Commuting to Colfes or JAGS

[Wendlty]

We are researching on schools for my DD currently in year5. The 2 schools we have on our list are Colfes and Jags. I am planning to drive for school runs and wondering how is the traffic like and parking availability for both schools?

Questions:
Where are you driving from?
Will you need to leave you car at the school & head off to work or will you be driving on elsewhere/back home?
What about pick up?
Won’t she want to be independent & travel with friends? There’s a big leap in independence from year 5 to year 7. Consider public transport/coaches

We will be coming from Rotherhithe and I will drive back home.
Unfortunately there is no direct public transport routes to both schools, so driving will be the fastest option. Alternative is we relocate.

Check to see if one of the JAGs coaches covers your area.
The foundation schools JAGs Alleyns and Dulwich have a coach service for all 3 schools. Admissions office should let you know if there’s one close to you.

JAGS has a large number of road restrictions as part of the Low Traffic Neighbourhood scheme, and very limited parking - it's a park ten minutes away and walk scenario.
Re traffic, if I'm coming from the direction you would be, with the new restrictions, I'd allow 45 minutes in the car for the last mile.

Senior school pupils mostly bus/coach/train in.

There is a coach service that goes from Surrey Quays to JAGS
dulwichorguk.finalsite.com/foundation-schools-coach-service/regular-routes

Or you could get the London Overground to Peckham Rye & change to the train to North Dulwich.

I know nothing about the parking at Colfes.

But don't even think about driving the JAGS school run

Use the Foundation n coach service or public transport (as your prepared to drive your DD, you could drop/fetch from somewhere with easy links). You'll be looking for the 37 bus route or trains that stop at North Dulwich

For Colfes, getting there by car at morning drop off would be a nightmare ( don’t know what it’s like at the other end of the day). Why not Rotherhithe to New Cross by London Overground , then 11 minutes SE trains NC to Lee ? It’s then about 10 minutes walk to the school, but you probably wouldn’t be able to park much closer. They have school coaches too, but I don’t know whether they cover Rotherhithe/ Surrey Quays

OP that's an unusual combination?

A very selective academic top ten all girls school and a decent coed school which is more of an all rounder. Did you consider St Dunstans/Alleyns if you like coed? And Blackheath High if you like single sex?

As for driving... as everyone has said, think that's a nightmare option. Jags definitely have coaches that go out that way? Google Foundation Coach Service.

The area around Colfes is in the midst of a couple of fairly controversial low traffic neighbourhood areas, exacerbated by being on the border of two boroughs. I would advise against choosing a school you will have to drive your DD to as the LTNs are popping up all over the place and you'll either find yourself eventually unable to drive to the school because the roads have been closed off and you're not a resident, or that you can drive but it takes forever. You mentioned relocation was an option - have you thought about moving very close to one of the state secondaries you like the look of?

We are also considering blackheath high and St Dunstans and I know that driving and parking are not too bad for those schools.

Am I right to think that Colfes, St Dunstans or Blackheath are pretty much of the same standard?
Because DD is so unpredictable in her performance( could overperform as well as underperform), I need to look at all the options for 11+ and we are primarily looking at independent schools in the south east london area.

I would strongly advise you to look at public transport options as more and more areas are implementing LTNs, school streets schemes and dedicating lanes to cycles to deter people from driving. Driving over Blackheath in the mornings is a nightmare, the South Circular is already jammed most mornings and parking is mostly residents only.

Many secondary school students will catch a train and a bus to school so don't discount schools without direct routes from Rotherhithe. Surrey Quays to Blackheath Prep is two buses or your DD could get the overground to Sydenham and walk up to Sydenham High.

It will be an absolute nightmare. Are you planning to drive there and then back home and then repeat?

Look at public transport, and the coaches. Not many want to be transported by their parents after about the first term of y7 anyway. Plus fixtures / ec etc will all just be horrendous.

I would probably 'rank' them Blackheath High, Colfes, St Dunstans, with JAGS coming out above all three?

Thanks everyone. I will consider public transport as well now.
Do secondary schools allow children keep a mobile phone in their school bags?
Just thinking she could potentially ring me when she gets to a stop where I can pick her up more easily.

@Wendlty

Thanks everyone. I will consider public transport as well now. Do secondary schools allow children keep a mobile phone in their school bags? Just thinking she could potentially ring me when she gets to a stop where I can pick her up more easily.

They actively use them in some lessons.