Exeter to Churston

[ShazRB]

Hello there 👋

As it’s allocation day my stress of my baby boy going to high school just got worst!!

He got into Churston!! Which is fabulous and I’m super proud of him, but we live in Exeter and from reading on the website they do not accommodate bus travel from Exeter, like Torquay Grammar school do.

My questions are has anyone else got kids coming from Exeter? How to they get them there?
It’s and 55 minute drive from my house, but I have 2 other kids, 1 I need to get to school in the village over, she will be starting reception in September. The other one is at the local secondary school.

Have we just created a rod for our backs?

Poor kid.
Honestly are they truly academic otherwise that is a horrible commute to be in the bottom third of the school for their teen years.

Was there previously a school bus route in place, which has been withdrawn in between October 31st and now? If not, how were you intending your DS to travel to and from school? It does seem slightly odd that you would apply to a school so far away, unless you already had a plan or were intending to move to somewhere which gave your DS a shorter commute.

However, Google suggests train to Paignton, short bus journey and a very short walk, taking about 1hr 20min from Exeter St Davids, which is the kind of journey that a lot of the further-OOC pupils at our local grammar schools (the other side of the country from Devon) seem to manage with very well.

Is your DS on the waiting list for the Torquay grammar school?

Firstly congratulations I know it's a tough one to get a place at your child must be very bright and hard working.

Secondly I'm not entirely familiar with the school's location but I'm wondering if it's possible by train but way it would still be a lot of travelling. I seem to remember my DB telling me it's a train to Paignton and then about half an hour walk - it would mean about 3 hours travelling a day for your son though which is a lot. The bus would be about 3 hours each way so a non starter.

This is why my DB decided against my incredibly bright nephew trying for Churston from Exeter and sent him to a local comp instead. He almost certainly would have got in but he had no idea how they'd manage to get him there

@MarchingFrogs Sorry I dont know how I missed your reply and duplicated nearly everything you said

Ah, I edited a clumsy typo, so presumably the post disappeared for the 20 seconds it took to sort that out

I'm guessing not offered Torquay grammar or colyton? Can you get on the wait list for either of those as that's an easier commute compared to Churston

really difficult.

you can't walk from the train station to churston. it would definitely involve a bus. it would take a long time travel each way. i personally wouldn't put my child through it. i looked at Exeter schools but planned to drive my child (im Torbay based).

the boys school is a lot easier, bus travel arranged or train then short walk to the school.

why dont you try a practice run of train then bus at the weekend? how bad are the Exeter options?

Looks like lots of driving or a rethink. Move house? I see kids on my commuter train travelling to and from the city grammars near me and I feel sorry for most of them. They look knackered most of the time and anxious if trains are delayed. I would never put a child of mine through it.

I went to Churston, I think you will struggle. He will have to take the train from Exeter to Paignton, the bus station is right next to the train station and then take a bus to Churston (it was the number 12 bus in my day). The bus stops right by the school.
It was a wonderful school but I struggled with living in Brixham and having most of my friends come from Paignton. It meant having to get the bus all the time to see them so I don't know how he will manage friendship wise.