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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

A small house/big flat near school or a spacious house + garden a drive away from school

18 replies

Hooliaaa · 18/01/2015 20:49

If you had to choose between a smaller house close enough to school to walk or a bigger house that means you have to drive what would you go for? We both work, so the journey to school is just the start of the daily commute.

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RandomMess · 18/01/2015 20:55

Depends- would you still be living in an areas where lots of surrounding children go to that school? Is your dc already at that school?

I loathe driving to school with a passion - fight for parking spaces just horrid.

AgentProvocateur · 18/01/2015 21:00

Walk to school, every time.

CharlesRyder · 18/01/2015 21:06

Bigger house, but then I'm a bit claustrophobic and hated living in a tight house.

If you walk to school you will then have to walk back to get the car for work run so you will leave for work later than if you lived further away.

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 18/01/2015 22:20

Is your child already in the school?

How long is the drive and how mental is parking?

Imperialleather2 · 18/01/2015 22:24

If you're dropping at school the driving on to work anyway I'd go for the big house

Moominmammacat · 19/01/2015 10:34

Big house. How many days a year do you go to school? 200? (I have no idea ...) How many days do you live in your house? Make sure you can still get in to the school from big house though ...

SoupDragon · 19/01/2015 10:36

Given you work and are commuting anyway, big house.

GillSans · 19/01/2015 10:37

Can you move school?

WowOoo · 19/01/2015 10:42

Bigger house and garden.

I drive, but I usually walk some of the way to avoid any parking stress. Even on a cold and wet day like today it was a breath of fresh air for us all.

I'd have to do pro/con list. How much smaller will other house be? Is there any outside space? How's the traffic in direction you'll need for work after drop off etc.

pilaurice · 19/01/2015 10:48

Walk to school, big flat rather than small house. More space, less maintenance.

AnnoyingOrange · 19/01/2015 10:50

How far would the drive be and how old the children?

What are the options for secondary school and where are they?

QuiteQuietly · 19/01/2015 11:57

Depends on the drive and the area! Our school is a hellish drive at school run time, but no way I would live near the school. Would the drive be walkable at all? How is school parking?

Original poster

Hooliaaa · 19/01/2015 12:53

Thanks all so much. I'm still weighing it up. We're in London & can afford a house + garden if we move 2 miles down the road vs large flat/small house with no garden where we are. I love being round the corner from school though, where our daughter's in her first year - so we'd be signing up to about 10 years of driving/bussing to school.

Secondary school would probably be if we move - we may not get the 'feeder' school that most of her friends would get into but there are good secondaries nearby.

You've given me food for thought for my pro/con list. Parking near school is pretty bad, though not impossible which probably makes it good for London. I will let you know (eventually) when we decide! Thanks again!

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noramum · 19/01/2015 13:01

I drove DD for over 1 year to nursery and back - as a part of daily commute.

It was a nightmare. Traffic was always bad, roadworks, in winter you need to deal with frozen cars and darkness.

I am so glad that DD can walk to school. I drive her sometimes when the weather is bad or it is not practical with all the stuff she has to take in some days.

Could you look into moving her to a different school? Secondary - I wouldn't worry too much, a lot can change in 5 years and a feeder school is not necessarily the best just because friends go.

ReallyTired · 19/01/2015 15:19

Could you not move your child to a nearer school. Or is there a stupid waiting list or do you not want the local school?

Having a spacious house and garden is lovely for children.

Original poster

Hooliaaa · 19/01/2015 19:00

We're very happy with the school she's at. She settled in well and has a few good friends (she's not very gregarious and makes friends slowly) so I'd rather not make her change. And I can only just make it into work on time from the school she's at. I'd be late every day if the school was further out.

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AugustRose · 19/01/2015 19:24

We have a 2 mile drive which I sometimes hate and it's not easy for friends to come and play, I would also like to be able to walk in summer. HOWEVER having a big garden and house for them to run around at the end of the day and at weekends is brilliant.

Without being rude are you planning any more children? If yes then big house, if no perhaps something closer to school so she can be nearer friends.

Leeds2 · 19/01/2015 19:24

I would prefer the house and garden.

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