school escort? need someone to drive ds to his school 2 miles away

[Hotpotatofood]

my DS has got a place in a school 2 miles away. we are both working and cannot take him. if we choose cm in the area of the school - we would have to drop him off at 7.20 am in order for me to manage to go to work, which would mean leaving house 7.00 am -I think it s too early and too tiring for ds. my mum helps me with childcare so she can stay at home with my DS in the morning and I just need to arrange for someone to take him in a car? say, leave house at 8.15 to get to school by 8.45 am. is there such thing like escort to school - someone driving him to school? or are there any other ideas how I can get him to school? public transport - 2 buses, so probably too tiring for 4 year old...please help me with ideas

[IvanaCake]

Why would you apply for a school without considering how it will work logistically?

I guess your options are to either change your working hours or find a childminder close to the school. I would feel really sorry for your mum if she has to do a 2 bus journey twice a day with a baby in tow.

[blondebubble]

Remember you will have DC2 to consider too in 3 years time so best get something doable sorted.

[wonderingagain]

I think you've got a good chance of getting into a school nearer. Reception intake is notoriously changeable and you may get a place if you register interest right now. I think it's madness to send your child to school in a taxi if there is a school nearby that can take him.

[JollyPurpleGiant]

The taxi drivers here are not CRB checked.

[clam]

How would it work with the two-way taxi? Would it have to wait 10 mins (minimum) at the gates in order for your mum to get out (with two children) and walk your ds into school? And then, of course, you'd be paying double whack for the return journey.

[cory]

That would be it, Doctrine.

[Kewcumber]

All CRB checks show is that the person doesn't have any convictions. There is no way DS would have been happy to be dropped at school by a stranger for the first couple of terms (tbh for the first 1.5 years) and you have no way of knowing how easily your child will settle at first. Banking on it being OK to have a taxi take him would be risky in my view at least to start with.

I know you said your mum has your younger child too but it can't be impossible to put your younger childs car seat into a minicab can it . It seems by far and away the easier option - minicab morning and evening accompanied by a grandparent.

Second choice in my mind would be childminder local to school who does drop off there already.

What was your plan when you applied to the school - has it changed for some reason.

Bear in mind if you stick with this school you will go through all this again with your second and presumably depending on ages will have this issue for the next 6-10 years.

[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

There are basic and enhanced CRB checks, maybe that's the difference?

[cory]

ryanboy Wed 24-Apr-13 10:09:05
"cory all taxi drivers have to be CRB'd just to get a licence!!"

Not around here; at least not with CRBs which allow them to take unescorted children. This has been a real hassle for our local taxi firm in the past as the LEA refuses to pay for it.

[ryanboy]

cory all taxi drivers have to be CRB'd just to get a licence!!Taxi would be the easiest solution.We live in a rural area and taxis took some children to and from pre-school so I don't think age would be a problem.School runs are part of a taxi businesses bread and butter!!BUT taxis do tend to be booked up in the morning and for obvious reasons (ie continuity and quantity of work available) prefer LEA work to private
The other thing would be getting your DS up at say 6.50 popping him straight into the car and him getting dressed and fed and watered at CM local to the school.

[cory]

I think adeucalione is right: you need to look for a childminder who is close to the school and/or is already doing drop-offs at that particular school. We had a similar arrangement and that worked very well. Speak to the local parents.

Taxis can be a bit of a hassle even if you have very definite SN. Dd now has a lovely transport driver who understands her needs, but some of the ones she has had in the past have been very hit and miss (including the one that missed the school entrance and hit the HT's car! ). It is difficult for taxi firms to find drivers who have the CRB certificates and are willing to do the school run.

[Biscuitsneeded]

I honestly think you and your DP need to talk to your employers about flexible working hours. If one of you did the drop off and the other picked up, that could work, assuming you have two cars. I have to leave for work at 06.30 in the mornings so my DP stays at home until 7.30, drops the kids at breakfast club at school for 7.45 and then goes to work. I leave work by 5pm at the latest to be back in time to get the kids by 6pm when after-school club closes. We wouldn't have picked a school that didn't have wraparound care, for these very reasons. Alternatively, book a regular taxi for your Mum to take DS there and back. If she needs to take the younger DC then buy an extra car seat to put in the taxi!! But if your Dad is around maybe one could stay home with the younger child and the other do the school run? That would seem workable, although personally I think it's a massive ask of your parents to be your unpaid childcare twice a day.... And your poor 4 year old is going to be exhausted doing a big journey to and from school and possibly having to do early starts too. Is it all really worth it just to have a religious school (surely you can get the worship side of things at church?)?

[wonderingagain]

Change to the local school. Do it ASAP while admissions are still being reshuffled.

[DeWe]

I was going to suggest scooting to the second bus and taking the second bus to lesson the journey. If you get a fold up scooter, I can't see it being refused on a bus. Or a buggy if he is getting tired. Our juniors is a way from the infants and a few parents do use the buggy for the first few weeks for new reception children to do the walk between them. By the second term the children don't need it (except when ill) as they've got used to it.

He might love the bus journey too. My dm was getting two buses and a half mile walk to school by herself from age 5. I think her mum took her on the first morning to make sure she knew which bus stop to wait at. She enjoyed the journey mostly, the first bus was quiet, with no other chidlren on, and then she met friends on the second.

[GwenCooper81]

Could your mother not walk him to school or half and half with the bus? He could have a scooter, those are allowed on buses where we are but I realize London is different. Both of my DC walked 2miles to school from reception age. They were tired at first but needs must sometimes. Your Dm could then bus home?. Lots of messing around though and what will you do for snow days/illness/unexpected closures?. Go for the local School..

[LIZS]

What time do you and dh leave for work and how long a round trip is it ?Have you tried the triangle of home-cm/school-work by car yourself yet ? 2 miles shouldn't take as long as 20 minutes to drive and a cm will presumably time her schoolrun to get children there for about 8.45 (maybe leaving between 8.15 and 8.30) so I'm not sure why your timings are so early.

Have you actually enquired of any cm's yet. Maybe speak to the school and ask for details of any cm's who do drop offs or if they have any arrangements for before/after school care (some private nurseries provide an offsite service if none arrange at the school itself)Who manages the childcare at present ? Agree with those suggesting that as you effectively chose this school, presumably knowing it might prove tricky logistically, and seem to place importance on the faith aspect you should really try to make it work.

[missnevermind]

Yes settling in period can be tougher on the parents than the kids.

[myBOYSareBONKERS]

Who looks after your children at present?

What will you do during school holidays?

Think you and your DH need to look at both your employers Flexible Working Polices.

[myBOYSareBONKERS]

My DS school did half days for the first few weeks too - have you got a plan for that?

[BeckAndCall]

Good summing up of all the suggestions so far, myboysarebonkers

I can't see any other options.....

[lougle]

I'm struggling to sympathise here. If you make a choice which makes life tricky, you have to accept that....well, life is going to be tricky!

[meditrina]

"I'm really shocked at a school 2 miles from your home not being classed as local. 2 miles isn't very far at all, surely 5-10 mins?"

OP is in London. You're looking at 30 mins minimum, and if awkward journey, considerably longer.

[Bunbaker]

In our village we have a couple of childminders who take children before and after school. Is that not an option?

[MrsHoarder]

If your mum definitely can't take him I'd look for a childminder near the school. Ask if they can give him breakfast (for a fee) and you won't have to get him up so early. I loved group breakfast (cereal and juice) at my childminder's when I was in primary but I now see it was a way for DM to stay sane.

Where is the father in this? Hens also responsible for getting ds to school....

[myBOYSareBONKERS]

options:

Change your and your DH working hours - or could you "work from home"

Employ a childminder who drops at that school - but you will have to find one that will take children at 7am as not all do

Ask school if they have breakfast and after school clubs. Don't confuse these with the "free" clubs that schools sometimes provide as they can be cancelled without much notice.

Employ a nanny/au-pair

Look around for a student who may want extra cash by doing the before and after school drops

change schools