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Original poster

School pickups and dropoffs

54 replies

bluejasmine00 · 25/04/2022 13:36

Hi,
Don't even know how to frame this question!! So, here goes:
We live in St Albans, stepson attends Chesham Grammar (which is 15 miles away). Doing school runs for him during rush hours is becoming increasingly unsustainable, so looking for alternative transport options.
Looked into taxi services and looks like this is going to cost something in the order of a couple of thousand pounds per month 😱
Is there a nanny/childminding service that will do something like this at a more reasonable cost?
Feeling totally clueless here.

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BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 25/04/2022 16:36

woodhill · 25/04/2022 16:08

May I ask why you selected that school when you live such a distance?

I know what the traffic is like in the area so it must be awful to get him there

Have you read the OPs posts?

Bramshott · 25/04/2022 16:38

I'd call a taxi firm - they may be prepared to do you a better deal if it's a regular booking. Then maybe his dad could continue to take him a couple of times a week and you could do the taxi the other days? Or his dad could take him and the taxi bring him back? Sounds like a tricky situation.

Bramshott · 25/04/2022 16:39

Or a quick Google suggest 2 buses changing in Hemel Hempstead would take just short of 1hr 30, but only at 16.49....

Original poster
bluejasmine00 · 25/04/2022 16:54

@newbiename , as far as I am aware there is no train connection between St Albans to Rickmansworth/Chorleywood. It would have been a really good solution if that existed.
@woodhill , we did think of it but it is takes the same time driving to Watford Underground and Chesham grammar from our house. We even considered that he takes the Abbey Line to Watford and then Met line but there is an 1.2 miles walk between Watford Central (where Abbey Line stops) and Watford Underground and dropped the idea. (I actually did the journey myself to check)
@erinaceus and @NannyR , we know it probably will end up being expensive. But given the taxis quoted £2000+/pm, we are just hoping to find a solution which costs less than that.
@NannyR , we will definitely jump with joy if someone can do it at £200/week :)
Thanks again ladies, you all have been amazing!!

OP posts:
Original poster
bluejasmine00 · 25/04/2022 17:01

@Bramshott , yes that is the problem. And there will be another 30 mins at least for him to travel from St Albans City Centre to our house. This is the only option I saw doable and its taking him door to door 2 hours each way. And this doesn't even include waiting time. Looks like St Albans is not as well connected as I thought it was, but then again never considered I will need to think about public transport between here and Bucks schools :).

OP posts:
BrieAndChilli · 25/04/2022 17:03

i think your best bet would be to try and do a combination of things


  • DS gets dropped to school early - he might be able to sit in library etc

  • Your DH takes him once a week and arranges his work schedule around that

  • your kids go to afterschool or breakfast club a couple times a week - might work out cheaper to do that than a taxi

  • taxi a couple of times a week

  • stays a bit later after school - eg at a club or in the library if that is open so that you can collect him after getting your kids.

Original poster
bluejasmine00 · 25/04/2022 17:05

@AchillesPoirot and @CareBearsCare , he is in Year 10, so still some time before he ends secondary.

OP posts:
newbiename · 25/04/2022 17:05

bluejasmine00 · 25/04/2022 16:54

@newbiename , as far as I am aware there is no train connection between St Albans to Rickmansworth/Chorleywood. It would have been a really good solution if that existed.
@woodhill , we did think of it but it is takes the same time driving to Watford Underground and Chesham grammar from our house. We even considered that he takes the Abbey Line to Watford and then Met line but there is an 1.2 miles walk between Watford Central (where Abbey Line stops) and Watford Underground and dropped the idea. (I actually did the journey myself to check)
@erinaceus and @NannyR , we know it probably will end up being expensive. But given the taxis quoted £2000+/pm, we are just hoping to find a solution which costs less than that.
@NannyR , we will definitely jump with joy if someone can do it at £200/week :)
Thanks again ladies, you all have been amazing!!

Sorry , I just googled routes. Hope you find a solution.

BrieAndChilli · 25/04/2022 17:05

does he have a friend he could either get dropped off to in the morning or go home with after school a couple of days? your dh could then take/drop him on way to/from work. if one of my 15 year old sons mum had kicked him out and the dad was haing trouble getting him to school i would be happy to help. you could even offer a little cash to help sweeten the deal.

i moved schools when i was 15 so my opinion is to try not to move him during his GCSEs unless its completely unavoidable. espcially as he is dealing with the fact that his mother doesnt want him.

