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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

Walking to primary School

40 replies

bellaprincess · 08/10/2007 15:17

My daughter will be starting primary school next sept (2008). It is walkable and she already goes to the pre-school associated with it.
There is another primary school in the next village which is slightly better but is a good 45min walk. I don't drive so it would be a walk or a bus ride (getting to school 45min before school starts)
I am happy to send my daughter to the local village school but my husband seems to be set on the other school.
I don't think my daughter is up for walking 45min to school having a day at school and then walking another 45min back. Plus rain, snow etc.
How can I put this accross to my husband who thinks she is up to this walk. As he puts it "it will do you both good" wtf
Am I being a prissy mother or do I have a point.

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fortyplus · 08/10/2007 15:21

Why is it 'slightly better'? I would say that if your local school is ok then it will be far better for her to have local friends, not to mention the burden for you of having to walk to and from school for 3 hours every day. 45 mins is a long walk for a 5 yo every day - it's hardly going to set her up for the day, is it? When they start school they get exhausted anyway - learning is hard work! There will be tears and tantrums...

Hulababy · 08/10/2007 15:23

IMO 1.5 hour round trip - which is what it will be for you, twice a day is too far for school.

Original poster

bellaprincess · 08/10/2007 15:24

Thank you fortyplus. This is what I think. DD will be only four (starting reception) we have only ever walked back from this village once when we missed the bus - it was not great. I have another DD who is still in a pram so I cannot even carry her!!
I will just have to grab the bull husband by the horns and get my point accross.

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muppetgirl · 08/10/2007 15:25

Do you have other children too? I was just thinking that if you did or were planning more doing that journey when it isn't strictly necessary would scare me!

What are you basing the 'slightly better' on? Have you visited the school? My advice would be to visit both schools, do the journey during school hours to see what it's like -do other older children use the bus at the same time? I wouldn't want to shsre a 45 min bus ride with 12/13/14 etc year olds, what an education your lo would get!

fortyplus · 08/10/2007 15:26

How about trying out walking it with him this weekend... whatever the weather!

ThreadyKrueger · 08/10/2007 15:26

It's too far. Plus she won't have so many neighbourhood school friends.
Our shool walk is only 20 mins and yet as often as not we aren't organisaed enough to make time for walking rather than driving

foofi · 08/10/2007 15:27

You could cycle.

muppetgirl · 08/10/2007 15:27

sorry x posted about your other child

If your husband is basing his decision purely on results/ofsted there is far more to a school.....especially if it's only slightly better.

Original poster

bellaprincess · 08/10/2007 15:28

My DH does this walk every morning and evening to the station. He does it in 20mins but then he doesn't have a pram to push a to be 4yr old winging and stopping every 5secs.
The more and more I think about this I am sure he is having a bl**dy laugh. Getting quite ranting to myself now - god help him when he gets in

OP posts:

Magicmayhem · 08/10/2007 15:28

Why don't you suggest he walks the route taking both children and check out how long it takes... that should be enough to change his mind...
Do you think she will get into the school in the next village?

fortyplus · 08/10/2007 15:28

Can you get a 5 year old and a baby on the same bike?!!!

nospeak · 08/10/2007 15:29

It is too far, your dd will be worn out by the time she reaches school. I would only consider it if you had no choice.

foofi · 08/10/2007 15:29

I think the 5 year old could ride their own bike. If not, put the baby in a sling and ride a tagalong.

You're going to tell me I'm being ridiculous now, but it would be a much faster journey than walking, and good for everyone!

EmsMum · 08/10/2007 15:30

I was going to ask if bike with child attachment thingy (can't think of the right term) would work but clearly not if you have a baby too.

There is a woman gets her kids to school on an adult/kid tandem, towing a baby looks incredibly dangerous!

If your DH really thinks its such a good idea then you should try it out, with him too, on a cold wet dark afternoon when your DD is already tired after some activity and the baby is cranky.

newgirl · 08/10/2007 15:31

def get him to do it!!!

another factor is the social life for you and your child - if you plan to bring home another child for tea one day it will be good to live nearer likewise when you go to collect

Original poster

bellaprincess · 08/10/2007 15:32

Fortyplus - I could try and get one of those saddle bags, baby on one side and daughter on other.
There is another point I shall argue with him is that DD2 will be 2yrs when DD1 goes to primary school. The pre-schhol associated with the viallge school take children from 2yrs and I would like DD2 to go. This means I could drop DD1 at school ie 10min walk and then walk 5 secs to pre-school and drop DD2 off. perfect but not to DH!!!!!!!!

OP posts:

fortyplus · 08/10/2007 15:34

My 2 are at secondary school now - they went to top performing local primary and their secondary is streets ahead of others in the area if you look at league tables. BUT I am quite certain that my children are not receiving a better education than friends' children at other local schools - the league tables reflect the catchment area, that's all.

OFSTED can be a joke. One of my sons' primary teachers once had a damning OFSTED report and I'm convinced it was because she had an Indian accent that is a little hard to understand until you 'tune in' to it, which all the children did without difficulty. I would say that she was one of the best, most inspiring teachers I have ever come accross.

Lots of people are like your DH and are obsessed with league tables and OFSTED reports. I would say speak to people at the nearer school to find out whether their children are happy and valued.

fortyplus · 08/10/2007 15:35

bellaprincess - I think you need to become assertive! Just dig in your heels and say NO!

Original poster

bellaprincess · 08/10/2007 15:36

My husband is basing alot of his ideas on the fact that the ofsted report for second school is better than the village school. I have looked at both reports, the village report been done in 2004 and the second school done in 2006. Schools do improve in 2yrs and I see village school every day taking DD1 to pre-school and it has improved.

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Hulababy · 08/10/2007 15:37

Cycling would probably be fine with just one child, but not both. Not that many 4-5 year olds can ride their own bike, can they? I know some can but definitely not most from what I can gather from DD's friends. And then what would happen with the child's bike even if they could ride - not many primary schools have the spaces to store bikes.

Original poster

bellaprincess · 08/10/2007 15:39

Unfortunatly my DD1 is not even at the basic stage of cycling - will not for the love of sweets get on her trike. Admittedly we do have a year to learn but somehow cannot see it happening.

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CountessDracula · 08/10/2007 15:43

I would say if it is only marginally better then the social benefit of having lots of local friends plus the lack of long walk home at the end of a day at which time she will prob. be exhausted anyway and won't want to do it would far outweigh any benefit you might get. Don't forget that if she goes to the other school that all her playdates, parties etc are likely to be more local to that school so you will be trolling about all over the place, it will be mighty inconvenient.

Alternatively you could get something like this or this I have seen quite a few of these around recently and the kids look like they love it - much cheaper than a car and great for shopping too - plus kids love it!

goingfor3 · 08/10/2007 15:45

Scooters are agreat way for little children to get around. DD2 who is 3 uses hers to get to nursery. I would convince your husband to consider the local school though.

newgirl · 08/10/2007 16:09

i think your dh needs to get off his computer reading reports and get to do the nursery run/get to the know the school/other famillies more!

LizP · 08/10/2007 16:37

We live about a 30 minute walk from our school. We walk in the mornings, but when ds1 started and I tried him walking home again he was so tired that he started wetting the bed. So now we walk in and drive back, but you don't have this option.

Also what will you do it your dd is sick and you are called into school - take 45 minutes to get there and then make her walk home ? Not really ideal if she is unwell!

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