Talk to me about having two primary kids at different primary schools

[Strix]

The school my now y3 (DD) and y5 (DS1) children go to has changed their admission requirements such that my third child (DS2) will not get a place for recepetion the same year DS1 is entering y6 (Sept. 2015).

Consequently, if we do not move house, we are facing two separate primary schools, about 2 miles apart in West London (Twickenham) traffic. The children go to school on the bus. Assuming school drop off for both schools is at the same time, one of them will inevitably be about 30+ minutes late each day; could be more like 45 minutes depending on traffic.

So... anyone out there with two kids at two separate schools? How horrible is this? I'm thinking of two summer fetes, Christmas plays, consultation evenings which conflict, completely different set of school parents, etc. It sounds like a nightmare. I am so busy as it is, I just don't think I could manage to stay on top of two separate schools.

Or is this scenario reasonably manageable?

I think I would try and see if I could get DS1 to do the bus journey by himself. It is a big ask of a Year 6, imo, but I think it is doable, especially if you practise during the summer holidays.

I know lots of parents with children at two (or more!) schools, usually because they want their children to go to single sex schools. Pick up and drop off isn't easy, and usually involves the children using pre and after school clubs, or reaching an agreement with a neighbour that one brings both families' girls to and from school, and the other brings the boys. Is there anyone in a similar position to you, who may be able to help in that way?

if your eldest is going into Yr6 then I think he will probably have to start travelling on his own. I realise London is different to some other cities but in yr6 I had to walk half a mile to a station, get the train for 20 mins and then walk over a mile across a city centre to get to school. I am not sure it is that unusual at that age to have to travel alone.

I take a friends 2 girls to school and homefrom school every day and I have done for 2 years now. It is not a biggy and something I would offer to do again knowing what happens with it. So I would not discount friends being willing to help.

We had a similar situation in Epsom 5 years ago and spend 1 1/2 years with 2 different schools and a 3rd nursery (that thankfully started later) dd1 would walk herself to school and dd2 + ds stayed in afterschool club in the afternoon. It was tough but we worked it out.

PS I should just say that the VA C of E my youngest 2 are now in have just changed their criteria and they have agreed to keep the current criteria for siblings of children who are on roll on the 1st July 2014 So you may get a chance arguing that way. (Any who starts Sep 14 will not get this benefit)

Not sure I am overreacting. More like venting my frustrations. I shall explore carefully all our options and follow the best course after considering them carefully. This may well involve going to a different church attached to a different school. And whilst the whole thing is a real thorn in my side I guess i'm not alone in this burden of two (or more!) schools.

Thanks, everyone for your input.

I have 2 in 2 different schools and may well have 3 different schools in the not too distant future. The schools are 5 miles apart and it really isn't a problem. Start times are 20 mind apart and once they gave fine clubs after school I rarely need to be at school at the same time. Parents evenings and plays have never clashed, it's so a non issue for me.

Stix, I would go in with the approach of getting the new sibling criteria rolled in gradually so doesn't apply to siblings of children currently at the school when the admission criteria was changed.

This is what was done at my children's school when we had a very similar issue which caused uproar becaus about 50% of pupils are out of the new catchment (not from moving but because local village catchment did not have enough children to support the school).

Anyway, point being most people are happy with this compromise, which is a a miracle considering how heated the discussion were initially so I would try using that approach...

Surely it will only be for in effect 9 months ; Sept to July and not the holidays and anyway following that your Yr 6 will presumably have to get to senior school on their own , if he is really as unreliable as you say ( and he may grow up a lot by then) then a longer time to adjust may be good for him.

I did 3 in 3 primary schools for a year, it was exhausting but perfectly possible

You are right. In two years DS1 may be a lot more capable of bus travel than he is today. And he will have to tackle this for senior school so starting in year 6 iss probably the right thing to do.

So a bit of a development here... Another (better) school in the borough without a distance limit on the sibling places has an opening, we got an offer, and went for it. So, suddenly, Ds1 is headed to new school and all is sorted for Ds2 to follow him.

These admissions are crazy. I am sad we had to leave old school, but the road ahead looks well suited to my boys and that is good.

Anyway, thanks everyone for useful advice. This has been a very stressful couple of weeks.

Great news. Glad you got it sorted. Does this mean you still have to move church though?

I think a move in church will probably happen naturally as DS1 makes friends who will likely go to other church (with which his new school is linked). I'm okay with that, though. I'm not in any hurry to abondon one church for another, but in the back of my mind accept it is inevitable.