About getting DC to school

[Gerrygiraffe]

We moved house last year and as a result we are almost two miles from school. There is a school closer to home but it is AWFUL so we decided to keep DS1 in his school.

I don't drive so we walk everyday. DD started in pre school this year. Both DC seem to pick up every bug going.

A few times recently, when DS has been ill I haven't bothered taking DD to pre school as it is a long way for DS to walk if he is poorly. It is a bit easier to take DS when DD is ill as she can go in the pram.

I also admit that if they are under the weather due to the walk I have a few times reported them as sick whereas if we lived next door they would probably have made it to school.

DH says I should try and get the DC to school wherever possible but AIBU to think we are OK to do what I do? They don't miss much school and are doing really well.

If we moved them to the local school their education would be shocking and they love their current school.

What do others do with a long walk?

Still waiting to hear more about the local school..

I get the feeling that the OP steamrollered the move- which might explain why her OP appears a little unsympathetic...........

You need to get taxis when this happens, much cheaper than running a second car! Especially as you will do the walking whenever you can but a taxi on the off days would probably help you a lot.

So you lived in a crappy house near the good school, waited til your dc got in, then moved to a nicer house? Better check that sibling rule, ours changed to give priority only to siblings in a 1-mile radius in order to stop this kind of thing.

Yes
Siblings rules are changing everywhere.

OP, why don't you at least book an appointment to look around the local school? If you look round as a possible 'in year' mover you get a tour on your own and probably a chat with the head.

Round here schools are rated from 'best' to 'worse' based on parents views, playground chat general reputation. I had avoided the local shocking school for ages only to be very impressed when I looked round, from now on I won't judge a school until I've seen it.

What does your DS think about it all? Does he mind the walk, can he have friends to play from school?

I walk 6 miles every day doing the school run. It was 9 miles, but we switched 5 half days at pre school to 3 full days instead. I walk with baby in pram and 4 other dc aged 4,6,10 and 12.

It's not great, especially in bad weather, but we just get on with it. DH leaves the house at 7 for work, so can't help.

Ds has broken his leg this week, so this morning I had to push heavy 4yr old in a buggy and carry the 10month old in a sling. Now that was difficult! Its all up hill on the way back. My back is killing me!

Not looking forward to this afternoon-he screams blue murder every time I move him. The baby screams every time I put her down.

You have my sympathy, but you really do need to just get on with it.

If DH feels so stongly about it then DH should do something about it. If it's impossible for him to get to work late on the odd occasion his daughter's ill then then he needs to arrange to drop his son at a schoolfriend's house on his way in. I really wouldn't worry about your daughter missing pre-school though, but if he's that concerned then he can do the same with her if your son's not well.

Why does her DH have to sort it?

The OP wanted to move, said she would be fine with the walk.

And you don't know what time he leaves for work- my DH leaves at 6am and I doubt ds2 would be too popular arriving at someone's door at that time

The sibling rules are changing everywhere, out of catchment siblings are not automatically given a place anymore. You might find that your other child ends up at the "terrible" school

Bikes must be the answer. Your ds1 could ride his own bike, your dd on a tag-along type bike and the baby in a bike seat. You'd be surprised how quickly 2 miles passes on a bike!

Exactly tantrums. The dh is hardly being unreasonable wanting his children to attend school unless they are ill.

OK I take the point re the local
school but its results are terrible and it made our local paper due to bad inspection results. I will look again though.

We genuinely needed to move from old house and this one was the best we could get. Not trying to work the system at all.

Whichever PP said that I know deep down it's not great are probably right. DH does leave early but does his best. I think the problem is you can't predict illness and he often has work stuff that is hard to move around.

I think you need to sort the driving. Is there no public transport your DH could take to work on the odd day so you could have the car (if you can get through your test).

The local school, while bad, could you make up for any short comings with tutors or you going through a lot of the work with them?

Something needs sorting, you've got another 12 years of this OP, 12 years. If yu're struggling after a few months, you need to sort something to make the commute to school work, or change the distance - either by changing the school or changing the house.

You need to look at the local school. If its got a bad ofsted then the chances are it is improving already. schools are not allowed to be 'bad' for years these days. Also ofsted is really really harsh in comparison to the past. Go and look at it with an open mind and listen to what they have to say.

It depends how bad the school is, some previously good schools are now being ranked as 'needing improvement' because their children are doing well but not in as huge leaps as the gov't decided- this doesn't mean they are bad schools.

My children have been in several different primary schools for preschool and school and my conclusion is that, with some small differences in ethos and discipline, primary schools are much of a muchness and often it is whether they get a good teacher (which you can't control) that determines how good the year is.

In your case, you found out the hard way that the walking is difficult for you, for everyone, when there's sickness and so on. I would reconsider the local school because that much walking every day is a lot and with three, the likelihood is that one or other will be sick say once a month and that's a lot of juggling/difficulties (or if one gets chicken pox) for you.

If you visit it and then decide it's not for you, fair enough, but it may be improving rapidly or have a new head or be 'bad' due to other issues such as social ones but actually a very good school in terms of teaching.

At least then you could resign yourself to the trudging!

Two miles? 2 miles? As in the number after one? Not twenty....?

Of course bu. It ain't that far is it. Unless you have disabled issues of course...? Actually no not bu. Just rather lazy.

Absolutely, Minnie- 12 miles a day. No problem.And an extra 4 when it's Parent's evening? Easy peasy.

I know she won't qualify for free transport but my point was that the government thinks a 2 mile walk is reasonable otherwise they would provide transport for less than this

What about one of these?

www.buggypod.com/

or this

www.bambinogoodies.co.uk/bibi-buggy-bike/

Gerry - sorry if you've answered this already, but what are the admission arrangements for siblings? In my school catchment comes above out-of-catchment siblings which means that in the past, some siblings have missed out on a school place.

Are you absolutely sure that your two younger children will get a place at the current school?

Also, if your pre-schooler is claiming the 15 funded hours, then the local authority will expect them to maintain a reasonable level of attendance. Settings are audited to check that the funded hours are being used properly. If your child doesn't attend regularly enough, the Local Authority is able to withdraw funding.

I think you need to learn to drive. If you can't afford it now then start saving- even if it takes you a year to save up then another year to pass, at least by the time your DC3 is in preschool you won't have this problem anymore. Call around some local driving instructors, they often have good deals so it might not be as expensive as you think.

Yes, look at local school again.
A not so good school might still be better than keep missing school.

You need one of these. With a baby seat fixed to the front.

Go and look at the school closer to your house. The school my children go to got a bad Ofsted report, but they knew it was coming and have put massive changes in to place already and are working very hard to get their rating back up to good.
As a parent I have to say the school is fantastic. My DC are doing brilliantly, DD is working a year above where she needs to be and DS is doing well at preschool. The teachers have been bending over backwards to give the children the best education possible.
So I would say take the Ofsted report with a pinch of salt and go and visit the school, talk to the head about how they intend to improve their Ofsted report (they should have an action plan) and talk to other parents. Other parents will give you an honest opinion of how day to day school is run, more so than any Ofsted report.