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Original poster

How long is your school journey?

39 replies

wigwoowig · 08/02/2023 13:06

Hello!

How long is your school journey? Round trip.

We have applied for two selective private schools- dc unfortunately failed the maths exam for one, we are waiting to hear back from the other.

But, there is one school we are yet to look at but it's 30min drive without morning traffic. I have another young DC preschool age so they would be doing the journey with me also.

Is this too far? I imagine it'll be 1hr 15 in the morning and later on.

No school bus comes to our town- the nearest is 15 min away so could possible look at dropping off there also.

Thank you! X

OP posts:
PatriciaHolm · 08/02/2023 13:08

Do you mean 1hr 15 one way?

watchfulwishes · 08/02/2023 13:09

Yes that is far too long. Awful for kids to be stuck in traffic like that unless unavoidable.

I would look at your nearest state school - at least then they can presumably get a school bus with friends.

My child has a 10 minute walk. This means they have loads of free time and lots of freedom after school. Being tied into a commute every day is no fun.

PatriciaHolm · 08/02/2023 13:10

Sorry didn't mean to send! How old is the child?

That seems way too far to be honest. Especially as you are locking yourself in for years, presumably. What happens when your youngest starts if they don't get into the same school? Your child won't have local friends, and what about after school clubs?

PuttingDownRoots · 08/02/2023 13:14

School 1: 7min by bike
School 2: 5 min walk plus 35min school bus
School 3: 20min school taxi
School 4: between 10 and 30mins by car (45 mins on occasion)
School 5: 2 min walk
School 6: 5 min walk

The car journey was the most stressful. Completely at mercy of traffic. It was only 2.5miles! (But not a safe walking route)

redskydelight · 08/02/2023 13:15

That's ridiculous.

Even thirty minutes each way would be 2 hours in the car every day for your pre-school child. That's a huge proportion of their day.

Think of what you (and your DC) could do with the extra time if you weren't spending it going to school. Then decide if the school is really worth it.

Cornelious2011 · 08/02/2023 13:16

Currently 1 minute commute. From September either a 15 minute bus journey or a train/ bus journey taking 40 minutes in total (both grammars) so not our closest schools.

Comedycook · 08/02/2023 13:18

I think it's too long. Many moons ago my ds went to a school which was a minute walk from our house. Then we moved but he had to continue going there for a few months while we waited for a new school to offer him a place. It's was thirty minute drive but in morning traffic it was more like 45-60 mins. Honestly it was hell and ended up making me ill. My Ds was exhausted and I was so stressed in the traffic every morning. Just awful.

LaMariposa · 08/02/2023 13:18

Just under a 20min walk/15min drive. Walking we can take a lot of short cuts through estates and avoid traffic, plus stop at the park on the way home.

LadyDanburysHat · 08/02/2023 13:19

I know a few kids who do over an hour to the nearest private schools from us that is in the city. However, they are all in senior school, and it's still a long journey for them. They leave about 7.30 am and get home around 5pm.

FenghuangHoyan · 08/02/2023 13:20

We take ours about 3 miles to school each day. That's about an hour of driving for us and 30 minutes for them. Sometimes we also have to take them to school or out of school at lunch time and there's also Saturday school.

I know parents at the school who travel over an hour to school, but they also have the kids stay over some nights. Its also their nannies that tend to do the driving... I'm not in that bracket. Those kids seem to cope fine from what I know.

Minikievs · 08/02/2023 13:22

10 mins walk each way DC2
20 mins walk each way DC1 (would take me 10 but he has the pace of a crippled snail)

Used to be 3 mile drive for both. 10 mins usual journey. It used to take 40 mins to get back on a Friday afternoon. And a good 20 min drive in the morning. Super stressful. I can't imagine an hours drive to school!! One small issue/traffic jam and you'd be so late

Minikievs · 08/02/2023 13:23

As in 20 min drive there in the morning. Not round trip.

Original poster
wigwoowig · 08/02/2023 13:57

PatriciaHolm · 08/02/2023 13:08

Do you mean 1hr 15 one way?

It'll be 1.5hr round trip I think. If there's traffic. So about 35min-40min for dc

OP posts:
Original poster
wigwoowig · 08/02/2023 13:58

Thank you! I did think it would be too long.

I have applied for state also, but the ones in our catchment area are not great... we shall see what happens!

OP posts:
Original poster
wigwoowig · 08/02/2023 13:59

I should say at the moment we leave 8.20am
and I am back 9am or now and again 9.10am if there's been an accident. Dc is 11- going to seniors in sept.

