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Original poster

Are school runs really that bad?

130 replies

KonkeyDonk · 17/03/2022 15:44

Following from another thread, are they really that awful?
We've already applied for DD's primary place so probably too late to worry about it Hmm but just musing...
We put our catchment school as a second choice (less than 1mile away). First choice is over 2miles away or a 5 minute drive in low traffic. Not sure how long it would take with usual traffic plus notoriously difficult parking! Should I start praying we don't get our first choice Grin?
I'd prefer to walk if I could but we went for a slightly nicer 2FE over the nearer 3FE. Both rated good but 2FE has better reputation. Now wondering how much it really matters if I end up stuck n traffic non stop!

OP posts:
soupmaker · 17/03/2022 16:32

Sorry OP but I think you were absolutely mad not to put the perfectly good closer school as your first choice. 2 miles in the car at school time will take you way long than you think. What a waste of time and energy. Walking your kid to school will be way more fun.

Original poster
KonkeyDonk · 17/03/2022 16:34

@soupmaker

Sorry OP but I think you were absolutely mad not to put the perfectly good closer school as your first choice. 2 miles in the car at school time will take you way long than you think. What a waste of time and energy. Walking your kid to school will be way more fun.
Oh no I was worried about that. We'll await the offer day, our second choice usually have spaces so I'll contact them directly.
OP posts:
DetailMouse · 17/03/2022 16:37

Judging by the chaos outside my house at school times, you will either be very stressed and think it perfectly reasonable to block driveways and shout at residents when they need you to move or you will arrive 30 mins before pick up/drop off times to nab the best spaces.

Picklerickflag · 17/03/2022 16:37

I've done both and prefer what we have now. Which is a school within walking distance.

The most stressful thing in all honesty is getting your kids to do what you want them to in time to get to school. But if you get up and get organised, it's ok.

Picklerickflag · 17/03/2022 16:37

Get up early even

mocktail · 17/03/2022 16:38

There are other benefits to a nearby school - hopefully means friends are also within walking distance, and means that by age 9 or 10 they can walk to school by themselves whig is great for building independence. Also I'm not sure if you have more than one child but that would also make things more difficult if one has an after school club or playdate and the other doesn't. Etc etc. I'd pick the closer school unless there's a compelling reason not to personally.

Moonshine5 · 17/03/2022 16:39

Yes x 100

mocktail · 17/03/2022 16:40

Plus I like the walk to school - fresh air an exercise 🙂

lalafam · 17/03/2022 16:43

We started off at a school we could walk to and I actually enjoyed the school run. Now we live somewhere we have to drive to and it is a nightmare. Its the parking that is the problem, you end up having to get there early to get a space. Walk over drive anytime.

Turningpurple · 17/03/2022 16:44

Oh god I hated the school run. So so much. I got a house very near a primary. Ds is in year 6 so walks himself. It's bliss.

We are about 30 yards from the school gate. I would never pick a school I had to drive to, if I could avoid it.

Original poster
KonkeyDonk · 17/03/2022 16:45

To the poster who pointed out that I can check traffic at different times on Google maps - thank you, I never noticed that option! Seems the drive itself can take up to 16 minutes in the morning traffic. We went with the school with a better reputation, our local one had a bullying problem. However the head teacher since changed and I heard it improved. We spent a lot of time agonising over it. Local school is 0.7 mile away.

OP posts:
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 17/03/2022 16:51

I've had 4 different school runs. The driving one was the most stressful. The 15 minute drive turned into upto 45 due to roadworks. I was leaving at 8.15, not getting home until after 10. Afternoon wasn't as bad. They were even late a few times.

We now have 3 min walk and its a lit calmer.

glowingcandle · 17/03/2022 16:51

@konkeydonk do you know anyone at the closer school, who would give you an honest opinion? I'd be pretty wary of a school with a reputation for bullying, personally. But a new head can make all the difference.

