Abingdon vs Reading Blue Coat

[Edelweiss78]

Hello, would really appreciate your advice as I am not sure which school to choose. Basically my DS2 has got a place in Abingdon and very likely would get a place in Reading Blue Coat School. My DS1 is already at Reading Blue Coat and I live just a couple of minutes away from the school. So those factors are in favour of the latter. However, I have read so many good reviews about Abingdon and academically it is much stronger than Blue Coat , so I am getting inclined towards Abingdon. And I was thinking about moving my DS1 there , I have already asked Abingdon about 13+ exam for him. But at the same time the perspective of them spending 2+ hours every day on a school bus really puts me off. I am really struggling and constantly changing my mind , whether to leave them locally at Blue Coat and for A levels apply somewhere else or move them now to Abingdon.Would really appreciate any advise re school choice. Many thanks in advance.

Morning! DH used to teach at Blue Coat and now I'm working with Abingdon through my work (though admittedly not in a teaching capacity. Their new science block will be gorgeous though!)

Personally, I would say Abingdon, given free choice. They will naturally be more academic as RBC will always suffer due to proximity of Reading Boys. DH also had concerns about the pressure put on staff in some departments to mark relatively softly - good for short term confidence but possibly unhelpful long term. At the end of the day though, still a very good school.

Given you already have DS1 there though, and are presumably happy with how things are going, this complicates matters. It's a reasonable distance between the two, though I know one of the SMT at RBC lives in Abingdon and commutes every day. Which is closest?

Just reread your very close to RBC.
Trek to Abingdon would be pretty significant (esp depending which side of the river you are!) and I'd be concerned about DS social life if so far from school. I went to a grammar with wide catchment and it did annoy me.

If you haven't any long term plans to move then maybe stick.with RBC. Good students will always do well wherever they are and, let's be honest, we're not comparing sink schools here! Just keep an eye on DS and make sure they don't get complacent.

Many thanks for your opinion. I will discuss it with DH. We are definitely not considering moving in the nearest future. Another thing is how realistic is to get into 6th form at likes of Abingdon or even Magdalen College School. Because when we got our DS1 to Reading Blue Coat we thought about applying for A-levels to academically stronger schools. But I am really worried now with those schools getting more and more competitive that the chances are pretty slim. Although the boys are smart and study well, they have to be pushed and motivated to get the good results. Thanks

Maybe consider weekly boarding at Abingdon now or in the sixth form? The journey time does seem long. Or try entry to Reading for the sixth form.

Obviously for your DS2 weekly boarding is not an option at Abingdon until 13.

Thanks. I think DS2 can't do boarding and won't be able to do it even at 13. Doesn't have the right mentality and will be missing his family a lot. No prob with DS1 though.

So, I am coming to conclusion that 1 hour drive each way might be too much and may be it is better to leave them at RBS. But I am still not certain.

I think 1hr drive is definitely too much and I say that as a happy parent at Abingdon. Don't forget many Saturdays will involve matches so you are looking at possibly 6 days a week. You are miles from the school - I'm afraid my DS would not be hanging out with yours on the weekend if it involved me driving all the way to reading (or even half way to reading frankly). And I live close to Abingdon - many kids come from eg chipping norton or Faringdon which is a world away from you. If your DSes were involved in eg school plays they would have rehearsals into the evening. Parents evenings would be a royal pain in the bum. It just isn't worth it if you can't board them IMO- it would add a whole layer of stress on all of you....

There are definitely places available at 6th form for the right boy, both at Ab and MCS (more at MCS though because they chuck so many kids out if they don't get 10 x A*s.., although some of these are taken by the girls...)

Thanks a lot for your advise. I have got a clear picture now that it would create an extra hassle for all the family.

There is a school bus that goes from Reading to Abingdon.

www.abingdon.org.uk/joint_bus_service/#!prettyPhoto[busmap]/0/

Many thanks. I have seen this map and there is even a bus route from Twyford, which is closer to my house. But it is still 1 hour -1 hour + ride , so don't know really ... Still thinking

It is a long bus ride, that's for sure. Good luck!

