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Original poster

Secondary school commute time

36 replies

malmontar · 12/09/2018 07:05

Just wanted to start this to get an idea of commute times kids have. We have two options for DD either a outstanding state school that’s 2 local buses that she’s very familiar with and 40mins max. Or an amazing private school that she loves that’s 58mins door to door and is: bus, tube, tube, walk 6mins.
Obv to imagine her on the tube now is difficult but she’ll be 12/13 so quickly I don’t want to dismiss the option. Anyone with a similar commute?

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Original poster
malmontar · 25/04/2019 22:42

Just thought I’d let you all know we ended up going for a state school one bus journey (10mins) plus 5min walk each way. It was actually the only school we hadn’t gone to the open evening to and only went to see it once we were offered it. I put it as number 2 at the last minute after speaking to their senco. It has amazing pastoral and SEN support- 7 taster days for SEN kids! We would never have got in if not for the EHCP as she will be passing 3 schools on the way to this one but we’re super happy and grateful. DD is also really excited. Thank you for all your help and experiences.

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Original poster
malmontar · 13/09/2018 11:40

@alphajuliet123 my dream set up, honestly if she didn't have additional needs she'd be going to school 10mins walk away.

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alphajuliet123 · 13/09/2018 11:36

Wow, 2 hours round trip, making me feel silly for worrying about my kids 5-10 minute walk! They will leave home at 8:15 and be back by 3.

crazycrofter · 13/09/2018 11:33

Sounds like the independent option would be best all round then! The school bus was a bit of an ordeal for ds, looking back. I thought he’d enjoy it as my daughter loves travelling in a huge crowd. He’s very different though and I think he’d rather be independent and have some peace.

He’s had companions on the tram back some days but he’s not too bothered and I don’t think he’d change his plans to incorporate others!! It’s strange to me as dd is completely the opposite. She refuses to walk anywhere without a friend or two! It’s actually a bit of a pain and I don’t think she’s that independent in reality.

All the best with your decision making!

Original poster
malmontar · 13/09/2018 11:20

@Crazycrofters you have no idea how much you've helped me! DD is very similar, they thought she may have ASD but in the end went with developmental lang disorder. The thought of her going all by herself scares me but shes constantly asking to go places on her own so i know she can do it.
It makes me a little bit less anxious that other sensitive kids can do it. She absolutely hates places with people shouting (school bus) so I know for her it wont be a great way to travel.
I think uniform is much easier in a lot of ways- except for kids with sensory issues. She hates uniform.
Thats a very good idea about the bag on the lap, I think in the beginning she wouldnt lose anything- im more worried when she gets relaxed and forgets.

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Crazycrofters · 13/09/2018 11:12

With all the changing, there is of course the possibility of things getting left on the tube or bus! You'd have to make sure she has a good system in place. Ds used to put his bag in the luggage hold on the school bus and left it behind once (and also left his phone once) - as it was a school bus we got them back. But on the train/tram, I've told him to keep his bag on his knee.

I really like the sound of no uniform! Ds has some autistic traits and absolutely hates uniform - the stiffness of the shirts and shoes, how it feels with his shirt tucked in etc. He had a bit of a meltdown about it the other day actually! Unfortunately I don't know of any non-uniform schools in our area!

Original poster
malmontar · 13/09/2018 11:04

@crazycrofters thank you so much for your input, this is exactly what I was looking for. I agree that buses are nasty and i would much prefer for her to not have to use one. Especially during school rush hour in London.
I think the first term will be the toughest when its cold and dark. Well done to him- it sounds like hes got a proper little route going.
I thought this about the comp too- the buses go past about 3 secondary schools so they will be really loud in the mornings and at home time.
Because this school starts later they also finish at 4pm so she wont be home till 5pm on the best of days. They dont have lessons on friday after lunch- just clubs so im hoping this will mean she wont do any after school clubs and will go straight home in the first years anyway.

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Crazycrofters · 13/09/2018 10:40

PS overall, it takes him around an hour to get home.

Crazycrofters · 13/09/2018 10:38

malmontar, my son has a fairly long journey to grammar school (but not in London). Last year (year 7) we went for the one bus option, thinking that it would be safer and easier for him - it was a school bus to another school, so he had a 10 minute walk at the end. He left the house at 7 and arrived back home at 5, so it was a very long day.

He managed ok overall. He did get tired, getting out in the morning over those snowy months was a struggle, but you'll be fine with the later start! The school bus was very noisy and overwhelming for him though, not particularly comfortable and being a bus in city traffic it was sometimes very late - I remember one snowy day when it took him about 2.5 hours to get back!

This year, he's doing public transport - lift to train station (5 mins), train, then tram, then 10 minute walk. He's loving it! He loves that there's lots of options should he miss the first train/tram (he often nearly missed the school bus!) and he feels grown up and independent navigating the links. He's also popped into the city centre for Krispy Kreme donuts in between his connections on the way home! In hindsight, I wish we'd switched to public transport halfway through year 7.

My general point though is that trains and trams are much more pleasant than buses and they don't get stuck in traffic so it's much less frustrating. I'd choose a train/tram journey over bus any day, so I think your comprehensive journey could actually be more tiring and frustrating.

I also have a daughter at an independent school and understand your worries about that! No school is perfect though, so you have to go with best fit.

