Commute to work so much shorter when schools are off

[Ifo]

I believe that traffic levels have gone up since parents were able to choose which school their DCs go to. Parents apply without thinking about how their DC get to school. Yes car.

It’s half term here and my journey to work during term time is 1 hour - 1 hour 10 mins. This week, I left home 15 minutes later and arrive 10 mins earlier than the ETA upon leaving.

This is even with more people doing hybrid/WFH.

i think admission policy should revert back to postcodes. Except for in DC with severe SEND.

It's ridiculous that the rush hour periods are still such a thing, it's like a switch is pressed after certain times, lol.

Yes. Wales. State school.

Crow flies is 3 miles away (the point of which free transport kicks in, for the older ones at least), but by road its more like 5 miles. I wouldn't let my primary kids go on school transport as I dont want them on it by themselves, plus I want to be able to engage with teachers etc at the end of the day. The high school is just another couple of minutes past it so I drop the older one in and pick him up if hes not going out after school because the coach is regularly late. I enjoy being able to take them to school and having those few minutes in the car where we can sing and chat.

I'm confused.

You've always been able to choose which school you send your kids to, and the schools make clear their priority on admission e.g. close to the school, EHCP etc...

The only thing they changed about 9 years ago is the free transportation, which is now only to your nearest school.

So parents who don't send their kids to the nearest school either pay for a private bus fair, or when you have more than 1 child and that becomes expensive, you drive them.

This has been going on for years though so wouldn't make any difference to traffic.

It's half term so lots of parents WFH or take the week of to cover childcare. That's all.

I think if we had BST all year round and lighter afternoons/darker mornings, the morning rush hour would be more spread out a bit.

I'd have a separate driving test for an SUV, or at least a requirement of several years clean licence beforehand. I'd guess numbers would reduce as a result.

And designated larger spaces for SUVs far away from the entrance.

It's moot to me as I can literally see school from our house, but you're being very daft OP.

People who work term time only are off too, and workers are disproportionately likely to take their annual leave in school holidays given that Christmas, summer and most bank holidays fall then. University students are also off in a lot of school holidays too. The population has grown, so there'd be more people on the roads now than there were 10, 20, 30 years ago even if nothing else had changed.

And your 'severe SEN' bar is too high. Plenty of kids don't fall into that bracket but still have particular needs that might be met by a school that isn't the nearest one to their house.

You'd do better to campaign for more remote working!

I don’t have to drive my child to school but for most of those I know who do, it’s because they have to rush home or to the office as both parents are now working and many workplaces are inflexible.
Public transport is crap - I get it every day. It’s been actually more bearable this week because of half term, as buses aren’t completely packed with the driver refusing to move until someone gets off, which happens at least a couple of times per week. So it’s not just driving and traffic that is the issue.

Have you actually read the admissions criteria for all the schools? Have you looked at the information about applying for schools provided by your LA? If not, I suggest you do. It will help you understand.

I thought the children were all taken there by car? How do you see them when you’re on the bus?

I mentioned "physical disabilities" in my list of exceptions.

Our local school is not in a direction that anyone would drive past on their way to work.

If your child is too tired from "activities" to walk 10-15 minutes to school, then they are doing too many activities, or should see the doctor.

I don't take a note of car registration numbers. Actually I don't pay any attention at all because I'm too busy going in an entirely different direction. However, other parents tell me that they drive their children to school and I know where said parents live. My children know if (on their 15 minute walk) they walk past a dozen drives on their way to school and see school children getting into cars, that these children are being driven a ridiculously short distance.

Our local secondary school is in an a residential estates. It was planned to support children within about a 30 minutes walking distance (which is 95% of the school intake). There is no road infrastructure to cope with a large volume of cars. And hence it is total chaos for about an hour in the morning and the afternoon as people drive on pavements, block in residents, narrowly avoid hitting children etc. It is not pleasant for anyone and is dangerous.

People drive when there is no need. It is a modern scourge (not just linked to going to school).