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.

[Glastokitty]

No way!

[MellowAutumn]

You will blight your childs primary years in my opinion. This is the sort of option for the perfect job or maybe university not for a 7 year old who will have no down time or play time . Get a decebt tutor .

[Taz1212]

I think 7 is too young. DS has a commute of a bit over an hour each way to his school but he is 12 (started when he was 11). We haven't switched DD(9) to that school yet because we feel she is too young for the commute- even the school doesn't recommend it for children below P7!

[thegreylady]

I'd only do it if you can drive her all the wayto school and pick up from school.

[ShowMeYourTARDIS]

I've had an hour a day (each way!) commute, and it's exhausting. No way would I do that with a child. I was spending 10 hours a week on the bus.

[ChippingInAutumnLover]

I'm a bit confused. Clearly don't say if you don't want to, but...you DD doesn't have any SNs, so does she have a 'thing, that makes this school 'The One' (ie dance, music, whatever) or is this just a fab school? If it's 'just' a fab school why is she going and not the others? Are the others step children & you can't change schools. Aren't their schools good enough for DD (sounds arsey, but I dint mean it to be) or do you really want to take this job and you think DD going to a school near work is a better option? What about the holidays? When one of you is sick? When one of the others needs you?

As I said, don't answer if you don't want to, but it's hard to give a meaningful answer with only half the info.

[morningtoncrescent62]

A lot of private schools have their own bus services to bring in children from what's often quite a big catchment. Have you checked that the school doesn't have a route passing a bit nearer to where you live?

[pickledsiblings]

Thanks everyone, I totally get what you are all saying about how exhausting it would be.

DC1s journey to school is a 10 minute drive then a 1 hr school bus ride. On the two evenings a week when we have to pick up from school it is a 1.5 hr round trip for either DH or me. However, this is absolutely the right school for this DC.

We are contemplating sending DC2 there for Y7 this Sept. but we may consider the new location (where I may have a pretty decent job with good prospects) for this DC too.

DC3 could not currently go to DC1's school as we could only afford fees if I get job in other location. But actually, thinking about it, DC3 could travel on bus with other 2 DC and get home for 5:30pm.

My head is spinning...

[whois]

I think that commute will be really detrimental to your child, they'll be exhausted. All those stages, P&R is crap, just no.

[pickledsiblings]

mornington, there is a school bus from the park and ride but the traffic is horrendous so we would need to be at that bus for 8am (30 miles away so a 50 minute drive to get there). No return school bus in the evenings though.

[Hakluyt]

Utterly ridiculous. Unless there are very specific special needs then no school is worth this. Don't do it.

[pickledsiblings]

Where we live is semi rural and there's not much playing out/riding bikes or anything. DC are pretty much house bound when they get back from school. Does that make any difference to anyone's take on things?

Hakluyt, it's not just the school, it's a job for me too (super school just happens to be a five minute walk away which is why I'm even considering this). Friend has just moved a similar aged DC from DC3's school to this school and despite a horrendous commute her DC adores the new school and is willing to put up with the travel. That being said, they are moving closer so it's not going to be that bad for too long.

[TeamScotland]

Move closer. You'll be spending 11 hours and 40 mins a week commuting. So will your DC. 23 hours and 20 minutes of your combined lives per week. Multiply that to get your monthly and yearly totals. When will your DC have time to do homework, between school clubs, travelling, eating and sleeping?

Sure, people do it, but it's no life. Good luck with the job.

[titchy]

You can't subject a young child to years of hell commuting just so you can get your dream job

(If I've got the wrong end of the stick apologies, but it's a ridiculous journey anyway - and could well end up being 3 hours a day rather than 2.)

[WalkingInMemphis]

1 hour, ten minutes of actual travel time...plus you'd need to add in some buffer time to make sure you're intime for the bus and not rushing through the school gates at the last minute, so easily an hour and a half.

School starts at 8.50 here, which would mean leaving home at 7.20 every morning. Getting the dc up at 6.45 to get ready and have breakfast. Which would mean I would have to be up at 6.

Not on your nelly. I wouldn't even consider it tbh. Mine generally get up at 8am and such an early start and long commute would make them (and me) miserable.

[pickledsiblings]

Those saying move closer, I know it seems to make sense but as it is a city school there would always be a 30 mins plus commute. Also, my other DC go to school 1 hr (from home) in the opposite direction.

My oldest DC spends 11 hours a week commuting and it's pretty much a non issue. Great friendships, lots of parties and loves school.

DC2 spends 7.5 hrs and DC3 about 5hrs. As you can see, there is lots of commuting going on already! Not sure if that makes any difference...

[lljkk]

How minted are you that you can afford all this?
What do your DC want to do?
How awful will you feel if the school turns out to be rubbish for your DC?
How bad a fit is the local ?state primary school where you sent your other DC?
How do or would you juggle childcare for current primary age DC?
Does the job & your DH's job have generous holidays, are you happy to leave 11-13 yr olds all day at home alone (12 hours/day) while you're at work?

Look at season ticket & family railcard if you do decide to commute.

[WalkingInMemphis]

Friend has just moved a similar aged DC from DC3's school to this school and despite a horrendous commute her DC adores the new school and is willing to put up with the travel

I think this is misleading. Generally, if your dc enjoy school, they will enjoy any school (once they've settled in). And a young child saying they are 'willing to put up with the travel' doesn't mean it won't negatively affect them.

My 6 year old loves his school, and if I told him the only way to keep going would be to travel for 1.5 hours every day he would agree with me enthusiastically, because he'd 'agree to' anything to keep going there. It doesn't mean it would be fair on him though.

[PancakesAndMapleSyrup]

Its not a school in cambridge is it? By any chance.

[WalkingInMemphis]

my other DC go to school 1 hr (from home) in the opposite direction

You're crazy IMO. You're making life difficult for yourself. Send your youngest to a school in the same general area as the others.

[pickledsiblings]

It would have to be the train, that much I am pretty certain of. Am I being naive in thinking that it could be fun? DC already asking if they could play iPod on journey.

DC would have a nice bit of downtime after school to do a club and have free play plus a snack. We would walk for 10 mins to train station then 40 mins on train and 20 mins in car. Back home just before 7pm. That's the killer isn't it, the lateness of the hour. It would pretty much be tea/bath/bed.

[pickledsiblings]

Pancakes, yep.

[WalkingInMemphis]

I think being out of home for pretty much 12 hours a day, and that whole time being either at school or travelling is very unfair tbh.

[WalkingInMemphis]

Also, what school would your youngest go to at 11? That's a consideration too...would it be even further away again?

[Pinkje]

DC2 spends 7.5 hrs and DC3 about 5hrs

Sorry but that's a mental commute and shouldn't be used as justification for what you are contemplating. My husband works abroad and his total weekly commute back to the UK is less than this.

Surely quality time at both ends of the school day cannot be ignored.