Bear in mind that it takes an hour on a good day. Where the A34 is involved we have a lot of not very good days...!

We grew up just outside Reading and caught the school bus to Abingdon every day for 7 years (me to St Helen's and both brothers to Abingdon). The journey time never bothered any us. I used to either sleep or quickly do the homework I hadn't done the night before. It's very different to using public transport.

HedgehogsDontBite, thank you for sharing your personal experience. Sorry for asking , but which part of Reading exactly were you taking a bus to Abingdon. We live in Sonning area, so there is a river bridge crossing involved. I still remember the horrible floods and route diversions we had last year.

I will be taking my both DSes to Abingdon for a tour next week, so we'll see what they think about it

I lived in Upper Basildon. There were times when the school bus couldn't get through due to bad weather but it wasn't very often. We used to think it was great getting an extra day off, but then my mum was at home so it wasn't a great disruption.

Our bus used to cross over the river at Goring. The river itself never stopped the bus, it was always some problem down the back roads on the other side.

Usually when it snowed, I should add.

A long bus journey loomed large in our minds when DS started in Y7 at Abingdon in September – he has a long trek from the very end of the service in another direction and we were really worried beforehand. The reality is that the kids seem to turn it in to a bit of a party when they can. The last ride home each half term seems to be a chocolate feast. They play games, and some wind the prefects up a bit. The service is shared with SHSK and a couple of other schools so the socializing with girls starts on the buses too. A cheap phone is a help, as if there is nothing going on I get texts as to progress. It all rather turned from a source of worry to an augmentation of the social side. I guess we are lucky as our DS is very energetic and does not get too tired, so you’d need to look out for that with your own boy. There’s a chance at school to get a hot or cold snack (aka Breakfast #2) at morning break so if your DS has had a very early breakfast to make the bus they can get a top up. We have really stopped worrying about it. Our only driving is to/from the bus stop apart from events that fall outside the normal timetable.

I do not know Reading schools but I’ll give Abingdon a huge plug – check out the Other Half list of options – it’s really staggering.

You definitely need mobiles for children if you are using the bus service. In one of mine's first term he was once so tired on a winter evening that he fell asleep and the driver didn't notice he was still on the bus. Fortunately he woke up before they got back to the depot.

On another occasion, there was so much snow one evening the bus couldn't stop at scheduled stops and had to drop off where it safely could--on the side of a dark road. If we hadn't had mobiles I'd still be searching for offspring now.

Also, bear in mind that for some reason some bus routes seem to suffer from better behaviour than others. Ours has always been 'lively'--don't know why, but it's been like this for seven years! Some children love the atmosphere but mine are now in the senior years and find it annoying. They drive themselves in more and more often.

The old head used to sometimes make surprise appearances on the bus. He'd get on at the depot in the morning and sit quietly towards the back of the bus and just observe. I thought this showed great devotion to duty. The current one hasn't done this, as far as I know

Abingdon has done well by our son who went there, but hasn't suited everyone I know. It helps to have a strong passion for something like sport or music or drama and build up friendships round these interests. It took my son a few years to do this but once he found his metier the school was great at supporting him.

Yep - phone vital. I heard one boy got the bus to Reading instead of Bicester. Long angry trip for a parent. The drivers do look out for them, and between them and the prefects the seat belts are checked etc.

Many thanks for your replys. They have been really helpful. I agree, mobiles are crucial. DS1 can't go to school without one, although it is either myself or DH picking him up from RBC. DS1 is going to take 13+ In Feb. And then we'll see how it goes.

I meant 13+ for Ab

I remember the drivers being lovely. I remember being stuck in Abingdon in traffic for an hour once on a roasting hot day. Once past the traffic the driver stopped outside a newsagent and went in and bought everyone an ice lolly. All 50 kids.

Thanks again to everyone who contributed on this topic. My DS1 just passed 13+ and got an offer from Abingdon. So I would need to decide by tomorrow whether to send both DSes to Abingdon or leave them at RBC. Will be doing a lot of thinking tonight and rereading your posts.