Anyone else dealing with ridiculous school run?

[MrsOak]

Hi there,

Just wondered how many other people are in the same position as me!

Does anyone else have 2 children at 2 different schools not within walking distance?

To cut a long story short, DD age 7 started year 3 at beginning of September and DS age 4 started reception. Due to daughter's school being oversubscribed this year (not in previous) DS was allocated our 'catchment' school. Sibling policy did not apply in our case as DD would not 'physically' be at the infant school although is at junior school a few metres down the road.

Is anyone else having to be at 2 places at the same time? How do you deal with it?

Yep, often had to be in two (sometimes three!) places at the same time. Something of a nightmare

Can one be dropped earlier/collected later? I.e. which one is in a position to be cared for for the extra time it takes you to travel? Talk to the teachers and explain what your timetable needs to be...

Just try, go with the flow, don't sweat. This is just the BEGINNING!

Mrs Oak that's a nightmare. We had a similar situation at our inf and juniors last year.

Makes me so mad as the school (ie the LA) was happy enough to take the older child in a small year.

The parents appealed (supported by the heads of both the school they wanted and the one they had had to accept) and won! Is this possible for you?

IMO it is totally ridiculous that jun and inf when right next door are not considered as one school for the purposes of sibling places.

MrsOak, I also have mad school run. DS1 at a school 4 miles drive away and DS2 is at a school 3 miles drive the other way so the two schools are 7 miles apart. I have to put DS1 in After School Club until 4pm when I can then pick him up. It's costing me a lot of money though - £8.50 a pop.

Thanks for your replies. I can't believe we are put in this position especially with such young children.

Clary; The infant school we want our DS to go to basically say that admissions are dealt with by the council. We did appeal but were not successful. Basically they have washed their hands of us and feel that they have done their jobs and thats good enough for them!

wools; thought mine was bad enough! What would you do if you didn't have your car? Are these schools through choice or another wonderful LEA decision?

I wouldn't mind it so much if my DD was a little older. She is really only just 7 and is quite emotional. She hates being left at the school waiting for me and a few occasions has been in tears when I do get her even if she is waiting in the office. I chose not to go back to work so I could be there for my children. I really feel I am letting her down at the moment.

Could you put a special after school snack and drink in your daughters bag to take her mind off having to wait a few minutes.

Danthe4th; Thats a good idea - I think I will try that! Thanks

MrsOak - it's an odd one. I couldn't get places for either ds at my first choice school so sent them to a school which could take them both. As luck would have it or not as the case may be, a place then came up for DS1 (Year 2) at our first choice school. I then made the decision to move him (as he wasn't very happy at the first school) and I am hoping a place will eventually come up for DS2 (reception) - in the meantime I've just got to get on with it.