to think that using the local secondary school where children can walk to

[catham]

should be what every parent aspires to

today driving past my sons school (where he walks to) i was pretty horrified at the amount of cars lined up outside to pick up their little darlings, most who could probably walk up the road a mile or so where there i less congestion.

why do so many parents have to drive their kids to school? i imagine that as its the start of term so many parents are paranoid that their kids can't walk home alone but they will learn if we let them!

waffling sorry but cars are more dangerous to our kids than letting them make their own way to and from school.

[Johnny5needsinput]

I was civil

I haven't sworn or ranted. In actual fact, your op and the horrible inferences of it that I'm a bad parent because I don't aspire to uproot my life and move to where DD can walk to school, have made me cry.

Try being civil

[IfNotNowThenWhen]

Most of the parents at ds's primary are very local, and many drive their kids in the morning.
The school is exactly a 6 minute walk. I see many of my neighbours loading the kids in to drive them. Sure, they are going on to work after, but there is such bad congestion around the school, and this is a danger to walking children (most of the older ones walk alone), plus there is nowhere to park, and all the drivers get stressed and drive like shit.
I don't have a car, so I drop off and then walk to the bus, but if I did, I would still walk to school, and then walk back and pick up my car. It's an extra 12 mins tops.
With secondary I imagine it all gets a bit more complicated though?

[SoupDragon]

fgs have any of you actually understood my op?

Yes, I understood it. You were horrified at the amount of cars lined up outside to pick up their little darlings

[LondonMother]

Is it National Take Offence Day? Of course the OP is not saying children should walk 8 miles in the dark on a dual carriageway. She should probably have hedged her point about with all sorts of exceptions and qualifications but the general point stands - one of the problems from so called parental 'choice' about schools is very bad traffic congestion round some schools. Some parents drive and park very inconsiderately. Some children who could quite safely get their on foot or using public transport are driven right up to the gates instead, by parents who are not driving on to work or other important stuff that they couldn't reasonably get to any other way. These children miss out on exercise and learning to function without their parents around.

OK, take offence at that if you can!

[NoComet]

My nearest secondary was 12 miles away.

DDs school is 5.5 miles (the nearest is 4.9, but it's in a different county, so no bus)

Their bus service is unbelievably bad. So sometimes I pick them up.

Yesterday, DD went to the library while we parked and then we went to the sweet shop, wandered round a gift shop and bought some forgotten groceries.

We were still home 15 minutes before the bus!!!

The bus takes 65 minutes to do a 10-15 minute car trip.

And OP you wounder why their are so many cars round schools.

[LondonMother]

*there, not their. That's offended me, anyway!

[Hulababy]

Our local secondary is about 3 miles away and not flat - so a fair way to walk to school and back each way. It isn't a walk I would chose to do daily.

DD's secondary is about 4 miles away, so not much different. DH drops her a little way away - near her old primary infact - and she meets a friend and walks down. DH is on his way to work anyway so he would be driving the exact same route regardless.

After school she walks down to my school (about a mile) and grabs a lift home. She could go by bus - but at the moment - she has just started Y7 - prefers to walk to meet me.

But yesterday - when it was pouring with rain - yes, I did drive up and meet her. Parked on the main road - in a designated parking space I should add - and waited for her to meet me. Instead of a 15 minute walk she had a 2 minute walk in hammering rain.

[Blissx]

Actually, I think the OP has a very valid point with regards to where parents drop their children off. Quite why it has to be directly at the school gate rather than a few yards further down where there will be less congestion, I don't know. Parents have caused accidents in this way at my local secondary and I do think this is an issue that needs to be raised.

[Wishihadabs]

I get that it's too far to walk and /or dangerous. But surely surrounding villages are served by buses to local schools. I realy believe you are doing your dcs no favours by driving them to school instead of letting them get the bus which is a life skill....or cycling another lifeskill.

[Sparklingbrook]

Yes there is that Bliss at the local High School it's every man for himself. Parking on zig zags/in the coach bay/double yellows etc. But it's only for a few seconds and apparently if you put your hazard lights on it makes all the difference.

Not to mention the parents that turn up an hour before school's out to get a prime spot.

[Blissx]

And don't get me started on the parents who drive quite fast directly into the school so as to drive their little darling directly to the school door, not giving a shit about the hundreds of other children trying to navigate around them in the car park and nearly getting knocked over.

[Wishihadabs]

yes in the rain too, these dcs are all 11 they won't melt !

[Sparklingbrook]

DS2 (11) cycles to the Middle School opposite the High School. He is a brave sort.

[Bunbaker]

DD's school is 4 miles away so she gets the bus.

It would take far too long to walk there or back along 60 mph roads with no pavements. For an 8.20 start she would probably have to leave the house at 7 am. The walk would also involve a couple of very steep hills, and often take place in the rain, so not very practical at all.

[Charlottehere]

Nope.... Dd at grammar school...12 miles away.

[hobnobsaremyfavourite]

Mine dont attend their local comp but they cycle there.
Is that ok with you op?

[Wishihadabs]

Charlotte no bus ? no train. Must be the only school in the country not served by public transport.

I seriously can't believe the number of secondary school aged dcs being driven....Ds is yr 5 and TBH I long to be free of the sschool run. I intend to work ft and I can't wait!

[ivykaty44]

why should my only thoughts for choosing a school be whether it is walking distance - what a strange way to search for school that will suit your child.

I choose a school that involves two bus rides for dd2 - where as dd1 went to the school that was 20 minutes walk away. they are different children and different characters so I wouldn't choose the school based on location.

[Madamecastafiore]

I agree that independence is crucial in the social development of children but raise my eyes just as high at the mother who walks her year 5 daughter the 20 yards to school each day as I do the families that drive half a mile.

Dd gets a bus as we live in the sticks. if no bus service I would have no choice but to drive her the 12 miles though!

Oh and I used to drive DS to primary in the same village I lived in as had to go straight onto work and it was more important that I earn a crust that pacify the self congratulating women who let their little darlings whizz around on their micro scooters without helmets or much road sense.

[BlingBang]

I've always driven to school as I didn't like the closer ones as well as others. My son now catches the bus to high school even though we are in cachment as it's surrounded by outlying villages, would still drive him further if I didn't like the school though.

[BlingBang]

Although you are right about the parking problems. Parents at our school park fully up on the pavement blocking it and block driveways etc.

[DrCoconut]

Our local secondary is a dump. It's in special measures and its rough. Sadly DS1 goes there because he would not qualify for a bus elsewhere as we live close to our local school. I don't drive and DH's work patterns don't fit the school day. So moving him is not viable at the moment. he has SN and is being assessed for a statement so maybe that will change things. He hates school and we can't afford to move house either