I have always thought that walking to school was one of the best things to do in terms of health, happiness and environmental karma.......BUT.....

[mazzystar]

I have just been round this amazing school about 45 mins walk away.

Do I even consider it?

Assuming this is a primary school, 45 mins is a very long walk with a young child so I would find something nearer or move house.

we live a 45min walk from school, we always drive really as my 4yr old cant hack it there and back!!!!!

Depends how important walking is to you.

DD goes to school about 4 miles away from home, so no chance of waling. We have a short drive inside, about 10 mins. It is fine absolutely no problem whatsoever regards playdates, etc. No real environmental isses as both DH and I have to pass the school on our normal routes to work, so drop off/pick up contributes no more than we would do either. Regards health and walking - DD is very active anyway, so walking to/from school not essential int hose terms.

Our local school would have been at least a 20 min walk up hill, probably longer TBH, so def not ideal with young child either.

We live about 3 miles from dds' school. We drive and park a short walk away from school so that we don't congest the immediate area around school and the children still do some walking.

Its a great school and i wouldn't have it any other way.

Can you come to a similar compromise?

Failing that, how about asking the school if there's somewhere your dd can leave her bike and then bike it there?

Cycle. If that's too tiring for your dd you can get a trailer for your bike or one of those things that clip on to the bike to convert it to a tandem.

def bike it there. get one of those trailers or a bike that attaches to yours if dd not up to the whole ride by herself yet

Guess it depends what your other options are.

How urban is your route? I have seen parents tandeming, but would have thought that trailers in particular wouldn't be that great for karma.

We "drive and stride", though mainly so that I can avoid driving down certain roads rather than obtaining any karma.

I guess the one thing that would put me off biking (other than the hills!) would be the loss of chance to chat about the day/revise spellings or whatever.

We live about mile and a half away from DS1's school. Mostly he is fine to walk/scoot there and I drive him back.

If we do drive there I don't park right next to the school as it is impossible. We park about 10 mins away and walk the final bit. I would go for it and not let the distance put you off if you like it!

I think Plonker has the best idea. Drive to a quiet residential bit and park away from all the congested school run traffic and you can have the best of both worlds.

We drive and stride too. It's not so much the kids not being able to walk the whole way (though they would moan...) but the time factor for me.

Another option is to drive in the morning, leave the car, walk back and then walk to the school in the afternoon.

We live about 25 mins' walk from school, and walk there in the mornings, and I fetch them by car in the pm (they're 4 and 7, with little sister in the pushchair). Again, I don't park right at the school but somewhere in the quiet streets nearby, mainly because I am terrified of scraping someone's car in the scrum around the school.

DS1 could manage to walk home again, but DS2 is way too tired. I might try a buggyboard.

I wouldn't let it put you off an amazing school - like everyone's said, there are always ways to do it.

Plonkers solution is fab (as someone who actually lives in a 1 way road used for school run parking lol- biased? moi?)

We moved our children from a great school after we moved only 1.5 miles from it, but necessitating a drive (no pavements, dual carriageway to cross without crossing point, impossible by bike or walking for small children). to the local less good school. We haven't regretted it at all, we all hated the driving to school which we only did for a fortnight, and we all love the relaxed feel of just pootling around the corner to school. we can set off at 5 to 9 (on our slackest mornings) and the dds can scoot, skate, cycle or just meander to school. Plus their school friends live all around and they can go and play with them on their own after school or at weekends.

Really, we find being able to walk or cycle to local school is a HUGE benefit in many ways.

I don't drive - so its not an option, but even if i did i think it wouldn't sit squarely with me to do it if there are other means.

dh could possibly drop ds off in the car, either at breakfast club or with friend who lives round corner. but it is in

opposite direction to where we both work, and we would both usually take the train [2 mins walk from house] there is a bus route which is quite convenient.

I'm just not sure that I could hack it for 7 years [nine once dd goes through primary]

we would have to be way more organised, we also have an 18 month old, no one likes getting up in the morning. but ds would love this school so much [its really fab - very creative, beautiful grounds, really establish ed , visionary leadership, ansolutely thriving] that I think we should find a way to do it.

the local school is kind of a work in progress - not bad by any means but no comparison with the other, but we do know other children who will be in his year.

any more thoughts mazzy
I am similarlyish torn but think I will go for the less good near school for now and redecide after a year
but this is for reception your ds sounds older
What does he think? And is there an age he could go on his own?

If you get your DD to take her scooter to school, the speed-up rate of getting there is phenomenal.

Ah. Forget that one then. Crap advice.