Travelling to School
- The school promotes and encourages students, staff, parents and visitors to choose a healthy mode of transport to and from school.
- We suggest that walking, cycling or the use of public transport are the best options to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Woolwich Polytechnic School for Girls benefits from excellent public transport links, making them easily accessible for students across South East London.
Bus Routes
Students can travel conveniently using several Transport for London (TfL) bus routes:
- 244 – Connects Thamesmead with Woolwich and Abbey Wood
- 301 – Runs between Bexleyheath and Woolwich via Abbey Wood
- SL11 – The new Superloop service replacing route 472, running between North Greenwich and Abbey Wood via Charlton and Woolwich
- 229 – Runs between Thamesmead and Sidcup via Bexleyheath
- B11 – Runs between Thamesmead and Bexleyheath via Abbey Wood
- 401 – Runs between Thamesmead and Bexleyheath via Belvedere
- 177 – Connects South East London to Thamesmead via Greenwich and Woolwich
- SL3 – Offers fast connections between Thamesmead, Abbey Wood, Bexleyheath, Sidcup, Chislehurst, and Bromley North
- 672 – A dedicated school service operating during peak times
Estimated Bus Travel Times
Whether attending Woolwich Polytechnic School for Boys or Girls, students benefit from quick and reliable travel options from nearby areas:
- Thamesmead: approx. 5–10 minutes (walk or short bus ride)
- Abbey Wood: direct via 301, 244, or SL3 – approx. 10–15 minutes
- Woolwich: direct via 244 or SL11 – approx. 15–20 minutes
- Plumstead: via Woolwich, then 244 or SL11 – approx. 20–25 minutes
- Charlton: direct via SL11 – approx. 25–30 minutes
- Bexley: via 301, 229, or SL3 – approx. 30–35 minutes
Rail & Elizabeth Line Access
Nearby Woolwich and Abbey Wood stations offer Elizabeth Line and Southeastern rail services. From these stations, students can take a short bus ride to either school using the 244, 301, 229, or SL3.
The Elizabeth Line provides fast journey times from Abbey Wood, including:
- 11 minutes to Canary Wharf
- 25 minutes to Tottenham Court Road
- 29 minutes to Paddington
The line offers access to 40 further London destinations, as well as Heathrow Airport and Reading.
From Abbey Wood Station, buses 244, 301, 229, SL11, and SL3 will take students directly to Thamesmead Town Centre or the school area in a few minutes.
The Superloop SL3 runs every 12 minutes during the day (Mon–Sat), every 15 minutes in the evenings and on Sundays, with first buses departing Thamesmead Town Centre at 5am daily.
Your daughter will require a child Oyster/ZIP card (via TfL) which you will need to apply and pay for before term starts. We do ask that you practice the route going to and from school with your daughter before she starts school as travelling a new route alone can be a daunting experience. Please also speak to your daughter about crossing the road safely and using pedestrian crossings, as you know we are located on a busy dual carriage way.
If parents/carers are dropping their daughters to school, we ask you to be mindful that there is no parking onsite for parents/carers and to be considerate of our neighbours in Birchdene Drive and surrounding roads. Please do not park on the school markings. This is to keep all students, parents, and staff safe.
To make the end of the day safer and easier to manage, all students will exit via the back gate, on to the canal path and be directed around it towards Thamesmead town centre. This will be staffed to direct the students away from the boys’ school. If you wish to pick your daughter up, we would ask that you do so in Thamesmead by the shops.