School bus v's car

[Gorja]

In the process of moving house to a small village. The local primary is 2.8 miles away.

The two younger children will get free passes for the school bus, however the older two will cost £450 each per year.

Due to shift working we are able to take the kids and pick them up again which would obviously be cheaper.

Just worried that if other kids go on the school bus it will be harder for mine to fit in and make friends if we drive them.

Don't want to start them mid year driving them if it's leaves them at a disadvantage, but obviously don't want to pay nearly £1000!

Any opinions would be great, thanks.

I would drive them and save the money if that works for you. It's highly unlikely that all the other kids will be coming on the bus, or that it will make any difference once they're in the classroom. Some of the kids at DCs' school come on the school bus and they all seem to get on well with each other on it, but they all separate off into their own friendship groups once they arrive.

Shameless bump as I'm still worried.

Mine could have got a mini bus provided by the LA from age 4 to 11 which served our tiny village and went to the nearest infant and junior school. My children never took advantage of it. We were considered an unsafe walking route, so the minibus was free. It is, totally, unsafe!

In your position I would drive. It gives you the chance to speak to other parents at the school. Once they are in class, no-one really bothers about how they got there and you save the money! If you really need them to have friends in the village that they will meet on the bus, then maybe let them go on the bus. However, if you start with the car, and then they beg you to go on the bus, you could change your mind!

Thanks all. I'm feeling the guilt of making them change schools and just want to do the best. I think we will start with driving and see how it goes.

Thanks again.