to even be considering this (private school related)?

[pickledsiblings]

40 minute drive to a Park & Ride

20 minute bus journey

10 minute walk

Would I be insane to consider doing this with my 7 year old as a daily commute/school run (and the reverse journey home again)?

School is a-maz-ing and just 'round the corner from potential new job.

Add up how much the commute costs - if you negated that by moving close to school and work would it make up the difference to the cost of the new area

Cost of moving = 2.5 years school fees

Thought about Comberton VC but we have similar High Schools in our local town. They are good schools but not want I want for my DC.

Will consider Hills Rd for 6th form but DC can make their own way there.

Move and have DC go there from 11 rather thsn 7?

"Will consider Hills Road for 6th form" Ha ha ha !!

Im out !

If I wait 'til DC3 is 11 I will most likely be unemployable. I will need a job between times and that will probably make our lives more hectic but with less of a reward. I have been looking and looking for jobs and they are not that easy to come by. This employer in Camb. would enable me to have a career of sorts in a field that I enjoy and have a broad experience of. I need a job that pays pretty well for private ed to even be on the cards.

I don't get it alpaca?? What are you laughing at exactly?

Could you not work and send DC3 to the local school with a childminder? If your salary would pay enough for school fees and holiday childcare, surely it would cover a childminder or nanny.

How can many of you be so convinced that local school + childminder is a much better option than fab school + commute in the car (as that seems the only sensible option) with mum?

I know what my DC, given the choice, would opt for.

I am feeling less enamoured with the idea today, so some of what you are all saying must be sinking in.

Honestly, there are other options. I mean, the rest of the country manages without this particular school, and without living in your exact location.

I can quite see that you like the school, and also like where you live, and that you'd love to make this work. But it really isn't the only answer.

(Errm, I think Alpaca may be implying that it's Hills that does the choosing, not you?)

That you mightconsider Hills!
You cant buy your way in.

They take 10-15% out of Catchment so that's 100 plus DC. By 'will consider' I mean that we have another pretty good option for 6th form that is more convenient, that's all.

The conundrum is that your income wouldn't be so high that putting your children into private education would be without it's compromises (long days and commutes). But it's not low enough to rule it out completely either.

I'm quite glad I don't have this problem!

Send DC to good local schools that won't put extra strain on all of you and save yourselves a huge amount of money too which could pay for tutors/uni/holidays...

We all want quality education for our children, but not at the expensive of just letting them be children first and not having a working week as long as an adult.

How can many of you be so convinced that local school + childminder is a much better option than fab school + commute in the car (as that seems the only sensible option) with mum

You really think it's good for a child to spend 3 hours a day in the car?

If you got the job, would you definitely be working in the office each day, or sent off elsewhere for training or research or whatever? Would you be able to leave at the same time as your son?

If you are ill, would someone else be able to do the longish drive to get DC3 to his school?

How can many of you be so convinced that local school + childminder is a much better option than fab school + commute in the car (as that seems the only sensible option) with mum?

Because sitting in a car, even with mum, in lots of traffic is a pretty unpleasant way to spend your time and I personally think it's unfair to do that to a young child every day. What would happen in the holidays, btw?

Childminder means a home environment and relaxing, playing, reading, watching tv, having tea. Not being trapped in a car.

How can many of you be so convinced that local school + childminder is a much better option than fab school + commute in the car (as that seems the only sensible option) with mum?

Local school plus Nanny would be an even better choice and still not as expensive as the school.

You would be having to drag him out of bed very early to get there on time (no matter what time he wakes now, the chances of him doing that after this commute daily are slim).

He would be spending more than 3 hours per day sitting in the car.

You think the school is fab, he might think the school he goes to now is better and whinge relentlessly about it.

He's small, he should be sleeping longer and doing fun stuff afterschool, not sitting in the car day in, day out, until it's practically bedtime.

I know what my DC, given the choice, would opt for

No, no you don't. You might think you do, but you don't. He might even think it's a great idea now if you sell it to him show him the photos etc but after doing that journey day in, day out, I can pretty much guarantee he'll be begging to go back to his old school after a term.

He's too young to inflict this on him without a bloody good reason and so far, none of your reasons are good, let alone bloody good.

What about when you are sick/have to go away for work/have to be home for one of the others/break your leg - who is going to do that commute to take him to school?

What about when he's not too well...that's a much longer school day for him.

What if you detest the job?

I know you don't want to do the commute without him, but fgs, you can't inflict it on a 7yo just because you don't want to do it on your own. Get a job, get your career back on track and decide where is best for him at 11.

Exactly what chipping said.

I think OP that your head has been turned by the fabulous school and it happens to lots of people

Before you even consider whether the commute is viable I think you need to sit down and really think things through.

1.Visit the school and have a look around.

2.Think about your child and talk to their current teacher and ask for an honest opinion regarding their ability.

As others have said it is highly competitive and oversubscribed.
We are talking the cream of the cream here.

1. Think about your childs temperament- do they tire easily or are they still bouncing around after a long day. Will they cope with the pressure or be better being the "top" of a a good alternative school.( I have one who thrives on pressure and one who doesn't but is just as able)

1. I agree with Chipping decide what you are wanting/going to do regarding your career and think about it when DC older(11)- that's a lot of upheaval for the family.

As you say moving is 2.5 years school fees- move nearer in the short term = less commute in the long term.(if Dc starts at 11) Many DC cycle from villages the The Perse, St Marys etc.

5.Find the school that fits your child -the other way round never works.

What about when he's not too well...that's a much longer school day for him.

And who will fetch him to take him home when he's ill at school.

Who wants to take a vomiting child for a long car journey home? May only happen once but it would be horrific.

I would take thw job (presuming you get it) and hire a local nanny for childcare while keeping the DC in local schools. Then at the 11+ stage you have options and the money you need for them.

I too had an hour's commute to school from 12 and no child of mine will do the same. We are prepared to move to avoid that.

He's 7? And the move, you guess, would cost 2.5 years of school fees?

Keep him local for the next 4 years, get the job (oh how I wish it was always that simple) and you have enough cash saved up to move nearer if you still want the Perse for secondary.

I guess, though, that I'm unconvinced about the benefits of even the best primary schools, as DS1 claims not to be able to remember anything whatsoever that happened at school before he was 11.

He's 18. He must have a shockingly bad memory. But I think we can overestimate the importance of the Exact Right School.

Thanks for the additional comments.

My DC3 is very self aware and ability wise would do fine at the Perse. I don't know what it is about my oldest and youngest but they 'perform' better with a more able peer group. I see this with the youngest in different group settings (violin/swimming/at home with siblings).

Middle child has intrinsic motivation so peer group is pretty irrelevant. Youngest has had no private ed and is reaching his milestones slower than the other two despite being the 'brightest' imo, still above average though.

I think he would flourish with an academic peer group in an ambitious school. The pace, quantity and depth of work at the moment gives him an easy ride, is that OK or not? I'm not sure.

He is 7. I think you are way over thinking this. I have an extremely able 8 year old (year 4). She is top of everything and I am working with the school to stretch her as much as they can. She would probably do very well at a private school but even if I had the money I would not be considering the commute you are. Because I am not sure what the objective of pushing such a young child to their full potential is. Is he bored at school? Have you talked to them about your concerns?

I don't think I explained myself very well. I think what I am trying to say is he is 7. There are more important things in his life than academic achievement.