Page 3 | High School How long is an ok walk

purpleme12 · 2024-09-19T08:33:38+00:00

High School child How long would you consider is an ok walk to high school?

Original poster

purpleme12 · 19/09/2024 17:57

It's just so awkward here

If she doesn't go to the really near high school, then the next nearest is this one, what the thread is about. All the others are just slightly over an hour. (Walking). So not that far. But because of the bus routes it would need 2 buses!
Which would be more expensive for me than one bus.

To not get two buses, she'd have to walk to the bus station, which would take over half an hour anyway

Wondering if we'll have to stick with the not so good high school now ☹️

OP posts:

NotEveryoneIsHelpful · 19/09/2024 17:43

My child walks 1.7 miles each way, takes 45 minutes including gathering the friends on the way. Some of their friends walk further so I think 55 minutes is probably ok - depends a bit on how far it actually is

JustKeepSwimmingJust · 19/09/2024 17:39

Mine gets taken every day (by people mostly on their way to work - across both parents and two households sharing lifts) and walks back more often than not (that sort of distance). On his dad’s days he gets dropped off 45 mins early. The canteen is open and he has school breakfast. It’s not like primary school when it’s neglect to leave them more than 10 mins early.

user1471474138 · 19/09/2024 17:36

My dd also barely has any stuff to carry just lunch and a pencil case most days, pe kit when necessary goes in same rucksack. The term where she had pe and food tec on the same day she just opted for school dinners so it still all fitted in rucksack.
She walks about 25 mins (though sometimes on the way home it can take 1hr somehow!). If she decides to go into town after school its about 20 mins to town then 20 min home after.
I think 55 mins is on the longer side but definitely doable ( she will probably hate it in the rain so if there are any other occasional back up options that’d be good but if not then it’s just one of those things)
In yr 7 dd and a few of her friends scooted to school and I still see some doing this occasionally but again not so great in the rain

Andoutcomethewolves · 19/09/2024 17:30

Is it quite flat? If it's more uphill in one direction than the other I'd be tempted to compromise on one bus and one walk (the easier way! Or if it's raining etc). Where I live a single is a flat rate of £1 for age 15 and under (they don't do returns here so it'd be £1×2 to go both ways). So that doesn't sound too terrible, depending on your finances obviously!

I might even be tempted to give her the £5 (or whatever) at the start of the week and leave it up to her to decide how to spend it - for example if it's absolutely pouring down one day she might prefer to get the bus both ways that day and walk both ways another - maybe teach some money management etc! Or even walk all week and save the money to supplement pocket money. Of course depends entirely on your circumstances.

I wouldn't have been seen dead on a scooter at that age 😆 it was definitely seen as a little kid thing! But maybe with all the e-scooters now it's seen as less uncool?

I don't think cycling or scooting on the pavement is a great plan though (as a pedestrian I HATE cyclists etc on the pavement 😬)

Lulubellamozarella · 19/09/2024 17:23

Nope that is too long I think. When my DD was in high school her bag was so heavy with books/PE kits etc and it would have been tough to make her walk 55 minutes to and from school carrying that. Also its adding almost 2 hours on to an already long school day for them. What about homework? Relaxation time? I think you may have an unhappy kid in the depths of winter too when its dark, freezing and pissing down!

Original poster

purpleme12 · 19/09/2024 17:16

redskydarknight · 19/09/2024 17:08

Having the option of a bus would be good. Then she can opt not to walk if she's tired/it's raining/ she'srunning late.

Show quote history

Yes

I do think though that given the option people do go for the option of the bus anyway because it's the least effort!

OP posts:

Original poster

purpleme12 · 19/09/2024 17:15

C152 · 19/09/2024 16:53

I used to walk an hour each way to primary school, so I think an hour each way to high school is perfectly acceptable. (Yes, including carrying heavy books, PE kit, in the dark in winter etc. It's not as hard as people make out.)

Thanks, interesting

There's only a few people on here who think this!

OP posts:

redskydarknight · 19/09/2024 17:08

purpleme12 · 19/09/2024 16:46

I guess I'll look at buses

There's a school that she can easily walk (really close) to.
Which, while it isn't absolutely awful, i get the impression it's seen as 'the worst' out of all the schools

And then there's no in between distance wise to the next nearest school.

