To think the 3 mile rule for school transport is unfair and not fit for the current time?

[WellThatsMeScrewed]

My eldest does not get transport to her secondary school because we live 2.89 miles away from her secondary school. Supposedly she can walk this.

It would involve crossing 3 lots of dual carriageways, walking along a unlit busy road.

It’s just not fair.

The 3 mile rule is from some archaic time where there was hardly any traffic.

Of course I know what a school bus is.

Several other posters on this thread have already said that they've paid for their child to have a place on the school bus.

Others wouldn't live in a place with no public transport if they can't or won't drive.

However, as the OP has decided not to return, we will probably never know the answer.

I mean... generally people have to pay to get to other places.

You are getting a hard time on here @WellThatsMeScrewed and FWIW I agree with you. You can always depend on (some) mumsnetters to be contrary all the time though. If you said 'AIBU to think it's unacceptable for a 4 year old to walk 7 miles to school' someone would say it's OK. (If they can walk, they can walk to school!)

I still don't understand why she can't use public transport tbh, you haven't been clear on that (unless I missed it.) But yeah, I absolutely would NOT be allowing my daughter to walk 3 miles, along lonely pathways and dual carriageways. Anyone who says it's OK for a child to walk along a dual carriageway is taking the piss. You can bet they would never let THEIR kids do this, and would very likely not do it themselves to get to work.

Very VERY few people would walk to work if it's 3 miles or more. If they couldn't drive/had no car, they'd get a bus, get a train (if the fuckers were actually running!) or cycle, or cadge a lift. Like fuck would most people be regularly doing a 6 or 7 mile round trip WALK to work and back.

As for the teachers/the school saying 3 miles is OK for the kids to walk to school. Do THEY walk to school??? Nah thought not. I have never known any teacher WALK (to the school they work at,) in my LIFE. Bet they all/mostly live 7-10 miles or more away. Convenient.

Shit like this makes me SO glad mine has left school, and is grown, and I don't have to deal with SCHOOLS anymore. We had to tolerate SO much shit from DD's schools. Primary AND secondary. So much bullshit like this, and so many rules and regulations and many that were utter pointless bullshit.

You have my sympathy. Hope things get better.

"OP still hasn't explained why she can't pay for her child to have a place on the school bus that goes down her road, has she? Did I miss it?"

There may not be paid spaces available and if there is and a child eligible for a free place joined the route, the OP's child would lose their place.

Thank goodness for this thread @WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps ! You might have been waiting another month to blame teachers for something!

I was about to say the same thing.

😂

Yes, this is a big issue for 6th formers in our area. Not a problem for me personally as I pay for transport anyway, but for those who are going to schools where free transport is provided, that entitlement stops at the end of year 11. So every year there is the same stupid situation where there are 6th formers going back to the same school suddenly not able to get on the bus that comes through their village that they have been using every day for the last 5 years, even if there are empty seats. The journeys are invariably over 10 miles along country roads, there are no public buses and as the kids are 16 they are too young to drive at least initially.There's at least one article in the paper every year where one sibling is getting a bus and an older one can't, even though the family are willing to pay for a pass.
Possibly the most ridiculous case I've heard is where the LEA were sending a taxi to get a disabled child to school but wouldn't allow his younger sibling to ride with him even though there was nobody else in the car, but I think they eventually relented on that one.
Occasionally common sense prevails but generally it is as you say and the rules are rigidly applied.

@TugboatAnnie

Thank goodness for this thread @WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps ! You might have been waiting another month to blame teachers for something!

@PurpleWisteria

I was about to say the same thing!

I'm not BLAMING the teachers for anything, just stating a fact. That the schools always seem to expect the kids to walk 3+ miles to school, but like fuck would any of the teachers do it! They do have this 'do as I say not as I dooooo...' mindset!

Hit a raw nerve did I?

When we lived in London 3 miles was a doddle to walk my primary children to school. Try doing it on narrow Cornish country lanes with cars speeding and tractors taking g up every inch of tarmac! Honestly I think some MNetters have never lived anywhere lacking in street lights either!

@WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps
As for the teachers/the school saying 3 miles is OK for the kids to walk to school. Do THEY walk to school??? Nah thought not. I have never known any teacher WALK (to the school they work at,) in my LIFE. Bet they all/mostly live 7-10 miles or more away. Convenient.

Except it isn't the school or the teachers who decide. it's the LEA. Do try to control your petty hatred for teachers and aim blame where it actually belongs.

Otherwise you end up looking a bit daft, like you just did.

I think it depends on the answer to a few questions really.

Is there a bus or train?
Can you pay for a place on the bus?
Did you have an option of a nearer/easier to access school?

If so they yab a bit unreasonable as there has to be a cut off somewhere. And if you chose the school over another ( I do mean chose as I don't class allocation as having chosen obviously) then it's up to you to get them there.

If however this was the only school they could access and there's no safe walking route at all and yours does sound dodgy then ya definitely nbu and should appeal on safety grounds.

Good luck op

@WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps
As for the teachers/the school saying 3 miles is OK for the kids to walk to school. Do THEY walk to school??? Nah thought not. I have never known any teacher WALK (to the school they work at,) in my LIFE. Bet they all/mostly live 7-10 miles or more away. Convenient.

This has absolutely nothing to do with teachers or schools. It was decided by the then government in 1944 when they passed the Education Act and has been reaffirmed by various governments since.

As this thread is clearly degenerating into a bunfight, I'll bring something else to your attention, OP - time limits for appeal.

You need to get your appeal in now. Not on the grounds that it's not fair, as that won't succeed, but on the grounds that the walking route is unsuitable/unsafe. The details should be on the decision letter, if not, they'll be available on the Local Authority website (as they're the ones who make the decisions in accordance with the law).

Do your appeal today.

Good point @NeverDropYourMooncup

The route sounds unsafe.

You need to apply for transport on that basis.

Is there a bus running which you could pay for? I would do that in the short term while applying, and appealing if necessary.

Lots of people in my county are in the same position after the council/bus companies withdrew over 100 bus services with barely any notice. Many of us are applying for transport based on unsafe routes to school. If the route is deemed unsafe, the council have a legal obligation to pay for transport.

"I'm not BLAMING the teachers for anything, just stating a fact. That the schools always seem to expect the kids to walk 3+ miles to school, but like fuck would any of the teachers do it! They do have this 'do as I say not as I dooooo...' mindset!"

Schools and teachers don't decide who gets school transport. Transport decisions are made by the LA.

If the route is not safe then you are entitled to transport. That is the case for the village next to us to our secondary. It is less than 3 miles but the shortest safe route is more than 3.

Did you have an option of a nearer/easier to access school?

^^this is also the case h for the 3 mile rule.

Yes, it is ridiculous.

We live over 3 miles from the catchment secondary, but still have to pay for the bus.

Our council changed the rules from 'catchment school' to 'nearest school'.

Now it is £4/day (two DC there) it is cheaper for us to drive. We car share with another family. And over a month that's the best part of a grocery shop, which is money better spent!

The nearest school is 3.1 miles, the catchment school is 3.15 miles away. The route is not safe in either direction. Twisty country roads at 60 miles an hour.

I'd argue with the council they should change the catchment school to being the nearest school. Because anything else is nuts!

3 miles is an hour's walk. Each way. How many of you walk that far to work (on an unpleasant route) or would be willing to do so? Every day? Not many I imagine. People consider an hour to be a fairly long commute from the comfort of a car/train.

Good luck OP.

But the OP hasn't said If a bus route is available so she may not need to walk it

Bloody hell well that kicked off while I went out!!!

Sorry did not mean to post and run, didn’t think anyone would be interested 🤣 Will read later after tea.

God, some of you would probably send kids down the mines if that was still a thing.

Where do I send my kids? Could do with the extra money.

We live out in the sticks. We live five miles from two different schools, one of which is ever so slightly nearer and out of the area. There is no bus for that one. We have no public transport. So we have to pay for the school bus - if we lived 20 yards nearer to the bus stop, we’d get it free! Makes very little sense!