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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Travel from Bristol to Gloucester Grammar Schools

48 replies

sayItAsItIs · 04/03/2019 20:25

Hi All
My DD is starting Denmark Road High School (formerly High School for Girls) in Gloucester. We live in Bristol so we are considering travelling arrangements. Our last resort is to use Bristol Parkway train station, however if we can get enough parents to arrange for a private minibus from Bristol to Gloucester, it'll be ideal. To prevent train delays and etc.
Are any parents here whose kids travel from Bristol to Gloucester grammar? and what is the experience like?
Our DD starts this September. Any thoughts will help. cheers

OP posts:
Hollowvictory · 04/03/2019 21:27

I know girls who have gone to that school but not from as far away as Bristol, that's a real journey for an 11 year old. How will she get to the school from the station at the other end? What's the total journey time? Could you move nearer?
The school may be able to put you in touch with anyone else based in Bristol who is starting or already at the school. Good luck!

Schmoozer · 04/03/2019 21:30

Good grief that is a long journey !!
Glos train station about 30 min walk to Denmark Road too

EvilTwins · 04/03/2019 22:31

My DTDs are at Denmark Road. They have a couple of friends who get the train in from Bristol. They’re always aghast at the time these friends leave home in the morning and get home at night. The friends also miss out on all the social stuff. Probably not what you want to hear OP but why on earth would you want that for your DD? Denmark Road is a good school, yes, but not worth that amount of hassle for a child.

SnowyAlpsandPeaks · 04/03/2019 22:35

Wow that’s a long journey! Especially for an 11 year old.

JaneEyre07 · 04/03/2019 22:40

There is no way on earth I'd let my 11 year old walk from Gloucester train station all the way to Denmark Road on her own. My DD had work experience in Heathville Road when she was 17 and I used to drive and get her from 8 miles away rather than her walk to the bus station from here.

That's directly past some of the worst parts of the city, honestly. It's a great school in a not great area...........

RedCamel · 04/03/2019 23:14

OP there is a bus that goes to Sir Thomas Rich, don’t know how close it goes to Denmark Road. A neighbour uses it. It starts at Clifton rugby club and picks up in Bradley Stoke too. Denwells run it.

heartshapedknob · 05/03/2019 06:38

Someone on the elevenplus.co.uk forum was asking similar, it’s worth looking there if you haven’t already.

Definitely worth checking the Denwell service as STRS isn’t far away and my son’s bus will drop near both.

If she does have to get from the station to Denmark Road, there is the 94 public bus (she’d have to cross from the train station to bus stop.)

Exexexcel · 05/03/2019 06:54

When you applied, how were you planning on managing the travel? We have turned down the Gloucester grammars due to distance/travel time and we're in Cheltenham! Too long a day for kids. After school sports become impossible and that side of things is important to us.

I would second asking the school though, could they see if all Bristol parents are happy to share details?

MsTSwift · 05/03/2019 07:01

Poor kid. Dh had long journey to secondary every day it was truly shit. Why are they going to a school so far away? Mini bus would be hard as they will likely have different after school activities

heartshapedknob · 05/03/2019 07:06

Also, just to put another post into perspective: we live in Gloucester and my son’s bus stops near us at 0725 despite living only two miles away, and personally I’d want her to get the bus from train station to school (it stops on London Road) for the first term whilst it’s unfamiliar and the evenings are darker but after that walking would be fine. Whenever I drive past there on the way to a meeting after school finishes there are masses of girls walking to the station, and if she can navigate Parkway station she is obviously sensible. My own son gets the bus from home to town once a week and walks from the bus station to his music lesson and we’ve had no issues with that since October - Gloucester is certainly no worse than any other town in the area, it is just seen as such by some.

catndogslife · 05/03/2019 17:08

Perhaps the OP didn't expect to be offered a place from so far away.
I would have a trial go at the journey beforehand.
I wouldn't expect a minibus to be any quicker than a train - a risk of delays on the M5 as well.
Does it have to be your dd doing all the travel? If a grammar school means so much to you could you perhaps rent out your Bristol house, rent one in Gloucester instead and then the adults can do the commuting. It's often possible for adults to work from home a day or two a week, but wouldn't be possible for a school child.
Could you do a mixture rent a 2 bed flat near the school and stay over Monday to Thursday?
What about attending parents evenings, if your dd became unwell during the school day who would collect her from school?

EvilTwins · 05/03/2019 19:42

catndog it's not the kind of school you get offered a place unexpectedly.

Whether or not the OP should be allowed to apply in the first place is a whole other thread. It's tough enough for those of us who live in the county to get places at these schools for our DC - even more so when people apply from miles away

Hollowvictory · 05/03/2019 19:45

You need to take the 11+ for the school so you can't be unexpectedly given a place there, you apply and do the exam. But as there are no state grammars in Bristol some people do that although usually relocate.

PutYourBackIntoit · 05/03/2019 19:51

There are so many good comps in-between Bristol and Gloucester. The system is so broken that you feel the need to apply to a grammar school so far away.

NerrSnerr · 05/03/2019 19:58

I'm not sure I'd be happy for my 11 year old daughter to be waiting at Gloucester Station or walking up to it as it's getting dark if she's doing any after school clubs (even if there's a mini bus I assume she'll be getting the train if staying late?)

I live locally and think it's too far. Will she have time to do activities, see friends or relax in the evening after school? What time would she have to leave home?

ourkidmolly · 05/03/2019 20:01

Seriously? Putting that commute onto an eleven year old for another 7 years? Christ what a shit childhood.

MsTSwift · 05/03/2019 21:18

How will it work with sports hobbies and friends?

fearfullotsofthetime · 05/03/2019 21:26

I think it’s really unfair for you to expect your child to travel that far on a daily basis. What kind of social life will she have with that amount of travel, homework etc.

And I say that as an adult who drives this journey each day. It is horrific.

missyB1 · 05/03/2019 21:41

It doesn’t sit right with me that children outside of the county get places at Gloucestershire grammar schools.

But that apart the journey is ridiculous and not worth it.

MsTSwift · 05/03/2019 21:48

However “good” the school is it’s not worth this. Feel sorry for these kids

Schmoozer · 05/03/2019 21:59

I lived in Gloucester and worked in Bristol (Gloucester side) it was horrendous!!!!! It was exhausting

RedCamel · 05/03/2019 22:13

This is also my commute and it takes me around 40 minutes, really not lots in the general scheme of things.

Original poster
sayItAsItIs · 05/03/2019 22:21

Thanks for the positive responses, I've contacted Denwell and they're yet to get back to me.

Now to the perfect mumsnetters here, the question was not about whether the journey would be tiring for an 11 year old or not... or whether I'm soliciting your views on how perfect your household is... that's for another thread and discussions so save me the holier than thou thoughts. Keyboard warriors these days have absolutely nothing to do than pour their frustrations online.
Sorry but I overlooked your views. Only interested in positive responses.
SayItAsItIs

OP posts:
Original poster
sayItAsItIs · 05/03/2019 22:23

Thank You, much appreciated

OP posts:
ChicCroissant · 05/03/2019 22:24

OP, did you think that rather rude response would help matters?