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Original poster

How important is being able to walk to school?

38 replies

AnnabellesScarf · 10/08/2016 19:52

Starting to think about applying to secondary schools.

We have 2 good ones that we have a healthy chance of getting into.

One, school A, is a 20 minute walk away.

The other, school B, is in the next town, and would involve a fifteen minute walk to the station, a ten minute train ride and another fifteen minute walk onwards from the station.

I think there might possibly be a school bus as well, I don't know how long that takes or if there would be spaces on it. School is only actually a 20 minute drive away, so perhaps a bus would be quite quick.

Both schools look attractive, and we will go to the open days and look round both.

But we are struggling to decide how much weight to give the fact that a school is walking distance. School B is a lot more shiny and modern and I expect we will all be wowed by the facilities.

Would you pick one school over another purely on distance?

DH went to his nearest school, in walking distance, regrets it and wishes he had gone to a different one a bus ride away.

I had no secondary school in walking distance so had to travel anyway - it didn't particularly bother me (but I disliked that lots of my friends lived far away). On the other hand, one of the reasons we moved here was so that DC could walk to school.

DH thinks we should judge the best school for itself without thinking about location.
I think location is a key factor in deciding which is best.
DS, I suspect, will want to go where most of his friends go, or where has the shiniest facilities (ie, probably school B)

OP posts:
Bobochic · 10/08/2016 21:58

All things being equal it is much nicer to be able to walk to school. But things rarely are equal!

PettsWoodParadise · 10/08/2016 21:57

As long as it is not a nightmare journey, the journey can actually be a positive experience. One where friendships outside of the immediate class and year group are made. It also nurtures independence as they have to learn to compensate for cancellations or delays. I do however appreciate that cost of transport can be a factor for some.

Please also don't judge a school by how shiny it is. Sometimes when you dig deeper into the accounts they pay for shiny by having a higher proportion of NQTs or lots of other reasons. DD will be attending a school that spends a fairly shocking percentage by average guidelines on its teachers. The school isn't a wreck but then it's facilities are also far from shiny.

Hulababy · 10/08/2016 21:55

DD has never been in walking distance of school.

Her primary was about 3.5 miles away. Even if she'd gone to the local school it is just over a mile away and she would have been driven due to me and DH needing to go on to work afterwards.

Her secondary is a similar distance. She could catch the bus and very occasionally does so on her way home. She chooses to grab a lift in with her dad as he drives not far from her school on his way to work - he drops her a few minutes walk away. She usually chooses to work to my school after she finishes to grab a lift home with me.

It hasn't hampered any social/friendship life etc.

AtiaoftheJulii · 10/08/2016 21:53

Two of mine go/went to schools within walking distance for us, although the majority of children at those schools come from further afield, with many doing journeys at least as long as your school B journey.

And then conversely, my other two go/went to school by bus, and at that school the vast majority are within walking distance.

Neither are really a problem Smile If the journey is doable and fits into your day, then just go by which school suits best.

Original poster
AnnabellesScarf · 10/08/2016 21:51

Yes, we will definitely have a good look round both.

Sounds like most of you are with my DH, and think location is not a huge factor, which is interesting.

OP posts:
booellesmum · 10/08/2016 20:18

Look round both and go with the one that suits your child best. We have a great school within 5 minutes walk but my 2 both chose the school 3 train stops away.
They are really happy and it has helped with their independence.
Only downside is the £60 a month I spend on their train passes!

Wigeon · 10/08/2016 20:17

There are no secondary schools within walking distance of where I live, despite being in a town. But there are several either a bus ride away, or a cycle ride. Lots of the schools have dedicated school buses. In your situation I'd find out about the school buses - seems a bit silly to plump for the walking distance school if there are genuine other options where the logistics aren't necessarily that bad.

MadamDeathstare · 10/08/2016 20:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

museumum · 10/08/2016 20:05

It depends what everyone else does. I went to a far away school and had to get the school bus and the journey on public buses was awful. But most other pupils just got an easy public bus.
Cause if this they had lots of after school music and sport but I couldn't really take part. It was quite gutting.

LynetteScavo · 10/08/2016 20:02

I think it depends how much better the other school is.

My DC travel, but I personally think it's worth it. Life would be easier if they wen't to the not nearly so nice school nearby.

AnotherDayInParadiseLost · 10/08/2016 20:01

Walking is obviously a plus point, but you need to choose the right school for your child across all factors.
Draw up plus/minus points for each school if it's close. Easy transport obviously gets a plus but you might find out about school buses when you go to the open day.

TheWindInThePillows · 10/08/2016 19:57

I am not fussed about location, I'd go for best teaching, added value, facilities, just liking the feel of the place. My children travel to secondary though, and longer than 20 min so it doesn't seem a big deal to me.

NapQueen · 10/08/2016 19:55

Secondary school with public transport is totally fine for that age. Everyone round my way bussed to school as the one in walking distance was shite.

These kids are 11-18 a walk/bus or train/wall combo is totally fine.

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