Machester High School/ Withington Girls - do your DDs use the bus transport service?

[Sunnys75]

DD will be starting Manchester High in September, I know they operate a joint private bus service with Withington and MGS. I just wanted to see if any of your DDs (and DSs) use their services and from where?

Also curious about those who use the public buses and how they find it?

Any tips would be hugely appreciated as although DD has used buses before, she's not done so on her own and I'm feeling a bit anxious/ neurotic? We're in Sale at the moment, but looking to move to the Heatons/ Bramhall later in the year.

Bump......anyone?

Blimey, I went to WGS in the last millennium and just used the normal bus from Sale (41 in those days). There was meant to be a designated one outside school in the afternoons, but often the 41 never turned up. We either got the 40 to Sale Moor and walked up Northenden Road or got the one to Stretford and caught something that went along the A56 as the normal buses along Wilmslow Road were always full. All in the days before mobile phones (yes, I'm that old) so could not contact home to let them know we were late.

I know it's hard as a parent, but there will be lots of school kids on the bus. Over May half-term or in the summer holiday, do a dummy run on the actual bus she'll use. In 1979, it was the 8:02 from Woodheys! Show her where to get on, point out landmarks, then where to get off.

When you do the school visit, ask if there are any 6th formers who live locally who could keep an eye on your DD for the first week or so. After that, she'll be absolutely fine.

If it helps, I know exactly how you feel. It is daunting. My own DD had to get the school bus every day at just 11, even though I worked in the same school because I had to take her younger sister to primary school and she would not be in on time if she came with me. She made some of her best friends on the bus journey and there was great integration between the different year groups. When younger sister joined the school, they only got the bus on my days off, and sometimes felt a bit left-out that it wasn't every day. A friend's daughter was in year 12 when DD1 started year 7 and made sure she knew where to go at the end of the day for the first 3 days. After that, DD was too busy with her mates. Now she's at uni and DD2 only has 4 terms left... Good luck to you & your DD

Not going to say which one as it will be outing, but my sister and I attended one of these schools and it made me smile seeing it appear on Active threads. So many happy memories and honestly set me up for life. I went to boarding school afterwards, which I also loved, but this school was the making of me. Hope your daughter will be very happy there!

(We walked as we lived near the university so no help there, sorry).

@thesaurausgirl I hated it! Bullying was rife then and I vowed I would never send my own kids to a single-sex school. Around 8 years after I left, I encountered one teacher who had made my life a misery. She came up to me and tried to apologise. I told her she was a disgrace to the profession and that as a teacher myself, I made sure I never treated any youngster in my care as badly as she behaved towards me. Not nice but deeply satisfying! I now live in a completely different part of the country, so no danger of my kids going there.

Really sorry to hear that Malbec. I did get lucky growing up in my sister's shadow as she was a very popular pupil with both teachers and girls and looked after me.

I often come across women who attended these schools (I'm in recruitment) and they all seem to have very positive memories, but they're definitely schools geared towards a particular personality type and have heard pastoral care is still hit and miss.

I've just realised I did out myself after all in the post, duh.

Gosh Malbec your post took me right back to my first week at MHSG nearly 40 years ago when I spent two hours at the bus stop on Wilmslow Road after school before a 41/44 with space stopped!

Later I moved to Wilmslow and there was a new bus shared between WGS and MHSG nicknamed "The Nun's Bus" - ancient double decker. Oh how I wished I was on the "cool" 709 with the MGS boys.

None of this reminiscing is helping OP though. Hope someone with more recent experience comes along!

Thanks all, good to hear your past and amusing experiences, and thanks for the suggestions! I’m sorry Malbec that your experiences were bad. I’m so hoping the single sex experience will be positive for DD.

If anyone has recent feedback from their DDs I’d love to know, do both schools have a lot of girls coming on buses from those areas or have the Trafford system taken them?

My son started at the MGS last September. He takes school bus from Piccadilly station every morning. There are whole bunch kids getting school buses at the station in the morning including girls from Man High. If you live in Sale the moment, your dd could takes tram to Piccadilly in the morning and then school bus from there. I found this route is much less complicated than taking buses (public) alone.

Thanks pinkroseapp, I thought about that but DH said it might be more complicated and tiring for her(goodness that sounds so precious), how has your DS found it? I wonder if that is due to parents working in the City Centre?

Should I rule out public transport at either location? It’s great there are older pupils that can look out for them, but ideally I’d prefer it if she’s with her peers who have just started too. I’m feeling a bit more confused at to what to do

I took the first week of September off work and went along with him for a week and then he was on his own (I am not working in the city centre). I was worried and anxious for about another week and that’s it. I guess sometimes you just have to let your children to try out and getting on things by themselves. By the way, we live in Stretford.

Thank you for the reassurance and practice route tips pinkroseapp, I’m definitely considering, just need to convince DH. So to clarify, does your son find he’s with lots of school kids going to those schools on the tram as well the City Centre bus?

I wanted to move to the Heatons to be nearer but perhaps we should stay in Sale (we’re renting having moved back up here). Although she’s going to an independent school, it would be perfect for her to have pupils coming from her local area too as she’s felt a bit lonely since we moved up. Can’t say too much about our circumstances and the move in case I out myself any more.

Unfortunately not many kids takes tram to town in the morning for schools from this end, although a lot of them use the tram going into Sale and Altrincham. Check the school bus routes, does it not run the service via Sale?

Thank for the insights pinkroseapp. There’s public buses, 42/41 but I’m finding it all confusing hence wanting to hear any MNers experiences, I am welcoming all ideas past and present still!

My daughter gets a public bus from Stretford to one of these schools. Loads of girls get the school buses. Speak to the school, they will advise on routes and how they can help new girls. They may know of others coming from Sale and be able to buddy her up initially. Some buses have staff on as juniors also get the school buses.

I got the public bus with my daughter on a practice run, then did a journey alone whilst I followed in car, then she just went it alone. All the while keeping in touch by text.

Thanks zoomie, I’m going to start practice runs over the holidays