Primary school commute

[Felter]

Hello mums! We are deciding between two schools for our daughter who will be just 4 next September: a local state school with a good reputation (offer dependant) and a private school (our preferred choice as we feel it would suit our daughter better). The private school is a 30min rush hour commute away (by bus). My concern is that it might be a bit much at such a young age. Is anyone else commuting, how far, and how does it affect your child / family life?

[PythagorousPlannedIt]

I think most people would want to minimize the commute; you have not said how far away the local state school is.

[morethanpotatoprints]

When they are little they seem to pick up lots of germs they haven't been in contact with before.
You will need to be close so that you can collect when your dd is ill.
Also, the times when parents are invited in to see concerts, sports day, parents meetings etc, are better managed if you are close to school.

They get tired as well during the first year and if they have a long commute will miss out on down time too.
3o mins could be playing with friends or when older completing homework.
Also, commute very tying for you as well, your day would be mostly gone by doing the school run.

[Felter]

It's really near, less than 5 min walk!

[noramum]

We commuted daily for 1/2 hour to DD's nursery as we moved house but didn't move her. It was for 1 year and after that I was glad I could walk to school.

It is the weather, traffic jams and road work. Busses are easily overcrowded in rush hour, you need to test it on a normal work/school day. My old bus was full of secondary school children as the feeder school is at the other end of town, a nightmare with a small child.

It also means for you 2 hours per day in the bus as you need to go back and forth. Can you afford the fare for 5 days a week for 7 years to come? Also all kind of events are quite often in the middle of the day. Or you have after school events like parent evening and discos and and and.

What happens with playdates? How is the intake of the school? If you have to go back and forth on a weekend as well to bring your child to a 2 hour playdate you are fed up quite fast. Birthday parties?

[CharlesRyder]

If 30mins is the outside time I wouldn't worry about it. If it's sometimes going to be an hour when the traffic is bad I would be more wary.

I did a 'should have been 35min but was often 45+' pre-school run with DS for a year and it was wearing.

A school you love and that suits your DC really well is worth it's weight in gold though so I wouldn't rule it out.

[Felter]

Thank you all so much who have commented so far, it's really valuable to us hearing first hand experiences. Friends not being local is something we also consider, although I think we could make friends locally outside school as well. I think 30 - 35 minutes is realistic...

[morethanpotatoprints]

I think it just makes life easier if you live close to the school, you may not have to leave as early, friendship groups are closer to home for after school play. You can always stay and join in any activities rather than watching the clock for buses.
I would do local anyday, but it depends on what you like the best.
check out after school activities and although it may be difficult look at what your dc may want to do after school.

[Kerberos]

Personally I'd go with local school. Being able to walk to school is lovely. I think a 30 min commute would start to be wearing after a while.

Alternatively any chance you could move closer to the school? Or drive it?

[summerlovingliz]

I too would go for the local school.. She will be exhausted as it is and to add 35mins travelling at the end of each day if you don't need to.. I'm sure she would flourish wherever she goes and think of the money saved. What sort of reputation has the local school got?

[imtheonlyone]

I do a 20/25 min commute daily to my kids' school. 6 and 9. I personally wouldn't change it for the world because I think the commute is worth it for the school they go to

That said, it is a pain when:
A) there are after school activities for one child and not the other
B) school discos
C) they are miles from their school friends and after school play dates with friends are difficult
D) when you forget something that they were supposed to take in (which I often do!)

I think you have to weigh up the pros and cons - it doesn't bother me that much but there are times when I wish I loved a lot closer to the school!

[QuillPen]

How about tying out the journey ( at the school run time of day) on a few days and see what it's like to give yourself an idea?

[hiccupgirl]

Before my DS started school this September I have to admit I hadn't really thought about the impact of the journey but it makes a huge difference. His school takes 6-7 mins to walk to most of which is on a well used footpath so he can scoot off safely. Lots of children in his class walk this way too which is lovely.

If the local school is good and you like it I would go for it over a 30 min bus journey.