MN is weirdly pro or anti certain things. On here everyone hates the idea of driving to school but in 'real life' I know loads of people who find it ok. Not as ideal as walking, but still ok. I'd never describe it as a nightmare. My DD is never late and I've never not got a parking space 🤷‍♀️

Longcovid21 · 17/03/2022 16:54

Oops sorry I started the earlier thread. Turns out I have been harbouring covid so no wonder I have been feeling like I'm wading through cement. But yes if you can walk to school it will be a million billion times better. Remember you will be doing it 2 x a day for 6 or 7 years.

OutlookStalking · 17/03/2022 16:58

Wow Id go with the less than a mile walk unless the school was really bad. Can you not ask anyone local /ask on a local fb group.

That would really be a pain in the neck spending all that time in traffic (plus peaving early to make sure you're not late, plus allowing time to find a space and then walking across) for 7 years.... unless there was a huge difference between the schools.

Think of them walking home themselves in yr 5 and 6 at that distance, local kids to play with after school, etc

Can you drive say tomorrow at that time as if it was a trial run and actually see if you can find a space (near here you'd have ti leave super early to actually get a space.)

Id honestly rethink. Not much difference between 2 and 3 form entry if that was your main reason?

Original poster
KonkeyDonk · 17/03/2022 17:03

@glowingcandle I talked to parents in both and the consensus is that the further away school has always been great and the nearer one has lately become fine. All the horror stories are from several years ago. They usually have spaces in our second choice as it's so large (intake of 90). Can't wait for the offer day, hope we don't get our first choice now!

OP posts:
Iamkmackered1979 · 17/03/2022 17:06

We just went to catchment school as none of this 1st second choice etc then ended up in temporary accommodation bloody mikes away and school run is 10/15 min drive just a pain in the arse to park i would love to be able to walk them

OutlookStalking · 17/03/2022 17:07

90 isn't large in most areas I know! Even the little rural infant schools lead into 3 form juniors/middle schools here.

Also our local 90 form entry schools are usually oversubscribed (you can see by looking at previous years admissions).

I get none of this is relevant to you if yours isn't though and 90 is unusual to you!

Original poster
KonkeyDonk · 17/03/2022 17:07

@OutlookStalking it was mostly the reputation plus I was slightly wary of the 3FE school having an open plan reception. My neighbour's child was bullied there but it was year's ago and head since changed.We agonised over it till last moment, decided to choose school that is more difficult to get into as our second choice always has free spaces should we change our minds, which I guess is happening.

OP posts:
OutlookStalking · 17/03/2022 17:08

Ah yes playing at park on way home/popping to the shop/walking with a friend etc...

gamerchick · 17/03/2022 17:08

Well you do need nerves of steel if you're driving the school run sometimes.

Why don't you do the route. Have a shot and see what it's like at that time?

Original poster
KonkeyDonk · 17/03/2022 17:10

They usually have about 75 kids out of 90, pretty much never oversubscribed.

OP posts:
OutlookStalking · 17/03/2022 17:10

Ah crosspost!

I can see why if bullying was an issue/badly handled. Is it worth visiting them both again?

Survivingmy3yearold · 17/03/2022 17:11

We walk, driving actually takes us longer Hmm By the time DD6 has dawdled to the car and got herself strapped in and I've got DD1 in her car seat, then managed to get out onto the main road (can easily take 3-4 minutes on a bad day) and then driven up to school, found somewhere to park and we've all gotten out and walked down to school from where we've parked (which is sometimes quite a way as it's just so busy) it's taken a good 12-15 minutes. It takes us 10 minutes to walk door to door, we can easily shave a couple of minutes off that if we need to. I was so relieved DD got into our closest school, all the others would have definitely been a drive

JuneOsborne · 17/03/2022 17:13

Sorry OP but this is why the planet is in a mess. Driving unnecessarily. 7 years of driving a child to school.

A child who is capable of walking and has a school on their doorstep. I know not everyone has either of those luxuries.

It's better for their health to walk too.

It's not your fault though, you're not the only one that does it, it's because we have all this choice. If everyone just went to their nearest school, you'd get less of this.

With petrol prices the way they are, you're going to be spending a lot of money on fuel over the next 7 years too, unless you're electric?