said that they put money on the zipcard to pay for breakfast/ snack/ sweets etc - does the card also act as a cash card at the school? Or is there a separate student card/ cash card that the boys were referring to and I am confused.

Any one have any pointers?

The cash card the boys use for food is different from an Oyster card - you add money onto it online but it has two separate accounts attached - lunch and tuck shop

As far as I remember you can't get the 11-15 zip card until a month before your ds turns 11 so he'll need the 5-10 one if he's travelling alone

Children under the age of 11 only need a 5-10 Zip Oyster photocard to travel free on Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and some National Rail services if they:

~ Travel without an adult
~ Look older than 10

So if he is travelling alone or looks over 10 he will need one.

My Ds started at 10 and I'm sure I didn't get him a 5-10 card, just the 11+ once he turned 11, but maybe the rules have changed.
You can only apply for the 11 one 1 month before their birthday, which means I'll have to pay increased fees for DD when I can apply for hers at the end of June....

berora I think the insistence on the school coat may be a new thing as a friend with a DS in year above also said a 'home' coat was fine. DS' was plain black but according to him they lined everyone up at the end of lunchtime back in October and said it was school coats or no coats!
I must confess to not checking this in detail, begrudgingly bought him school one as he has long journey to do. I expect he will refuse to wear it next year..still in that law abiding phase at the moment!

BitByBit, you can buy a 5-10 Oyster card for just the reason you want - a child under 11 travelling without an adult. Obviously there is a cost to get the card but the journeys would then be free. If DS is not 11 for a while after September it would be cheaper to pay for the Oyster card rather than for each journey and easier to use as well. Google Tfl Zip Oyster cards.

Sorry, whilst we are on Oyster cards, as I don't understand them ,
My DS is travelling into East Croydon and then bus to Trinity. Is it cheaper to buy an Oyster card for the bus bit and a normal train fare without the 'travel in Zones 5 &6' that I seem to be offered online (which covers the bus journey - about £7 a week from comparing a return ticket with no added journeys)

Sorry to be thick about this!

www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/travel-for-under-18s/zip-oyster-photocards?intcmp=25258

Zip Oyster cards allow your kid to travel free on the bus and then get a child fare on the train

My son is at W and gets train & bus home every day. I load/top-up his Zipcard with autotop up, the journey from South Croydon to Clapham costs 75p after school, not sure how much in the morning.

(Am sure you know, but you can then set up an auto-topup so he should never be short.)

You can only use an Oyster card on the train if your home station has an Oyster card touch pad - it has to be within London. If you're travelling purely within London then it won't be more expensive than buying tickets. It's probably worth it for the bus fares alone (although I have no idea what a child fare on the bus is)

I keep DSs cards topped up with an amount of credit for the rare occasions they need to go by train somewhere.

Children go free on buses with the zip card.
DS uses his for train/bus journey to and from school. He gets child fare on the train and free travel on bus (or the tram which he occasionally gets if the bus is on strike). If you top up on line, you have to nominate a BR station for the cash to be uploaded, can't be via the bus.
neana You will find your Ds will need a zip card as trips from T often use public transport and the boys use their cards to get them from school to E Croydon. The school then covers the rail fare.

If you are using train on a daily basis then it is worth dropping into your station. Southern Rail does a 6 weekly travelcard for students between 2 nominated stations which can be cheaper than buying the individual journeys on oystercard. The option doesn't seem to be easily available online.