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Original poster

How far would you travel to get to a good school?

38 replies

redskyatnight · 26/10/2008 17:06

Friend of a friend has her DD's name down to start Reception at a local very well regarded private pre-prep in September 2009.

Nothing wrong with that ... but the school is 25 minutes drive away on a good day, and goodnes knows how long away during the school run. I think she's bonkers but friend reckons it is worth it to go the good school (there are other closer quite acceptable IMO state and private schools she could go to).

How far would you consider travelling to take your DC to school?

OP posts:
SqueakyPop · 26/10/2008 17:07

I think up to an hour is manageable for senior school.

25 minutes for prep school is OK.

UnfortunatelyMurderedMe · 26/10/2008 17:09

If dd doesnt get into grammar then the next school on her list is 15 mins in good traffic and an hour/an hour and a half in school run time.
Needs must.
Maybe your friends should look around the other schools though. Has she?

Flum · 26/10/2008 17:09

Depends if kid going on bus or me driving the.

Me driving maximum 30 mins. Kid on bus up to 45 praps with a couple of nights a week boarding if they did it.....

forevercleaningwithmybesoms · 26/10/2008 17:11

prob about 20 miles

SqueakyPop · 26/10/2008 17:13

When I was at school, I got home one hour after the end of the school day. I took two buses and fought with rush hour crowds (ie had to stand much of the way).

I never felt at the time that it was bad - just what was normal. Lots of my friends had much longer commutes.

My boys arrive home an hour after the end of their school day and they are fine with it. The actual bus journey is about 15 minutes.

nooOOOoonki · 26/10/2008 17:23

Depends on the options -

I live in a city so wouldnt be prepared to drive unless no spaces in local school. I loved walking to school with DSS when he was little, all those chats that just dont happen in the car.

and of course by secondary they can get the bus, so once again as near as poss but not more than an hour.

PenelopePitstops · 26/10/2008 17:33

think of the fact that children who are driven miles to school often don't get much chance to sicialise with shcool friends outside of school

my friend went to a secondary school miles away from the town where we lived, she only saw her school friends at school, and never felt totally included with us because she was not at school all day. It was really sad tbh but she did get 4As instead of 3 so to her parents it was worth it

muggglewump · 26/10/2008 17:37

Unless I thought, and was fairly sure that DD would be really unhappy in the nearest school I wouldn't travel at all.

nolongeraworriedmummy · 26/10/2008 17:42

we get home about 40 minutes after end of school. Its because we hit traffic as we are actually 1.9 miles away from school

PenelopePitstops · 26/10/2008 17:45

nolonger why don't you walk?

needmorecoffee · 26/10/2008 17:45

primary - about 40 mins walk So 2 miles.. Seconday - boys catch the bus and its takes 40 - 60 mins.
I used to walk 3 miles home from school myself.

Would never drive to a school.

needmorecoffee · 26/10/2008 17:46

I was wondering that nolonger. 1.9 miles isn't that far.

catweazle · 26/10/2008 18:04

DD and DS2 went to school 17 miles away. When we then moved DS3 his school was 22 miles away (same direction as the other 2, a bit further along). DH didn't come home in between drop off and pick up tho.

catweazle · 26/10/2008 18:04

DD and DS2 went to school 17 miles away. When we then moved DS3 his school was 22 miles away (same direction as the other 2, a bit further along). DH didn't come home in between drop off and pick up tho.

Flum · 26/10/2008 18:07

ProbABLY in London....

cory · 26/10/2008 18:24

I don't drive and dd's disability means she travels really badly, so we used that as the basis to our appeal to get into local school.

nolongeraworriedmummy · 26/10/2008 20:09

because dd is a bloody nightmare walking, she takes forever, it takes her at least 35 minutes for a journey that takes me 10 mins and thats just half way would be quicker to walk sometimes in the traffic as it just doesnt move and I would love the exercise, the walk is straight down the canal as well so would be lovely.

PenelopePitstops · 26/10/2008 22:09

oh dear, how old is she?

Pawslikepaddington · 26/10/2008 22:13

An hour isn't that bad for secondary, maybe more in London? And 45 mins to pre-prep-it takes my friend that and it's three roads down.

sunnydelight · 26/10/2008 22:22

If the school is good it's worth the drive, up to half an hour is certainly ok. If my kids are getting the school bus they leave at 7.45am. High school starts at 8.40 and primary at 8.50. If I drive them we leave at 8.15. There is a primary school on my street so the younger ones could walk there in a few minutes but the school they attend is so much better.

cory · 27/10/2008 08:24

In secondary wouldn't think it mattered that much. In Reception it is nice if they can make friends locally IMO.

nolongeraworriedmummy · 27/10/2008 10:57

shes very nearly 6 penelope pitstop but very premmie baby so really poor physical development. It has just taken me a good half an hour to walk her to the shop 6 streets away and back gahh

zippitippitoes · 27/10/2008 11:01

i took my ds 25 miles which took me about 40 mins on country lanes

so that was 100 miles a day

this was for a school which matched his needs

Fennel · 27/10/2008 11:10

I'd travel about a mile. I think there are huge benefits of going to a school you can walk to. Even just in terms of what you and your dc can do with that extra hour or two a day you're not travelling in.

Judy1234 · 27/10/2008 11:34

Our oldest got the school coach to Haberdashers which is in the top 10 schools in the country when she was 4 years old and now she's doing pretty well aged 24 years old. I think it really did benefit her going to that good school. I wouldn't want to drive it myself however. The twins' prep school is at the end of our road but that is more chance than design.It's certainly easier as they make their own way home from school which helps if you're a full time working mother.

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