Is closer to primary school better?

[ChampagneLassie]

Help me mumsnetters I’m trying to decide on where to live and deliberating between a house that’s <5mins walk from school v 15 mins walk. The closer one is on a busier road and has a smaller garden but is a nicer house. So there are other variables, but my main point of consideration is I’ve always thought it would be better to be really close to school as cut down commute time. I’ve got two LOs so thinking this is 9 years 39 weeks of the year. Any thoughts welcome

That's a tricky one! We had a similar dilemma recently and went with further away from school (short bus ride) but more spacious house and big garden.

We both wfh part of the week and have a football mad DS so needed the space.

I'd go for the nicer house that's closer to school, as long as the road isn't too busy and the garden isn't too small. Smaller garden = less work to look after it.

I don't think a fifteen minute walk is very far...my dcs primary school was a fifteen minute walk and I thought it was pretty close.

Personally don’t think 5 vs 15 minutes is worth making a sacrifice on the house. If it was 5min walk vs a 15 min walk you would have a point but 15 mins is fine.

I live 5 minutes from our school and personally I feel it is such a godsend. The school runs are a lot every day, especially as one has after school clubs most days so I am doing 3 runs a day at least most days

I think 15 min is quite a nice length of walk. It's not too long, but it's long enough to feel you've had some exercise and fresh air.

I would deliberately choose the further away one as 15mins is the perfect exercise for wee kids (and good for you too). Caveat that i might change my mind if you are rushing to work and it will make your day hugely stressful.

Closer definitely better! We were 15 mins from DD‘s primary, but actually it was a small catchment and most of the kids lived within 5 mins walk and we envied them every day.

When they are at primary it is a HUGE blessing to be really close to the school, for all sorts of reasons but particularly because it means friends and parents can easily pop in after school and it’s so much more sociable for the DC. Nobody ever popped in to us on the way home because we were one of the furthest away and poor DD lost out from being just that bit further out. Also bear in mind that many children start to go to school on their own from year 5, which is much easier the closer they are.

There's not much in it.

I use to live 30 mins walk from school and now live 10 mins - the shorter walk is bliss but 5 v 15 mins - choose the best property.

Not really when you're running late and they're dragging their feet and/or the weather is terrible.

I see lots of people driving to school when they live close enough to walk.

Until recently we lived 1 mile away from school (a 20 minute walk) and mostly did the school run with a cargo bike as it was by far the quickest way of doing it. Sometimes DC would ride their own bike but only if the weather was dry, if they wanted to, and we had time.

15 minutes is fine for a walk. Is it a safe route for scooters or bikes?

Are you definitely in catchment regardless of distance?

Are you going to move before secondary or do you need think that far ahead?

@Bubbinsmakesthree both are in catchment, naturally and exactly why I posted here you get the complete range of views. The road isn’t super busy, the walk from both is very safe, leafy residential streets. Reading these I find I’m leaning into those like @Middleageproblems good point with two they may have different finish times with clubs etc

Oh exactly, I’d imagine we’d probably end up driving sometimes. I’m not really a walker - anything more than 5 mins is cycle/drive. If we did get the 15 min house plan would be to bike or drive in bad weather

We cycle in bad weather, rain poncho for the adult and rain tent for the kids in the cargo bike. Driving in bad weather is a huge PITA because the traffic and parking are always so much worse.

Our school has a small catchment and I'm the furthest at 15 walk away. I enjoy the time in the morning and the children chat in a way they don't at any other time. I dont think 5 Vs 15 is enough of a difference to matter. Pick the nicest house.

I wouldn't rely on being able drive - roads around a lot of schools are closed at peak times and I think that'll only increase over the years!
15 minutes is walk/bikeable but if you don't think that'll work for you, I'd go closer.

Completely agree re: the chatting on the school run! My favourite part of the day when we can do it.

I hear you. But I had an accident in rain literally due to slippiness and even pre-DC I m very nervy about cycling in rain now to point I just can’t really. A light drizzle is ok but not pouring so sadly if we bought the further house I know we would drive. Unusually the school does have space & even parking for parents but I imagine it is carnage on bad weather days

It's a no brainer for me, especially as the closer house is also nicer!

We live closer to school now - less than half a mile, about an 8 minute walk, and I love it.

A 5 min walk to school sounds ideal but not sure I’d choose a busier road tbh. However, 15 mins is probably a bit too far to walk daily if you’re rushing small children out the door and weather is dire..

We are about 15 mins walk from primary. It’s quite rare TBH for heavy rain on the school run.

We chose the school 15 min walk vs one less than 5 mins away as we thought it a better school. The main disadvantage is the extra time out of my day, and that the school is in the wrong direction for any onwards travel on days I have to go into the office.

Advantages are guaranteed fresh air and exercise.

It not so much of a problem that we ever regret choosing our preferred school.

We do drive occasionally if we are in a rush, weather is terrible etc but try to avoid.

15 minutes is nothing for a school walk so I don’t think it matters. If it was 5 minutes or 45 then that would make a difference.

If you are not planning on walking 15mins I’d definitely go for the closer house.