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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:
whereareyousleep · 17/03/2022 23:11

I'm on year number 6 of school runs with at least 5 more to go and they are an absolute pain although this year has been the worst as I have 1 in school nursery who has to be picked up at 11.45 so 3 school runs a day. Parking is ok as long as your prepared to walk 5 mins, walking is easier but we live at the top of a big hill and my 3 year old moans a lot! Other parents are the biggest problem Grin Honestly go for the easiest option providing the school isn't awful it surprisingly takes up a lot of the day I feel like I'm always clock watching and I only do the school run 3x per week. My work days are like a holiday.

Bedsheets4knickers · 18/03/2022 17:55

@Kite22

Another who would give serious weighting to a local school you can walk to. It isn't just the daily drive / parking, it is the days when you have to go back and forth (more so if you have more than one dc). The days when your car is in the garage for it's MOT or some other work. The week when you have had an operation or the 3 months when you can't drive, and no-one is passing your house to drop the dc for you. It is the dc being able to walk home on their own as they grow older. It is having friends that live in surrounding roads. My local school would have to be very poor to lose all that.
This 💯
NameChange30 · 18/03/2022 18:32

Can you cycle to school?

We do the school run by cargo bike and it's great. We chose a school which is about a mile away so it's walkable but cycling is obviously quicker.

Some people do drive and I think they're a bit mad tbh. I guess a minority have no choice but it is such a shame that so many do.

Original poster
KonkeyDonk · 19/03/2022 09:13

Cycling route would be quite dangerous along the main roads. Could use back roads but they are a bit of a maze!
I really don't know how important this is.

I have 2 schools within walking distance:
A large 3 form entry school, recently rated 'good' but with mixed reputation and history of bullying and
A small one form entry Catholic school with good results but Required Improvement, plus DH is an atheist so not keen (I'm Catholic, but not practicing).

Both undersubscribed so could possibly still send DD there. I liked the teachers at the large school but heard bad things from parents whose children went there, although it was years back with a different head teacher.

OP posts:
NameChange30 · 19/03/2022 09:19

"Could use back roads but they are a bit of a maze!"

So?! If there's a safe cycling route, use it. Quicker, better for the environment, good exercise.

WasntAllThat · 19/03/2022 09:21

I wouldn’t worry too much. You get into a routine based on what your journey is like. If you need to leave early to find parking, you will!

coconuthead · 19/03/2022 09:42

I've done both and I would choose walking over driving every time. Driving and parking at that time is a really stressful start to the day!

Original poster
KonkeyDonk · 19/03/2022 09:51

@coconuthead

I've done both and I would choose walking over driving every time. Driving and parking at that time is a really stressful start to the day!
Oh no I was afraid that might be the case Sad. I'm stressed out enough as it is with a small baby very happily not sleeping at times, she still has a long was to go with teething so it might be another year of no sleep!

For those saying 'did you do your research before you applied'- yes I asked my friends but they all just suck it up and drive, often much further away despite a school being on their doorstep. Our nearest is still almost a mile away. My next door neighbour sends her son to that further away school, having said her elder child was bullied in our catchment school quite badly.

OP posts:
glowingcandle · 19/03/2022 09:57

OP I think maybe this thread is blowing things out of proportion a bit. PPs are talking like driving is The Worst Thing Ever. It's really not. If that's the school you end up at, you'll get used to it in no time. Honestly.

I'm not saying walking isn't preferable because it probably is, but driving really isn't as bad as some people are saying. Loads of us do the school run by car every day and it's fine.

Bunce1 · 19/03/2022 09:58

We got our first choice primary and turned it down, so we got the second choice.

I was in the same predicament as you- drive to the “better school” or walk to the local ok primary. We ended up with the walking to ok school which was actually fantastic and DS excelled there.

Bunce1 · 19/03/2022 10:00

Also-

You will never know the “right” one to pick- until after the fact. I would chose convenience over “better”
I think again. The better school lost its fantastic HT and became really choppy and had lots of problems.

glowingcandle · 19/03/2022 10:00

Our nearest is still almost a mile away

Also this is quite a long way to walk with a 4 year old. Lots of people would end up driving this distance anyway (not saying I would before anyone jumps on me).

NameChange30 · 19/03/2022 10:03

@glowingcandle

Our nearest is still almost a mile away

Also this is quite a long way to walk with a 4 year old. Lots of people would end up driving this distance anyway (not saying I would before anyone jumps on me).

