School Journey Time

What can matter is:

how reliable is the journey. More than two mode of public transport is probably too many.

how safe is the journey. we ruled out one school because it involved changing transport in a dodgy bit of South London, something even I would not have been happy doing.

whether you can get a seat. In London commuting out and the chance to sit and do some homework, is much better than being packed in link a sardine.

whether any friends do the same journey. This helps a lot, and friendship groups are formed on the bus. Or whether there is scope for parents to share the journey.

How frequent is the service. Some of my DD's friends boast of a great bus. But it only runs once every half hour, and then not very reliably, which is a strong disincentive to take part in matches and other after school activities. The same applies to school buses.

Cost. Trains can be expensive, as are school buses for some indies.

DD has a 30-40 min journey, which she is fine with.

It is a long journey. I did it (varied between an hour and 90 minutes) and it was knackering. Also a pig when I was older and wanted to go out with my mates in the evening - only got the chance when I stayed over at someone's house.

Worth it, though, educationally. But far from easy.

Yes an hour and 15 minutes is to long for a journey to school. What if she wants to stay after school for some club or sports activity

DC's take an hour or more door to door but most of that is walking to and from station.

It's really not a problem, they often leave at the same time as children in our road who go to the local schools and are home by 4.30 very latest if they have stopped in the park.

Don't get sucked into taking them to seconadary school if you can help it ! (words of a dear friend who seems to do it every morning)

I think a lot depends on nature of journey .
My DC does 60 mins each way ,but is doeable because leaves early ( school start 8.25am ) and this plus where we live on bus route means he can be sure of getting a seat .
Also just the one bus ,no changes .
Could you reduce journey at all by taking her some of the way ?

That is an awful lot over the week, but something I am sure you considered when applying to this school?

My DS will be joining DD at secondary in September and will do 5 mins on the train 15 minutes walking each way.

I think it is a long journey. My daughter does a similar one she is in year 9 - occasionally it is down to an hour and sometimes more if the transport is bad. We did know before we applied to the school. We were desperate to avoid the local comp where she would have been badly bullied due to a minor but visible disability. She is happy at her school and it is a good one. I do a similar commute to work and so does DH and we both hate it. Moving is out of the question as we live in social housing. I do feel guilty but she seems to cope well with it. As well as the journey she only sees her school friends occasionally out of school but she does have other friends.

Personally I think that's too much-is it on public transport?
DD luckily can walk to school in 10 mins, and ds will have a 15 minute busride/30 min walk in September.
If your dd wants to do after school clubs, that is a late time home in the winter.
But presumably you knew that when you chose the school? (or maybe that's your allocated school, not being judgy )