Is it easy to commute from Horley to Sutton Schools by public transport?

[Lovelymumone]

Hello everyone,
We are considering relocating to Horley.
I have been there a few times and I find accommodation prices cheaper, so we are considering moving there. It seem to be a nice place, but I am still not sure.
My teenage daughters do not want to change schools. Is it easy by public transport to get to Sutton from Horley? What is the best way to travel? Does anyone know or have experience of this please? Thank you.

It’s just under an hour by train, without taking into account the walk either end. How old are your teens, how long left at school?

Which actual school in Sutton? Have you tried putting your search into good old Google (other search engines are available), with the road you are looking at with a start point and the actual school and required arrival time as the end point?

e.g. 'Horley' to Wallington High School for Girls, arriving 08.25 tomorrow' looks like a very straightforward journey from Gatwick Airport station, with one change and minimal walking; Nonsuch or Greenshaw, more changes and more walking. I am not from the area and can't think of the names of other schools (but is it actually normal that pupils travel that kind of distance for 'just' a comprehensive school? Even if there might be school buses for the grammars, there surely won'tbe for normal non-selective schools because there must be at least one of those serving Horley as a catchment school?).

Probably change train at East Croydon onto bus/tram. There is a Sutton bus from Redhill but slow and not sure how near the schools it gets.

It's not something I would want to do. Depending on schools, it looks like an hour to 1:30 each way. And that's assuming all the trains and buses are running on time. I know from having 2 commuters in the Croydon area, that is a rare and beautiful thing.

Can't your move wait until they move schools?
How old are your DDs?

Might be worth considering places more accessible to the Epsom Downs line.

Thank you for this. Their school is St Philomena's. I have worked out the distance and it is a little over an hour. I may have to change the school for them. Let's see. Thank you

Thank you. They are in years 9 and 10. They just don't want to change schools although we have to move, so I may have to look elsewhere that is a bit closer.

Thank you, That bus is 420 and takes very long. I will see. Thank you.

Thank you for this. Their school is St Philomena's. I have worked out the distance and it is a little over an hour. I may have to change the school for them or move a bit closer to their to their school. Let's see. Thank you

Thank you. Need to factor in train delays etc. We will work something out since they do not want to change their school. Thank you.

Thank you.

These are pretty key years! Do you mean those will be their school years in September?

I wouldn’t change them at that age, I’d delay moving

And fwiw I don’t think Horley is attractive enough a place to be worth moving their school mid secondary. The secondary there is not great and at sixth form you have to go to Redhill or Reigate.

At that age, you really can't move them mid GCSEs!
What's the plan for Y12?

If it makes you feel any better, DD has done a 90 minute commute since Y1.

She's just finishing Y11 and is swapping to an 85 minute commute next year.

Never found it an issue and schools have always been sympathetic to rail woes.

The most important thing we have found is faff quotient.

An hour sat on a nice, warm train is fine, 3 buses that take an hour total is hell.

DD has one long train, switch of platforms and then a 20 min train, short walk either end. New route is tube instead of second train which will be luxury as they run every 3 mins rather than the 20 min wait because you missed the connection.

If you are looking at alternative schools, it could be worth looking at St Bede's in Redhill.

Thats a good school they are at. I’d be reluctant to move them.

Oh I see. How does she feel about it? Does she complain sometimes? I know the trains can also be an issue sometimes. I can understand why my girls do not want to change the school. They have good teachers. Anyway, I will find a way to deal with this.

Very occasionally - but more of a general moan about why we were so thoughtless to have moved out of London (she's very much a city girl).

She has a season ticket so just goes in and out at weekends etc to see friends.

She leaves home at 7am so not too onerous, and local options were all a minimum of 50 minutes and a lot less flexible (1 bus so could never stay late for after-school stuff). Palus her secondary has a music specialism which is her main interest and the local options were very meh on that front.

She LOVES her secondary, and it means I'm much less concerned about college next year as she's already a seasoned traveller and very independent.

She says she enjoys the train - guaranteed seat and table both ways, wifi, power sockets and she downloads netflix onto her iPad and watches that, or gets all her homework done.

The train staff all know her and used to keep an eye on her when she was in Y7.

I live in Horley. It’s ok here. Trains to East Croydon are very good. No idea from there to Sutton. Our local comp is ok and Reigate college is one of the best in the country. If you moved a bit further south, to say burgess hill or Balcombe or even Horsham way, you could get into Warden Park School or Millais in Horsham is excellent but Horsham is pricier than Horley. PM me if you want to check out potental roads in Horley.