OP posts:
SaltyGod · 08/02/2023 14:02

Ours is 40 mins there in the morning, 30 back. Pre covid it was easily more than this.

Only 20 mins each way at pick up.

We are rural and school has a large catchment. 45 mins each way isn't unheard of at our school. The kids soon get used to it. We leave at 7.20 for 8am arrival.

SaltyGod · 08/02/2023 14:03

I don't think 30-40 mins is unreasonable at all, but it can be a bit of a grind if it's always you doing the driving. Depends how much you value the school (for us it's incredibly important and worth it)

StillWantingADog · 08/02/2023 14:07

1 minute walk each way- realise that’s very lucky

in your shoes I would trial the journey in morning traffic if you can, agree it sounds difficult. Possibly not as bad as you think though. Is a lift to a bus not an option?

Clockwerk · 08/02/2023 15:32

Six mins walk round trip (door to door). Previously it was 42 min round trip by tube, door to door - we specifically moved to be within walking distance to the school, we had to do the tube journey for the first term as house purchase was delayed.

It was too long for my 4 year old and her baby sister, and generally just a stressful start to the day even though it was a straight tube journey with just a little walking at each end. Of course the total time spent out of the house was much longer, as you need to leave early to allow to delays, then spend time sorting stuff out or chatting to staff at drop off etc.

It's not uncommon for families at our prep to do long journeys, and they do cope - but it wasn't right for my DD. She was so tired by the end of the week, and there is a real difference now that she doesn't have to commute. Also it's much better for my younger DD - it's not healthy for a preschooler to be strapped in for so long (in a buggy or car seat). I also have more time during the day as I'm not spending so long travelling there and back!

RosieRiveting · 08/02/2023 16:03

wigwoowig · 08/02/2023 13:59

I should say at the moment we leave 8.20am
and I am back 9am or now and again 9.10am if there's been an accident. Dc is 11- going to seniors in sept.

If it's secondary school I would look at options for dropping to the nearest bus stop there is. I think a longer commute is fine for secondary, but it's a drag for you having to do the whole thing there and back. And it robs your DC of a chance for independence. A quick drop to the nearest bus stop is a nicer option.

My secondary school DC has a 30-40 min journey door to door by bus and walking, more or less. It's fine and fairly standard where we are.

Ilovechoc12 · 08/02/2023 16:19

Absolutely fine commute - try and pick up the closest bus link so you don't have to drag the toddler around.

My boy senior school 45 mins on a bus - sometimes longer with traffic. He doesn't seem to mind plays games on his I phone from what I can gather.

Trains?

Also, after school clubs - do you have to pick them up as no late bus home? That's what kills me on a Thursday and Fri night! Plus sat am! Check that out

Mumsafan · 08/02/2023 16:34

DD goes on school mini bus service which picks up from outside our house. Picks her up at 7.40 and gets into school at 8.30 as it has had various stops and routes added to it over the years. Evenings - depends on whether she gets the early bus or late bus after activities .

There are as couple of times a week I take her/ pick her up. 25 mins by car but that involves a couple of motorway junctions.

She's Year 11 and won't be going to that school for Sixth Form - she has a choice between a 10 min car journey for one school or a 10 min car journey, then 10 mins on a train and 5 mins on school shuttle. Both schools quicker than the one she's at now.

purpledalmation · 08/02/2023 16:41

Ours is 50 minutes rush hour and motorway. Not too bad coming home but 60 miles altogether

Jules912 · 08/02/2023 16:43

Currently about 10 minutes.
If DS gets his first choice high school it'll be about 30 minutes walk (and probably similar on the bus if he prefers as traffic sucks). I can't drive him as have to take DD to school. That distance would be ok for high school if he could get there himself but that's an awful round trip (especially with a pre-schooler).

TeaandHobnobs · 08/02/2023 18:35

We are currently doing what should be a 30min commute to school with 2 primary age DC, following a house move. In reality (we have to cross over a motorway / motorway junction and a river), during rush hour this can get up to 1hr15 on a bad day (accident on the dual carriageway kind of day).
I‘ve had too many days in the last few months where I’ve spent 4 hours on the school run a day - that’s crap for the kids (only 2 hours for them), and it’s crap for me. Long days for them too, it has taken its toll.
Eldest DC moves up to secondary in September - should be going to a school a 15 min bus ride away - and we are moving the youngest to another school equally nearby.

Even the option of dropping your older child for the bus isn’t brilliant - that’s still a 30min minimum round trip for you and your preschooler every morning… but it would save you some time. My two get a school bus two days a week, but that is a 20min drive to the bus stop from us.