Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

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:
theoldcatsmells · 08/02/2023 19:44

Ours is only a 15 minute walk, primary.
But growing up in London it was about 20 minutes wait for the bus, 20 minute bus ride, then 10 minute walk across a park with a resident flasher

Good times. Kids today don't know they're born.

Swansong124 · 08/02/2023 20:33

For secondary I think that’s fine and becoming more usual for the older one. It’s more the younger one tagging along and your time too. But many will travel for that long to secondary x

Minimochi · 10/02/2023 19:49

DS is in Reception and it takes us between 30 and 40 minutes to get to school by car. (20 minutes outside of rush hour.) It's fine. He went to nursery at the same place and has done the trip for years. I work there, so don't have to drive back home until after school finishes.
The secondary school I'm considering for him would mean a 15 minute detour for me but it would take roughly the same amount of time to get him to school. He could potentially also stay at his current school but they are academically selective and it's too early to tell...
Our alternative is our local grammar school (no selection process, admission is based on catchment and parental choice), which would involve a 10 minute walk to the train station, then a 10 minute train ride and another 20 minute walk to school...or our local comprehensive, which would be about 20 minutes by train.

LostMyMarblesToday · 10/02/2023 23:14

Anywhere between 35 to 40 minutes.

Longer journeys aren't fun, my school journey used to take around 1 hour and 20, it was long and tedious. Initially hated it, but then got used to it.

caringcarer · 10/02/2023 23:35

I drive teen with SN to a college 26 miles away but we have to get around Birmingham in rush hour. It takes me 1 hour 15 mins if no accidents or breakdowns slowing everything down. I drive home in about 1 hour. To collect it takes me 40 mins to get there and 1 hour and 5-10 mins to get home. You get used to it. It means dear Foster son can go to college and do BTEC course he can succeed on. Local college does not do this course. It is 10 months as course finishes end of June. He is succeeding and doing really well so it makes it all worth while, plus as he is my Foster son it is my job to care for him and do my best by him. DH collects him Friday afternoon as he has an early finish on Fridays.

AliTheMinx · 19/02/2023 19:15

30 minutes approx from home to school if we leave at 7.30. If we don't leave until 7.40, it can take 45-50 minutes!!! Definitely worthi it, as it's a great school :-)

MrPickles73 · 20/02/2023 12:59

WE are teh same as saltygod. The kids take a school minibus. 45 mins each way. No traffic. 20 miles.

Lily7050 · 20/02/2023 22:25

I know parents whose 11+ year old children travel over 1 hour on way to their private schools. This is in London by public transport (tube, trains/trams). Schools were chosen by children themselves. Those children did not like schools available closer to homes. So OP's commute is not unusual. It will be tiring for a preschooler. I would drop the elder child at the nearest stop of the school bus. This way he will spend more time with his friends.

Lily7050 · 20/02/2023 22:26

Unfortunately the nearest schools are not always the best suitable for a child.

MotherOfHouseplants · 20/02/2023 22:52

What will you do once your preschooler is in school?

Xiaoxiong · 20/02/2023 23:00

8 miles each way. 20 mins on a good day, 30 on a bad one so on a bad day I spend 2 hours in the car. I get through a lot of podcasts!

UsingChangeofName · 20/02/2023 23:15

Secondary ?
dc1 - about a 30min walk
dcs 2 + 3 - about a 40 min walk.

But obviously they did that by themselves (well, with friends) and it didn't involve me sitting in a car for 2 hours a day nor a little one having to do the same.

However, that isn't really relevant if you haven't got choices. If there is no public transport, and they can't walk to school, your choices aren't the same as mine were.

kimchifix · 20/02/2023 23:52

35 mins there 45 mins back. Bus from half way in the mornings. It's a long day but the chat on the drive home has been great - actually a good opportunity for quality conversations.

kimchifix · 20/02/2023 23:53

It's about 16 miles away. Traffic can be horrible

New posts on this thread. Refresh page