Original poster
malmontar · 12/09/2018 22:33

@astronotus thank you so much. You’ve been really helpful. I think we will do a couple of practise runs at that time and see if she feels she can manage it. I think it would be perfect for her aside from the commute and I’m hoping that they’ll be other kids on her tube line that she could join over time.
If she feel she can handle it I think we will try private and than move to the state if it’s not working. She has an ehcp so getting back into state is slightly less stressful.

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Astronotus · 12/09/2018 09:32

Malmontar. Got to rush out now so signing off. But just got to say, don't be worried about snobbery at indie schools. I have had DC at state, state grammar and indie. I went to state myself so was a little apprehensive putting my DC into indie but I found more snobbery and one-upmanship at the grammar than the indie! You'd be surprised how many DC at indie are on scholarship or the grandparents are paying. There are also some really nice parents who just happen to be rich. There was no pressure to have the right shoes or handbag at the indie and it had much more of a mix of pupils than I expected.

Good luck.

Original poster
malmontar · 12/09/2018 09:25

@seeline thats actually very helpful. I don't want it to seem like Im subjecting her to something crazy. The school has assured me that theres plenty of children doing a similar route and some from much farther away. The average distance their kids travel is 10 miles. We live 6.5 away.

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Original poster
malmontar · 12/09/2018 09:20

@astronotus Thanks, it does. I am 80% for the state just for personal reasons to do with snobbery and such. But thats much of a muchness in the grand scheme of things.

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Original poster
malmontar · 12/09/2018 09:17

@cloudtree I know for sure they have no compulsory after school things unless it is exams. It is up to her to take anything up after school, she knows how long it takes her to get home, I will try my best to support something she really wants to do but she will get to do a lot of fun things in the school day hence why she would be trekking to that school anyway. It is a very good point though, I definately do not want her finishing school at 6 even if we lived next door.

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Astronotus · 12/09/2018 09:15

OP, beekeeping, blacksmith and sailing sounds lovely. Must be a very interesting school. 7.45am - 5.00pm is a long day for a year 7 but by the time she is in year 8 she will be used to it.

Seeline · 12/09/2018 09:09

I think you have all bases covered then. If your DD is happy to do it (perhaps do a few practice runs with her to make sure she is happy with it), then it doesn't sound any more arduous than the journeys undertaken by many kids at my DCs indy schools on the edge of London.

Original poster
malmontar · 12/09/2018 09:04

She can walk to the tube, its only 2 short stops, 10mins walk I put it down as a bus journey because shes lazy and i know she'll never walk realistically.

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cloudtree · 12/09/2018 09:04

I would check what the situation is re after school things. My DSs are at an independent school and 2 nights out of five there are compulsory after school things (sports training and CCF) plus if they get involved in a school production or something like that it can easily add another two late evenings. As such they often don't finish until 6pm. With then an hours journey back in the dark that would be too much IMO.

Original poster
malmontar · 12/09/2018 09:03

Yea busses are not a worry. And tube is safer than bus in my opinion hence why I would prefer it.

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Seeline · 12/09/2018 09:03

When journeys in London don't work:
strikes - is there an alternative not having to use either the bus or the tube if one is not running at all?
weather - usually snow, but can be heat, wind etc. Again is it possible to walk the bus bit to the tube?
Major incident - I think schools will be understanding in this situation.
General delays/cancellations - in London there are usually alternatives that mean not to much of a delay in the overall journey time.

However you DD will need to be familiar with all the alternatives and be able to make decisions quickly.

Original poster
malmontar · 12/09/2018 09:03

@seeline the school has a 'choice' friday afternoon when clubs take place. If she finishes late my mum can pick her up or even I can after work as its enroute. I dont want to rely on that as obv i dont know if ill be working there for 5 years. Im also not a taxi service and she knows what time she needs to be home, but this will be the same in the comp.

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Original poster
malmontar · 12/09/2018 09:00

@MrsPatmore not at all. I'm 80% for the comp to be honest, I hated my commute to school but I know others that loved it and it was a social affair. I just think transport is only one part of the school but a massive one nonetheless. She will have years of commuting to work so i understand people that are against it.

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Seeline · 12/09/2018 08:59

The journey itself wouldn't worry me. Tubes and buses are generally very frequesnt in London, so unless the whole line is down there wouldn't be an issue. If a whole line is down, schools seems to be understanding (at least mine DCs schools are).

She will be very tired to start with though.

However, if she has an afterschool match, club, or activity, she would be getting home very late, not leaving much time for homework.

Original poster
malmontar · 12/09/2018 08:57

@astronotus it is an all through school but people do leave at end of GCSE's mostly to either selective comps or other private sixth forms. Their A Levels are great also. It isn't a very academic school, its 'alternative' with no uniform, first names and not many rules. The kids get to do lots of things like beekeeping, blacksmith and sailing. DD loves it and is prepared to do the journey. I think it is much easier to see how this journey goes and if its not working out move her to the state rather than waste the opportunity and not go. Tbh I mostly wanted to hear from people who have kids that have done a journey that long, I know lots of grammar school kids do. Would love to hear stories of when it worked and when it didn't and why. She also has a very good group of local friends from our religious community which all go to different schools so I'm not worried about social life. To put it into context she would be leaving the house at 7:45 and returning at around 5pm. Im very aware this is an extremely long day hence why I wanted some input based on experience.

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MrsPatmore · 12/09/2018 08:55

It sounds like your mind is made up so hopefully you can make the journey work (forgot to say she may have sports equipment/musical instruments etc on top of her school bag too). Any scope for anyone to drive her in or pick up a couple of days a week? I do this once a week as ds has a cumbersome instrument to take.