Original poster
bluejasmine00 · 25/04/2022 17:06

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz , I will check about the funded transport, really did not think about that. Thanks for the suggestion.

OP posts:
whatcangowrong · 25/04/2022 17:09

I know this area and was going to ask why on Earth you put him into school in Chesham when there are some perfectly good schools in St Albans, but just seen your update. Poor fellow that must be so tough for him. Bus to Hemel and then could you fetch him from there? He's not young and this would still have him feeling like someone cared to pick him up.

Alwayspaintyournails · 25/04/2022 17:19

Could you advertise the job in the hope a retiree might take you up on it for some cash in hand pocket money?

That said, between fuel, wear and tear to the vehicle and a reasonable hourly rate considering it’s two very stand alone hours a day I would be expecting to pay in the realms of £250/275 a week.

Pythonesque · 25/04/2022 17:22

Another option I would seriously explore, is whether he could stay overnight one or even two nights with a schoolfriend (obviously you would still need to pay something). If he has any close friends who would realistically be in a position for this to be practical, their parents may be understanding of the situation.

I hope you can come up with something to take some of the pressure off, sounds a really difficult situation. I take it when he started there he was at his mothers most school nights?

Original poster
bluejasmine00 · 25/04/2022 17:29

@whatcangowrong lol on 'why on earth ...'. I would think exactly the same, my kids are in Sandringham and I think it is an amazing school. You and @BrieAndChilli are spot on, he is a such a sweet boy and tries to be casual about the change but I can see he is hurting. I really hope there is a way we can make this work nicely.

OP posts:
Harridan1981 · 25/04/2022 17:40

Could he head to a library or something after school, so you pick up your two and then go for him?

So dad drop him off, you pick him after after?

CloudPop · 25/04/2022 17:45

Have you had a look at Koru Kids? Or is there a university nearby you could advertise at to see if a student could do some of the journeys?

xyzandabc · 25/04/2022 17:53

Could you drop him off in Hemel, he then gets the number 1 bus to chesham, then same in reverse so you're only driving to Hemel and back rather than chesham?

I've only googled rather than local knowledge so don't know how close to school the number 1 would get him.

LIZS · 25/04/2022 17:53

Have you approached the school? Maybe other kids travel in similar direction or could lift-share even part way?

woodhill · 25/04/2022 18:18

bluejasmine00 · 25/04/2022 16:54

@newbiename , as far as I am aware there is no train connection between St Albans to Rickmansworth/Chorleywood. It would have been a really good solution if that existed.
@woodhill , we did think of it but it is takes the same time driving to Watford Underground and Chesham grammar from our house. We even considered that he takes the Abbey Line to Watford and then Met line but there is an 1.2 miles walk between Watford Central (where Abbey Line stops) and Watford Underground and dropped the idea. (I actually did the journey myself to check)
@erinaceus and @NannyR , we know it probably will end up being expensive. But given the taxis quoted £2000+/pm, we are just hoping to find a solution which costs less than that.
@NannyR , we will definitely jump with joy if someone can do it at £200/week :)
Thanks again ladies, you all have been amazing!!

Yes the traffic is awful anywhere around Watford

Hope you find a solution OP

RidingMyBike · 25/04/2022 18:35

A friend of my brother had his parents relocate when he was in sixth form. He stayed locally with a friend in the week (they paid for this), then went to his parents at weekends? Is something like this feasible a couple of nights a week to cut down on the travel?

ReturnfromtheStars · 25/04/2022 19:31

@bluejasmine00 would a commuter scooter (maybe even an electric one) help with the 1.2 mile portion?

Original poster
bluejasmine00 · 26/04/2022 09:28

You all are so lovely, some really great suggestions here. 😘
I will talk to my OH and see what suits best. Unfortunately, there seems to be no perfect solution in this case.

OP posts:
Original poster
bluejasmine00 · 26/04/2022 09:28

You all are so lovely, some really great suggestions here. 😘
I will talk to my OH and see what suits best. Unfortunately, there seems to be no perfect solution in this case.

OP posts:
Original poster
bluejasmine00 · 26/04/2022 09:31

You all are so lovely, some really great suggestions here. 😘
I will talk to my OH and see what suits best. Unfortunately, there seems to be no perfect solution in this case.

OP posts:
Original poster
bluejasmine00 · 26/04/2022 10:52

You all are so lovely, some really great suggestions here. 😘
I will talk to my OH and see what suits best. Unfortunately, there seems to be no perfect solution in this case.

OP posts: