How to get to Queen Ethelburga's

[Ladymom]

Hi, We visited and just want to share our experience to save the 'pain' for future parents.
Because Queen Ethelburga's is really remote! A long drive 50 pounds! from Leeds airport!
We took the train from Paddington thinking the train link would bring us to near the school. But even the nearest train station (as advised by the school) is not near the school.
Best book a taxi in advance before arrival. Do not expect taxi queues like in Asia, there was no taxi in sight!
And for return, the school will book a taxi for you but at a premium price. There's this taxi company that serves this 'premium' school and therefore pay premium price.
Impression of school, staff are snooty - we entered the office and the staff chatting did not bother to ask what we there for. So we sniffed around and asked before we were asked to wait.
To us, it is a business as some said.

Google them, Katie. Interesting article in the Yorkshire Post on 18/11/15.

I used to wish I would get to go to this school when I was about 12 because of the horses. Thought it looked amazing.

Why did you get a train from Paddington? A glance at a map would have shown you York was closer. QE really does attract odd people.

My sister wanted to go to QE’s (we got a glossy brochure through our door when she was an impressionable tweenager). My mum told her it was for the “thick rich”

London to York trains leave from Kings Cross.

Something tells me this thread isn't genuine, and I have taken the bait!

We got an unsolicited brochure through the post when DD was in year 11, and I don't know why.

A train from Paddington to where? Trains from London to both Leeds and York leave from Kings Cross. And how did you end up at Leeds Bradford airport? And how did you not know where it was before you went? And why did you rock up to a very small rural train station in Yorkshire and expect there to be a taxi queue ‘like in Asia’?

OP are you feeling ok?

I don't think it's been started by a troll, just someone with a poor grasp of UK geography. The OP has a thread about St Mary's, Calne, too.

On the other hand, Darcey raises some excellent points

I have a friend from London who thinks York is near Scotland (everything is relative I suppose) and that Durham is actually in Scotland.

Don't these people look at google map?

Possibly the op got Paddington and kings cross confused. The prospect of venturing north can have that effect on people.

Normal google and also «google news» - rather that maps - would in my opinion be helpful for parental due diligence / to understand more of the backstory. Ditto «advanced search» on MN (which for me only is an option on my laptop, not on my mobile) to find the (surviving) old threads.

Use these tools if you want to see several old allegations, which hopefully have now been comprehensively addressed, as also indicated by ISI.

There have also been governance and ownership changes in recent years.

Cab fares and attitudes of receptionists pale - in my humble, personal opinion, without any direct personal experience myself - relative to past issues/allegations.

I didn't realise the QE threads were so controversial.

Running joke in our region is that it gets 'exceptional' results and places high in the league tables because it divides KS4and5 into 2 separate schools.
One Queen Ethelburgas college takes all the academic children
The other QE faculty takes all the average and lower children.

Unsurprisingly local schools think this is hilarious. All our schools would be awesome if we could only attach our name to our top set students

Should add before the legal team turn up, this is all about the best fit for the students obviously

www.qe.org/college/the-college-or-faculty/

Was getting bored of Sunday evening tv and then a QE thread pops up...cushions plumped, holding breath...better than a soap opera!! Next episode please!!

I genuinely can't believe they've dehorsed. That was pretty much their only USP! I went there for a couple of years in the late 90's and it was all we did. I bloody loved it, didn't learn a thing and had the time of my life. I was just let loose with a bunch of other clueless teenage girls and some very wild horses that we had no idea what to do with.

We were learning about the Tudors at one point and we all used to pretend to be Ann Boleyn and try and ride side saddle bare back. That was considered homework.

😂 Fantastic!

Are you seriously saying that you left London with no clear idea of where you were going or how to get there?!

Suppose you have not lived in Asia where convenience is the key. Visited other schools and they were easily located.
Also, writing from us, here, visiting from Asia so naturally we stay in hotels in London and travel to wherever.
Anyway, my thread is meant for Asians travelling all the way to UK to visit schools. They could be in York, Brighton etc
Pardon us for not being familiar with the rails. QE website is not of much help, neither the school which says the nearest station is Cattal (no mention that it's a really local, quiet station).
Also pardon us who don't drive so the only way is through trains and taxis.
And to 'cake' - If you include the airticket to London-Leeds and train tickets, yes, I'm not ashamed to say the 50 pounds all adds up.
B.t.w. my post is not aimed at you gals. Cheers

Umm - I hate to say it, but you do sound a bit "rude". Which is something hopefully your DC will learn about if they are educated in the UK. Being polite to people is a great way to get help in the UK.
Anyway if you've decided not to go for Queen Ethelburga's based on your trip - then that is probably a good thing. Although a bit more of Goggle searching on schools might help in future.
Schools in the UK are not located just on "ease of access" in fact some parents prefer schools which are "harder to get to" as students are less likely to abscond to the bright lights.
The UK is not like big city Asia. Actually saying that "in Asia..." seems dreadfully rude and prejudiced to me. I presume you actually mean China or South East Asia, and big cities, not India or Mongolia or rural Vietnam.

spot"
Funnily enough when we used to go (family child there who I used to " rescue" some weekend) we all commented it was a case of
Sorry your parents ditched you but look - a walled garden and a life sized statue of a horse!! Because children far from home need statues more than anything

God help you if you want to visit Ampleforth, Ladymom. Or Gordonstoun

Think I might be with you now - did you get a train to Heathrow and then fly to Leeds, and then get a taxi to the school?

Yes, agreed - rural yorkshire is going to be a bit of a pain to get to for someone who has travelled internationally and is having to use public transport to get there.

Look on the bright side though - at least your DCs can’t easily escape!

Was it your first time visiting the UK OP? I wonder if that has made the difference, hence your surprise at rural locations.