Is 2mile walknto school too far for junior school?

I walked about 2 miles each way for seven years in the 60s. There was no bus to my junior school and I doubt if parents would have justified the fare anyway.

Bearing in mind all the boys wore shorts and the girls wore skirts with socks whatever the weather it seemed to do us no harm.

If it was a wet day we would change into our plimsolls and drape our socks on the radiators to dry.

I hope your son settles well into his new school OP.

@ Natsku. I agree good wet weather gear is the way to go. I would check if the school has somewhere to put the wet outer clothes and boots. In my day at primary school we all had coat hooks and boot baskets in a cloakroom but I dont know if schools have such facilities today. At secondary school they do not seem to, and pupils have to lug wet coat in a carrier bag around with them. I am sure the OP doesn't want to have to take the coat and boots home with her each morning and return with them at the end of the school day. Something worth checking with the school for future reference.

Its certainly preferable to being bullied!

There's only one primary school in my town and its at one end, on a hill, so most of the children have a fair bit of a walk to get there, for many its further than 2 miles but they do it, in miserable weather too. But they dress for the weather so proper waterproofs and wellies on when its raining - would not be so nice if they were wearing school shoes and a showerproof jacket and I imagine they'd get pretty miserable then. So if you can dress properly then don't worry about it but if you can't (because of school uniform rules or whatever) then that's something to consider, though an umbrella will certainly help.

If your son is reluctant to move then the long walk to school will be even more difficult in bad weather. Not so much now that the days are getting ligher for longer but on a wet cold winter morning it won't be fun for either of you. I would leave him where he is for now but keep his name on waiting lists for other closer schools.

Nonsense. If this is true, then your parents were very neglectful and it’s not something you should be proud of

Have you moved him, op? How is it going for him?

I did have a similar dilemma and decided to keep dc at his current school for now but he isn’t actively bullied.

With regards to the DC’s reluctance - I think that’s normal simply because they haven’t experienced the new school yet and have some worries that it might be as bad or worse. It’s hard to choose the unknown but I think it’s worth trying to give him a bully- free environment.
The weather is making it difficult as you don’t want them starting the school day with soaking wet trousers. May be you can afford a taxi for particularly bad mornings?

Good luck.

Electric cargo bike?

When I was in 4th and 5th year of high school, I actually walked just over 2 miles to school quite often - by choice! (because I could leave home later for walking, than catching the school bus, and still not miss the first real class, only registration)

But there's a world of difference between doing it on a nice day, and doing it when there's rain being blown into you almost horizontal, so the trousers you've got to wear all day in class get soaked, or when it's snow, or indeed when it's the the middle of a heatwave.

If it's OK to walk 80% of the time when weather is OK, can you budget for a taxi the remaining 20%?

Have you a plan in the medium-term to get a car? In a few years time, the recent crop of really tiny electric ones only intended for really short distances (such as the Citroen Ami) are presumably going to be on the used market for pennies.

Can you spare the time walking there and back and then there again with bus back? About 3hrs or so just doing the school run every day. .

My primary school was just under 2 miles away when I was little and we walked it there and back every day from the age of 4. We had raincoats, wellies, and waterproof bags.

If you don’t have a car so there is no option of a lift I’d say no. Mainly because if he wanted to move, had friends to walk with etc then 2 miles would be fine if you were walking & chatting on a nice dry day. But when he is already reluctant, realistically for the next 6 months he’s likely to be having to do that walk in the rain, snow, hail, ice etc, it will be awful. Plus he could be walking in the dark over the winter & bad weather- I wouldn’t.

Absolutely the waterproof backpack, that's the one thing to not forget.

Also be aware that other school parents are dick, the number of cars who like to splash kids when it's raining, teach him to walk as far from the road as possible.
What comes into someone's head to splash a child on purpose, when they have their own children in the back is a mystery, but I have seen it so often.

My dd did 1.4 miles each way, it was no problem. Usually she did prefer to scooter.

She now walks 2.5 miles each way to secondary school.

When I was a child no one would bat an eyelid at a walk of this length, it’s absolutely fine and a GOOD thing!

yes, rain coat and wellies!

It's not that long - its' just more time consuming for you because you have to do it 4 times a day, not twice like him

I don't understand why people are so allergic to the idea of walking more than 35seconds to the school gate. Plenty of children walk, it's a life skill.

People are just lazy. I used to jog back - quicker to walk, and that was one of my exercise of the day done. Sometimes I jog there too in the afternoon, walk back with them. Just shower when you are home if you are wet, no waterproof needed for a run.

It's absolutely fine. My twin DC have been doing 1.5 miles to and from school since they started.
We have have an evil hill on the way home, so when the weather gets awful - high winds and/or heavy rain - we absolutely use the (fairly crappy and unreliable) bus service.
I'm sorry to hear your DC has been bullied. Wishing them luck in their new school.

I'd be more concerned that he is reluctant to move than the walk. Surely he needs to want to move.
I was moved at 7 yrs old (due to house move) and it was horrible, everybody already had their friends and i got bullied, however, I moved a 9 Yr old due to bullying and he came out of school chatting and like a different child but he was happy to move🤷‍♀️

I've walked to work (just over 2 miles) in bad weather BUT I have a waterproof backpack, and showers / towels / drying room at work which makes a huge difference!

It’s 40-45 minutes and a brilliant start to the day. Go for it. My 6 year granddaughter lives in a very hilly part of the country with no car, and she doesn’t bat an eyelid at daily hour long walks.

No. My 2yo walks 1.5 miles to nursery and back with no issues. I love the walk and the chats.

It's actually very healthy and gives great time to chat each day. Just leave in good time!