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Original poster

How long is your DC's school commute?

84 replies

Schoolhelp23 · 20/07/2024 17:51

I'm central London and have a very academic child. Can't move, so weighing up how long a commute is reasonable (for the likes of HBS, St Michael's - if she gets in). So, how long is your child's school commute?

OP posts:
mnahmnah · 20/07/2024 21:51

A 5 minute walk. We’re in a medium sized city.

ShaunaSadeki · 20/07/2024 21:51

30-40 min walk

ChocHotolate · 20/07/2024 21:50

We're fairly central london - it's a 20 min bus ride

Izzynohopanda · 20/07/2024 21:49

dC1 - 10 minute lift yo station, 20 minute train, 10 minute walk (distance 12 miles)

dc2 - 19 minute walk to bus stop, 30 minute bus (distance 5 miles)

Sometimes ease of journey is more important than time/distance. Therefore, one 30 train journey, with a short walk at each end, is better than two bus journeys lasting 10 minutes each.

UsedToBeAtAmber · 20/07/2024 21:43

10 minute walk to the station. 2 trains taking about 40 minutes then 15 minute walk to school. Ds is in 6th form, goes to grammar school and travels with friends.

Upallnight2 · 20/07/2024 21:36

5 minutes in the car. Not the most local school

weegiemum · 20/07/2024 21:34

My dc had about 40-45 mins due to us using a specialist language school on the other side of the city centre.

So 5 mins to bus stop, 20 mins to city centre, wait for other bus, 15 mins to school, 5 min walk. Was never a problem, esp for ds who always did his maths homework on the bus!

IsThisAkissingBook · 20/07/2024 21:33

7 miles but the bus stop is a five minute walk away and stops outside the school.

Perplexed20 · 20/07/2024 21:31

About an hour - though he's just finished. We live in a village - drive to station, train journey and walk.
It was fine

Malahide · 20/07/2024 21:26

LuckyOnes · 20/07/2024 21:22

If he hurries, about eight minutes door to door. Most people here just choose the nearest school. Little or nothing of the English hysteria about 'good schools' and OFSTED reports. Go local.

It is not a myth though that some schools are better than others - parents are right to find the one that best suits their child’s abilities and potential. Travelling is worth it in a lot of cases. I can think of very few kids near us (NI) who simply just automatically go to their nearest school.

LuckyOnes · 20/07/2024 21:22

If he hurries, about eight minutes door to door. Most people here just choose the nearest school. Little or nothing of the English hysteria about 'good schools' and OFSTED reports. Go local.

DelilahBucket · 20/07/2024 21:20

DS's commute purely on public transport was ridiculous, so I took him half way, five mins and then 15 minutes on a bus. We made that decision when choosing his secondary school though as his feeder school was a ten minute walk but a substandard school.
I had a one and a half hour commute to my secondary. Two buses. I went to that school as my feeder school had my step mum teaching at it and my mum wasn't happy about that. I went ti another school based on a childcare i.e.y grandparents lived nearby. Within a couple of months of me starting there they moved. I was still stuck with that commute though. It was awful, I didn't live near any of my friends.

Towelmode · 20/07/2024 21:16

And you can’t always plan for a number of reasons plus it’s not unusual for siblings to go to different secondaries.

Towelmode · 20/07/2024 21:14

I think very long school commutes are damaging and should be avoided, parents should've planned ahead.

Why would they be damaging?!

Oblomov24 · 20/07/2024 21:04

10 to 15 minutes walk.
I think very long school commutes are damaging and should be avoided, parents should've planned ahead.

dbeuowlxb173939 · 20/07/2024 20:52

15 minutes drive or 25 minutes bus ride

HelenaJustina · 20/07/2024 20:31

6 minute drive to the bus stop (out of the village and to the main road) 25 minutes on the bus and then 20-25 minutes walk, depending how how briskly they do it. They’ve been known to do it in 15 when the bus was late (1 mile)

Skybluepinky · 20/07/2024 20:29

High school 5 min walk, 6th form an hour commute.

IFollowRivers · 20/07/2024 20:28

Inner London: 10 min walk.

doubleshift · 20/07/2024 20:24

Nature of the commute is relevant too.
So think about what the actual logistics are.
My son has 1hr+ BUT it is on a small school minibus to and from his doorstep - he loves it - headphones on and chill time. Really relaxed and regulated when he gets home.

AppleCream · 20/07/2024 20:24

20 mins by car, more if the traffic is bad. My DC get the bus which takes 40-50 mins. It's a public bus not a school bus so it stops a lot and doesn't go the most direct route.

shockeditellyou · 20/07/2024 20:22

2 min walk to primary, about to be a 40+ min bus journey to secondary. Worth it to avoid the local inadequate comp tho.

Mumof3girlsandaboy · 20/07/2024 20:18

Mine 10minutes walk to the bus stop
20minutes bus journey to town
10/15 minutes walk from bus stop to school

Panicmode1 · 20/07/2024 20:14

About 2.5 minutes...😂 But we made a decision to move to the doorstep of their super selective grammar before the 11+ and prayed they would get high enough passes. A gamble which paid off X4!

SausageinaBun · 20/07/2024 20:11

Somewhere between 1 hrs 5 mins and 1 hrs 20, depending on train times. It's 25 min walk, 15 min train 25 min walk, but she narrowly misses a train back, so it's a longer wait coming home, offset by getting picked up from the station most days.

She's very academic, so is ok about the commute as the school is very well matched to her.

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