TRAVEL TO SCHOOL
Our pupils travel from across London and we recognise that easy transportation will be an important factor in your choice of school and your daughter’s enjoyment of her day. We run several minibus routes to make it even easier for girls to reach us and to offer flexibility for parents.
We are a buzzy London school perfectly situated on the cusp of Dulwich and Crystal Palace and well-connected across south London.
For many parents, the school’s private minibus service is the gold standard of connectivity. Sydenham High operates a sophisticated fleet designed to cover areas that might be less direct via public transport.
Our minibus service is incredibly popular and has grown year-on-year. Currently, pupils are able to use the minibus service from Year 3 upwards. A chaperoned bus for Reception pupils is starting in 2026.
Transport arrives at school by 8.25am and departs between 3.45 and 4pm Monday to Friday within term time, with a late bus option available at 5pm.
The minibus service currently serves a wide radius across South London, including:
- South West: Balham, Clapham, Streatham, and Herne Hill.
- Central South: Camberwell, Dulwich, and Forest Hill.
- South East: Bromley, Beckenham, West Wickham, and Norwood.
All queries should be addressed to transport@syd.gdst.net.
Sustainability is a key theme for us and as part of the TfL “Travel for Life” (formerly STARS) accreditation scheme we encourage pupils to walk, cycle, use public transport, car pool or use the school’s minibus fleet to reduce the number of private cars on Westwood Hill, contributing to cleaner air and safer roads for the local community.
Joining a minibus
The routes are reviewed on an annual basis, according to the locations of our pupils. Parents are asked to confirm their commitment in the Summer Term. We operate on a first come, first served basis and current users of the service will be contacted by the Transport Team to renew their child’s seat. If you would like to apply for a new seat on one of the minibus routes please email transport@syd.gdst.net.
Our drivers
We run several minibuses allowing us to take up to 16 students per bus.
All our minibuses have regular safety checks and our drivers are DBS checked and registered on the Minibus Driver Awareness scheme (MiDAS).
A sample of our routes are below.
Public Transport
Sydenham High is notably well-integrated into the Transport for London (TfL) network, sitting at a junction of several major transport corridors.
Our school is a 10-minute walk from Sydenham station, which acts as a major South London hub.
- Southern Railway: Provides direct, high-frequency services to London Bridge, Victoria, East Croydon, and Norwood Junction.
- London Overground: Connects the school to the Docklands (Canada Water), Shoreditch, and North London (Highbury & Islington), making it accessible for families living along the “East London Line” corridor.
- Crystal Palace Station: Accessible via a short walk through Crystal Palace Park (exit the park via Fisherman’s Gate), offering further links to Beckenham and Clapham Junction.
- Sydenham Hill Station: in south Dulwich and a short walk away, directly connecting school to Victoria and Bromley South and all stations in between!
Multiple bus stops are located directly outside the school gates on Westwood Hill or within a few minutes’ walk:
- Routes 122 & 450: Stop right outside, connecting to Crystal Palace, Lewisham, and Lower Sydenham.
- Routes 176, 197, 202, 227 & 410: Provide links to Dulwich, Penge, Bromley, Blackheath, Elephant & Castle and Croydon.
