Home/school distance experience

[Joyfullove8]

Hi all. Has anyone lived half hour via car away from childs primary school? If so how did it effect you / your child?

Our Dc had a similar commute. One issue is traffic obviously; you can be late on a regular basis. The journey can get very boring and you have to do it twice a day for 7 years. If they forget something (Pe kit/ homework / non uniform day) you can't just nip home and get it. Wear and tear on the car.

We didn't have any issues with friends / playdates.

Will you get a place if you live so far away? Primary is usually allocated on distance.

Ours was 20-30 mins depending on traffic. Some times late if traffic was slow, as mentioned not easy to pop back. But on the whole ok, easy. Needed up 14 years for us including high school!

Ended up*

A few do that to my DC's school.
It has a very wide catchment though.

I would struggle with it and know private school friends who do. Near us the ave state school catchment is a ten min walk and it has massive benefits

DD is 8 and in Y4 and has been commuting to school from the start.

In Reception and first term of Y1, we were 30 minutes away by bus - only 2 miles, but London traffic was hideous. We then moved out of London and we now have an hour by train and a couple of stops on the tube. Loved her London primary and weren't too keen on the local one on our home village.

Haven't found it a problem to be honest. Have to occasionally traipse into London at weekends for parties etc and there have been some minor traumas with book bags being left on the train by mistake, and if PE kit is forgotten then it's just tough. She attends after-school club every day and evening dance and music lessons, so it's not as if she misses out on seeing friends and if she was at the local to home primary she would be stuck with a childminder every afternoon.

Most of our family were having private bets that we would want to move school, but it's worked so well that we're planning for a London secondary too.

Elf that's an interesting take on it and one typical for private schools near us with huge catchments I.e. working parents so DC in extended school day and enjoy afterschool activities at school. (On you are state but not a dissimilar model). For me its the impromtu and frequent 'can I go and play at Xs house 10 mins away' or all their school mates at local sports clubs and car sharing etc and walking to school and meeting friends on the way that makes a differnce