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Original poster

How far would you/do you drive your teens to school

30 replies

catswhisker1 · 04/11/2019 13:24

Considering buying a house in a rural town out of secondary school catchment that DC 12 and 14 are at. It's a lovely house with loads of space and cheap. Much nicer than the house we currently own!

However they would not be on bus route and we would have to take them every day (10 miles there and back but no traffic in general - it's a very rural area). Work from home so no problem for jobs etc.

I don't want to move them to the other secondary in the catchment of the new school as they are settled and it's not a good school. School they are at now would be happy to keep them.

Does anyone drive their teens to school every day? How long is your drive and do you get sick of it?!

OP posts:
GinZinger · 04/11/2019 14:17

We cover a similar route by the sounds. My dc secondary school is about 10miles, we can avoid the nightmarish main road and it takes about 15-20min, it's not a problem because we lift share so none of us do it every day.
We have two other schools within 3 miles, one "outstanding" that we are not in the catchment for (go figure that we're in catchment for school 10miles away!) and one "requires improvement" that we could have got into and where the majority of the dc primary friends went to.
We chose the furthest away choice (good rated) because it is the better school and my dc are thriving and won't hesitate to recommend it to others.

malmontar · 04/11/2019 14:09

That's 40miles a day not including late finishes or when one has to go to revision sessions etc. Not impossible but I'm sure it is probably the norm where you are/will be. As long as you count the cost I don't see the problem tbh. In a couple years your older one can start driving or at least get a scooter to help.

RedskyToNight · 04/11/2019 14:09

My SIL drives my niece and nephew 30 minutes each day to and from school. But she's a SAHP.

One of DS's friends also lives about 30 minutes away from their school (he moved last year; used to live closer). My observation is that it's a PITA for the boy, who seems to be forever hanging round waiting for lifts home (his parents work in the town where the school is, so they drop him off on their way to work and pick him off on their way home).

I would worry about my DC's gaining independence if they were always driven, and would seek to encourage this in other ways. If you are so rural that there is no public transport, you also need to factor in driving around to facilitate their social lives!

Sgtmajormummy · 04/11/2019 14:04

Ours is 15 mins’ drive along a very busy dual carriageway which I would not allow DC to cycle on. The alternative route would be 25 mins by bicycle or 40 on foot. Not a great prospect in winter time with an 8:00 start!
So we drive. Not a problem for me as we leave home together.
I think living rurally and driving kids to school just has to be put up with for the time they’re in school. A car pool with other parents and lessons ASAP!

TeenPlusTwenties · 04/11/2019 13:47

My DC walk, but I think 30mins each way would be my maximum, it would still be 2 hrs a day for you.

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