Transport from Chester to Wirral Grammar School for Boys

[Liza360]

Hi, my son was going to take the 11+ with a view to applying for Wirral Grammar School for Boys. However, I cannot find a bus that would take him there from Chester. Has anyone who lives in Chester got a son who goes there or a daughter who goes to Wirral Grammar School for Girls and if so, how do they get there?

Have you taken a look at the school's travel to school leaflet here?

Yes, but Chester isn't on there. I'm really surprised as it's not that far compared with Caldy Grange Grammar School (which has a bus).

I've never worked in a school that ships students in from 15 miles away - the low level of demand would far outweigh the cost.

Could he get the train from Chester to Bebington or Port Sunlight?

I think it's about a 20 min walk from either station.

If it’s private they often arrange for private coach companies to take them from mikes away. My daughter’s school (and all the others around) take them from a huge radius all round Manchester

https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Chester/Wirral-Grammar-School-for-Boys#r/Bus it was a few years ago but a neighbour definitely went from Chester to Wirral Grammar by bus. It’s Happy Al’s coaches you’ll need to check with.

Definitely the train, I used to live a couple of hundred yards away from the school and the easiest way to Chester was the train. It is about 15-20 minutes walk from Bebington station.

I don’t know of any other parents in Chester that considered schools outside of Chester (DS is in yr 7 in a Chester school). I really don’t think it’s a popular option so i wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t a bus.

Is there a reason you’re going with a school outside of Chester?

Because they are grammar schools.

OP if there's nothing from Chester I'm sure there'll be an option from Ellesmere Port. Give the school a call and ask, Calday are really helpful on the phone, I would have thought they are all well used to this type of question.

@JessicaPeach

Well, yes. But why is that better than schools in Chester? A status thing? Is there just an assumption that grammars are better in some way? If so, that’s not necessarily true.

None of the high schools in Chester are particularly good. We would have gone for one of the grammars but I think they are a bit too far even if you are on the right side of Chester for them.

@JessicaPeach

Well that’s just nonsense. What are you judging it on? My son is in one of those schools. I have worked in them. My friends work in them. There is only one Chester school I wouldn’t send my child to.

The leaflet linked to earlier does mention Chester, in the Train section.

It says there are trains every 15 mins from Chester to Port Sunlight, which is a further 15 mins walk to the school.

Thank you for your replies. I did call the school and they said there is no bus, so ot would be public transport. I am not looking at the train as we are in a village on the outskirts of Chester, so it would mean a 10 minute drive, followed by a train journey and 20 minute walk. I just wondered whether there was a bus service I'd not seen in my research.

As for school choice, this is personal. It depends on what you feel would suit your child. Also, grammar schools do get better results. I have not decided yet. I am simply looking at the options.

JessicaPeach, I must admit, it is the distance that puts me off. Do you regret your decision?

mnahmnah, I am curious, which school should be avoided?

I do a bit because I think he would have really enjoyed it and done well, but I was worried about the juggle with extra curricular stuff and having to pick him up myself on those days, having to collect him if he was ill, get him there if he missed the bus etc. I have much younger children too so would have been difficult with them too.

We are on the other side of Chester too so would have been a risk whether he would have done all that work to pass the 11 plus then not got in on distance. They calculate it on safest walking distance so check that. We decided against it at the start of y5 in the end before we had started tutoring.

Also, grammar schools do get better results.

Well, one would sort of hope that a school admitting solely on academic selection would do better than the headline stats for a comprehensive school... But when compared to those in your local comprehensive schools who entered at year 7 in the higher prior attainment category? Fair enough if you have, but have you actually checked on the govt. website wrt the achievement at KS4 for that portion of the intake?

https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/?_ga=2.145839860.1319140165.1714737469-1374105359.1684736278

For example, at GCSE, 2022/23, the Attainment 8 and Progress 8 scores for High Prior Attainment pupils at Queen's Park High School, an 'average' school in the Cheshire West and Chester LA, (admittedly only 25 out of a year group of 100 - i dont know these schools, just picked one in the middle) are both better than the headline scores for Wirral High School for Boys.

Except nobody in their right mind with a very academic child wanting ‘traditional’ subjects would use P8 or A8 as a way of judging schools. It’s a useful tool for other things but not for that. I also don’t know that this is the case with OP’s child but I think it’s likely as they think their child could get an outside place. Why do people get so sensitive when parents want to try for a grammar school place, even if it’s out of their area?!

@Moglet4 , I was merely reacting to the comment that 'grammar schools get better results'. If someone wants their DC to have a difficult journey to a school that they perceive to be better than any of the ones on offer to them where they have chosen to live for reasons other than the quality of local secondary schools (or may be restricted to living, to be fair), that's up to them. But comparing the overall academic outcomes in a school where more or less all the intake is of the Greater Depth variety vs one where possibly only a quarter is, is somewhat disingenuous