That's the distance to our school and we take our cargo bike, but on the rare occasions we walk it, DC (reception) goes on his bike. I see loads of children cycling or scooting while their parents walk.
ChildOfFriday · 19/03/2022 10:06

@Bunce1

We got our first choice primary and turned it down, so we got the second choice.

I was in the same predicament as you- drive to the “better school” or walk to the local ok primary. We ended up with the walking to ok school which was actually fantastic and DS excelled there.

You only got your second choice because it had spaces available after allocations day though. Declining the school you are offered is risky unless you are sure there are places available at a school you would prefer, as by offering you a school the LEA have fulfilled their legal requirement and it's possible that the only places available will be at schools that are worse or further away than the one offered.
Bunce1 · 19/03/2022 10:07

Yes that’s true! Thanks for pointing that out. I live rurally and so none of the schools are over subscribed.

ilovemyboys3 · 19/03/2022 10:16

I would pick a short walk over a drive any day. My sons school is walkable but a good 20/25 mins and this isn't always possible when I've got to shoot off to work or coming straight from work. Sometimes when it's chucking it down etc. equally driving is a huge faff, finding somewhere to park, the traffic around the school etc. if there's a school a short walk away, defo chose that!

GrendelsGrandma · 19/03/2022 10:20

Do yourself a trial run. Factor in longer than you imagine to get a stroppy child dressed and out of the house.

SpikeySmooth · 19/03/2022 10:29

DD's primary was in a narrow residential street. Most parents walked, but some drove (despite the small catchment) and parking was horrendous. The school was always trying to encourage walking with limited success. The residents nearby complained all the time. But some parents had to run to work straight after drop-off, hence needing the car.

DD is now in Secondary, still walks to school because the buses are so full! About 2 miles each way. She'd cycle if she could but the road is a major London artery and her school is on top of a massive hill! She hates PE and so this is pretty much the only exercise she gets. Her friends also walk to school.

Hersetta427 · 19/03/2022 15:35

Blimey in my town you wouldn't even consider a school 2 miles away - could take at least 30 mins each way. Also our schools are so oversubscribed you wouldn't be in with a chance of a school so far away (this is commuter Herts town).

Tetherless · 19/03/2022 15:51

Like another pp I’d suggest bike. We chose a slightly further school (0.8m) over our closest (0.4m) and if we get our first choice I’ll be cycling with DD on a seat on my (electric) bike. She can also cycle herself. We’re lucky that the route is mostly through a park, but I’d never drive in preference to cycling as it’s the best of both - fresh air and exercise of walking, no parking issues, but as faster or faster than driving.

Original poster
KonkeyDonk · 19/03/2022 16:11

Our two nearest schools are approx. 0.8 miles away, which takes over 30 minutes to walk with my DD! She's quite easily distracted Hmm.

The school I picked as first is 2 miles via car, but I checked and it's only 1.3mil walking. Saying that if 0.8mil takes 30 minutes I don't think it's a walking distance until DD is bigger?

OP posts:
NameChange30 · 19/03/2022 16:38

1.3 miles is walking distance if the adult is walking and child is cycling or scooting, but it'll take about 40 minutes.

At risk of sounding like a broken record, cycling will be much faster, especially if you have an electric bike. We got one through the cycle to work scheme.

Hercisback · 19/03/2022 16:42

She'll get faster doing it every day.
Take a scooter with a pull handle for dd, especially at the end of the day. Take a snack too.
Summer is the perfect time to train her up.
I wouldn't cycle that short a distance but can see it being a good solution.

TizerorFizz · 20/03/2022 23:19

Do a hybrid journey. Loads of parents do that and DC join a school “crocodile” from a nearer point. I used to take DC in the car from our village to the square in the nearby town. The child crocodile set off to school walking. Mums helped organise and supervise as there was a road to cross. Worked well.

Original poster
KonkeyDonk · 21/03/2022 08:47

Thank you all for you suggestions. I could cycle/daughter scoot, however in the afternoon I'd have DD2 with me so couldn't cycle. I just checked traffic on Google maps as of today and it takes 10-13 minutes driving alone, not taking into account getting in and out of the car and parking.
I suppose I'm just not sure how much of a difference there is between these two schools. Thinking about it now, all the bad stuff I heard about my catchment school is from children that attended several years back so not sure how relevant it would be now as the head changed and I only heard good things/had a good impression.
Sorry about repeating myself, I feel like there are so many factors to consider I'm not sure what really matters and in the end it's not like the school is in special measures or anything!

OP posts: