How long is your school run for child in Year 3 / 4 / 5 / 6?

[nightsky010]

Im very interested to find out how long and simple or complicated other people's school runs are for DC in Years 3-6??

The background is that I'm choosing a school for a Year 3 DC and have a choice between:

• An amazing school 55 mins away (short walk to train, 15 min train then short taxi).

• A school I'm not very keen on which is 35-40 mins away (v short walk, 10-15 mins rush hour tube, then walk of 0.65 miles).

• A brilliant school at which DC could do a mix of boarding and staying with Grandparents / me at Grandparents house, which would mean a 2hr journey to and from London every Friday and Sunday (or occasionally Monday morning if I'm brave enough!!).

I know these sound like ridiculous choices, but due to SEN, job locations and budget these are our only options!

Please tell me YOUR journey times and methods so I can judge how crazy I am being!?

2 different prep schools. First is a 15 mi ute drive in rush hour and from there I go straight on to the second one which is another 10 minutes drive through traffic. In the afternoon I can do the first in a 5 minute drive and the second in 7 minutes.

State primary was 2 minutes walk. Now at state secondary, which is 30 mins walk.

How close is the 3rd school to the grandparents house?

I don't drive so when I did it, it was an hour walking or 45 mins on the bus. Now DH works from home and he does it in 5-10 mins.

Forgot to add in my post that when I was a kid my commute was a 10 min car ride for Prep, then for Senior 1hr 10 minutes or more! Left house 7:15-7:20. Driven to friends house, waited at friends house, walked with friend to bus stop and caught school coach with friend. Waited at school for a bit before 8:40 school start. So I may have an odd perspective on this!

Teacherwith2kids
Thank you :-) I can imagine your DC really enjoyed such a short and social journey to school! Sounds very good for ASD too. I'm envious of the playground meet ups etc being so easy. We are stuck with infrequent play dates / always having to host as other families are always busy.

If DS was ill at Option 1 school it would take 50mins to an hour and a half to get there, depending on which of us had to do it, however as the school has boarding there is a school nurse in the San with beds.

BertrandRussell
No, just started this thread as I really wanted to hear more about what other people do so that I can better gauge how mad I'd be! Trying to keep this thread a other what other people do, so I've answered your other questions on the other thread :-)

Pittacus
Sounds very good!

Notthecarwashagain
Interesting! You're the first person who has said Option 1, and one of the only people who has a commute which sounds almost as bad. How long did it take you? And for how many years were you doing it? Did you choose the next school to avoid the old journey? Yes, the boarding option is slightly worrying! Amazing school though, but we are screwed if DC hates boarding!

PatricaHolm
5 mins is amazing! Option 1 school actually has Saturday school so it includes extra curricular clubs within the school day, so it would never finish later than that. Yes, play dates would be hard. But he could do weekend ones or flexi board for the odd night as a social thing.

Yeoldtrout
Running, wow! Wouldn't catch me doing that ;-)

Mominatrix & Bumpsadasie
Sounds good!

Wigeon
Yes, all private. I imagine DC will have to be accompanied until about age 13? I would do the school run one at and OH would do it the other way, so thankfully not 4hrs a day each!

Yesterday & Artistic
They sound very good.

Teenandtween
Tbh your 1hr for a sixth former doesn't sound ideal but it doesn't sound too bad to me. I'll check state options, but I'm not convinced unless any are especially amazing. 30+ children just sounds like far too many to me! Even 20 sounds like too many!

Tedtess
Option 1 would be earlier in the morning by an hour but would only be 1/2hr later in the evening than the current arrangement. I'm probably more worried about the mornings than the evenings. There would be no additional extra curricular a as the school does those within the school day, because they have Saturday school too :-(

Heheheheheheheh
No, not Bruern Abbey. I might PM you about BA though, if that's ok?

Pancake2015
The schools I'm looking at are mainstream.
DS's SEN are mild - I've never been called to the school to collect / comfort, he functions very well in a mainstream environment, average or just above average academically, loves school, very well behaved, no real sensory issues, has never had a meltdown at school. Problems that show at school are mostly not relating to other kids or knowing how to make friends / have conversations about other people's interests, plus finding story writing and comprehension difficult and some issues concentrating..... But having said that, obviously I still want to make sure the SEN provision is 5*.

Really, you feel guilty at taking 5 mins to get to a sick DS? I imagine very very few people can be that quick, especially working mothers.

Brandnew
I can totally relate to your laziness :-)

Mandzi34
50 mins walk sounds like torture to me! But I suppose at least it's a healthy start to the day. Do DCs get tired?

Will reply to more in a moment.....

Artandco
Missed replying to you earlier, sorry. The cycle would be a few miles, but there's no way in hell I'd cycle with DC in London - I think it's a death trap! I'm far too nervous to cycle on a road myself, I'd only cycle in a park or in the woods, because I'm a wimp!

Whoknowswhere
A statement for a taxi, gosh! I didn't know that was possible! Can't see us getting it though. As I've mentioned in my other reply, DSs SEN are mild, so I don't anticipate too many issues around that.

Bobochic
Interesting, you're the first to say the boarding option.

Tomatoesareyum
2 preps that close, lucky you!

PourMeAnotherGlass

Sounds like you has pretty easy journeys too. Though I'd cave in and drive the secondary instead of walking, because I'm lazy!

The third school is only 8 minutes drive from Grandparents house (2 1/2 miles and they're unlikely to ever move much further away). The school is very boarding focused so even on the days when he was coming back to stay at grandparents house with me he still wouldn't get back until 5:45 (the school day ends at 5:30 including clubs).

Elliejjtiny

How did the kids cope with an hours walk? Did they do lots of sports in the day too, or not?

nightsky010 - they are used to the walk now and we all enjoy the exercise. They refuse to walk home though so we either drive or take the bus.

With the greatest respect, I used to think my DS's SNS were mild (he has Asperger's Syndrome and dyspraxia, diagnosed at the start of yr 3). If you'd asked me then I would have said he didn't need a statement, wouldn't get a statement and special school wasn't even on the radar. As time went by it became clear that his SNs were anything but mild, he definitely did need that statement for secondary school and that his SNs were the overwhelmingly important criteria when choosing a school. Yet there were people around him who didn't even realise he had SNs, he is so good at masking it. No trouble at school ever, never refused to go, never late, always compliant, academically there or thereabouts, socially just about managing thanks to his primary school and peer group being lovely. Sorry about the lecture, but I just wanted to say that as they get older SNs can become more and more of an issue and it feels as though you are brushing it to one side a little. DS's statement isn't for his taxi, but the LA, having agreed that this school is the correct placement for him for many other reasons, have to provide transport. Don't write off the special school option, DS's is an independent school, academic, for children of average or above intelligence and no behavioural issues. You don't need a statement to go there, most are privately funded.

Sorry, I have derailed your thread based on very little information from you and a lot from me. I hope you find the best school for your DC.

When I was at school it was being driven across town at Prep school - nearly an hour, and doing the same journey by two buses and a walk across the centre of town at Senior.

For DC we have a 4 min walk round the corner at primary and a 10 min walk round a few corners for secondary.

You are asking for other people's perspective, and from mine, I much prefer my DC experience to mine, both for the short commute, local friends, local parental support network (for me) AND the state provision over private.

I also have a DC with some SEN and although I know it can be a lottery and dependent on the ethos of the school and the effectiveness of the SENCO, my experience is that state are actually better at SEN than private. I know to sets of parents who have de-camped from private to state in the light of approach to SEN. Especially at primary level.

So, it all hinges on your local options, but have you actually looked at your local state schools and been to talk to them? Because if your budget is an issue, not paying fees I an obvious starting point.

And as a former private school student myself I can tell you I am more than happy with my DC state ed.

But maybe you have covered all this in your other thread, which I haven't read.

I do wish you well, it sounds like a lot to sort. Good luck.

Our junior school is a 10-15 minute cycle or a 30 minute walk away. It makes for a relaxing end to the day and the DC can normally catch up with friends.

My SIL drives 30 minutes to her DC's prep school. She finds it a huge drag and the DC are very tired by the end of the week.

I don't think any of your options sound realistic tbh.

Small village primary, less than 2 minutes' walk!

Mine used to be 1.5 hour round trip, twice a day for 3 kids. Hated it. We moved! Now live 5 mins from school and life is soo much easier. Especially as the kids are getting older so all have different activities and finish times. I found the closer you live to school, the more friends the kids have living nearby too so they can have after school playdates which was never really an option before.

Whoknowswherethetimegoes

Your DS's situation sounds very interesting. How did it become apparent that his SEN were in fact not mild? And how does he manage to mask these to the extent that many people don't realise he has SEN? I'd be really interested to know as of course I worry that a similar thing could happen with my DS.

I've not at all written off a 'special school', it's just that I've never found any which have children without behavioural problems, are suitably academic and which would not require weekly boarding due to distance. If your DS's school is London or surrounds I'd be interested to hear which one it is.

PM me back if you prefer?

Whoknowswherethetimegoes

I forgot to say, don't worry about derailing the thread, the information was interesting & useful!

We have 4 minutes drive to the school bus, then the kids are on the bus for about 25 minutes. Next year however the school is moving so it will be about 35 minutes on the bus. If the traffic is bad, it's longer, but the kids love their school, the new site is brand new, stunning and purpose built, we are overseas and it's the only British school in a city that is bigger than central London....

Bendaflange

Thanks. Your journey and the community thing does sound very nice.

I'm yet to be convinced abut State, but I might try to get an appointment to view the best one I can find and chat to the SEN.

Redsky, merciful, 3phase, myfriends

You all have very short journeys! Must be nice.

Apologies if this isn't too helpful OP, but having experience teaching in both state & private I've always found state schools significantly better at dealing with SEN.

I'd definitely check them out before you make a decision. The commutes you describe seem just crazy to me! Sorry!

Teaching123
A lot of people are saying that to me! i think I may start a thread on this topic.

10 mins drive

My child also has SN which you might refer to as mild . He will need more accommodations in high school . And he's he's " suitably academic " too .

I think you are mad to consider such a commute for your 7yo and if those are the only options you have where you live , you should move to place where the schools are better . You clearly have plenty money and I can't believe that you both have the only two jobs in the country that fit your skills so you cannot possibly move .

Having read you other thread I think that you and your husband need to be more flexible and put your child first . I'm sorry if that sounds harsh , but he's only 7 and you are expecting him to fit around you. He will be exhausted and have no life outside school .

NightSky- you don't need 'the best that you can find' - unless it is on your doorstep you won't get in!

Go and visit the 3 closest (non-faith, unless you are a church-goer) state primaries and talk to the SENCOs there.

The main difference is class sizes but state primaries have classroom assistants, TAs, who work with different groups which enables all children to learn at their own pace. State schools often also have a room specifically for supporting children with SENs - use at different times for different children - those who need to be in a small secluded environment, those who need one-to-one etc.

You would be bonkers, IMO, to consider an impossible and exhausting commute without even having looked at your nearby state schools. Also, talk to other parents who have children there.

Roughly, what area are you in? MN-ers may be able to advise.

Sheesh.

My dc are Y5 and Y3. Our school run is 15-20 mins. Which I thought was massive until reading your op. Like you I am travelling for SEN provision.

Can you move out of London? The impact of commuting on a child with SEN is not to be underestimated. Plus with the boarding option, the ability of the child to use home time to "reset" is limited and could lead to difficulties spiralling.