Having the option of a bus would be good. Then she can opt not to walk if she's tired/it's raining/ she'srunning late.

C152 · 19/09/2024 16:53

I used to walk an hour each way to primary school, so I think an hour each way to high school is perfectly acceptable. (Yes, including carrying heavy books, PE kit, in the dark in winter etc. It's not as hard as people make out.)

Original poster

purpleme12 · 19/09/2024 16:46

I guess I'll look at buses

There's a school that she can easily walk (really close) to.
Which, while it isn't absolutely awful, i get the impression it's seen as 'the worst' out of all the schools

And then there's no in between distance wise to the next nearest school.

OP posts:

mitogoshigg · 19/09/2024 16:43

I walked 40 minutes as did my dc

mugboat · 19/09/2024 16:39

My dd walks 40 mins each way. It's a nice walk through a safe area and she walks with a friend. There's a bus but it usually packed. I'm grateful for the walk as she needs the exercise- she's not into sports.

Original poster

purpleme12 · 19/09/2024 16:34

I guess most people are saying it's too much

What do people think about once a day?

OP posts:

Original poster

purpleme12 · 19/09/2024 15:30

Oh ok never thought to ask about if they'll need to carry a big amount of stuff
Maybe I should be asking about that

OP posts:

redskydarknight · 19/09/2024 15:24

purpleme12 · 19/09/2024 15:12

Oh ok interesting about the scooting then
She does have a scooter
I think she would be too self conscious to do it if I suggested that to her! She'd probably think people might make fun of her (even if that's not the case!)
But if she sees other people do it then that would be ok. No idea how common it is here at high schools

Unless you have cycle paths and not just normal pavements, please don't let your DC scoot 3 miles to school. Children doing this are a nightmare for other pavement users.

Re carrying a heavy bag - check what the norm is at your school. My DC never had heavy bags (a small folder and their lunch was the norm) as so little went to and from school.

Original poster

purpleme12 · 19/09/2024 15:12

Oh ok interesting about the scooting then
She does have a scooter
I think she would be too self conscious to do it if I suggested that to her! She'd probably think people might make fun of her (even if that's not the case!)
But if she sees other people do it then that would be ok. No idea how common it is here at high schools

OP posts:

Original poster

purpleme12 · 19/09/2024 15:12

Oh ok interesting about the scooting then
She does have a scooter
I think she would be too self conscious to do it if I suggested that to her! She'd probably think people might make fun of her (even if that's not the case!)
But if she sees other people do it then that would be ok. No idea how common it is here at high schools

OP posts:

miffmufferedmoof · 19/09/2024 15:06

Actual scooter, not electric. You can get teen sized or adult sized ones. DS’s school is 1.5 miles away and he scoots it in 15 minutes

TossedSaladandSE · 19/09/2024 15:00

Mine walked 40 minutes there and back

No bus on that route unfortunately

Original poster

purpleme12 · 19/09/2024 15:00

When people say scoot on here... Are you talking about an actual scooter or an electric scooter?

OP posts:

MuggleMe · 19/09/2024 14:04

My DD scoots and carefully rides pavements most of the time.

Jazzjazzyjulez · 19/09/2024 13:50

Is there no public transport at least part of the way?

LazyLeopard · 19/09/2024 13:31

TickingAlongNicely · 19/09/2024 13:22

Today my DD had three bags... her school bag with lunch and books, her PE bag with normal PE kit, and her Rugby bag with boots, gum shield etc!

I think your kids wereucky to not have the packhorse look!

Show quote history

OMG! That’s bonkers! Yes, I think they must have been!

Schoolchoicesucks · 19/09/2024 13:31

55 mins is too far for twice a day every day even in winter when it's dark, wet and they have to carry heavy schoolbag plus PE kit and whatever else.

30 mins/2 miles would be max for me. Any longer/further and need to be looking for bus routes/lifts.

Cycling opens up slightly more potential, but again those dark wet days would worry me on a busy route and would need to sort out how to safely carry extra kit.