High school choices involving travel - anyone with experience?

[wassername]

I am about to apply for high school for DS1 this month. We live in Harrow and the nearest state high school is very good,for which I am grateful. However, I am considering applying to a partially selective school (Parmiters) which involves a 1 hour journey by school bus or to the London Oratory (myself and the children are practicing Catholics) which is a 25 minute journey on Southern trains (preceded by a 25 minute walk to the station) or about an hour on the tube.

I am having a heated internal debate about the benefits of the schools versus the disadvantages of adding two hours travel time to my son's day, and I am beginning to lose all perspective...! Does anyone have children currently spending a significant time travelling to and from school? If so, can you tell me how they find it (fitting in after school activities and homework etc)?

Yes - all very good points. I had been thinking about the journeys for DS which seemed bad enough, but hadn't factored in parents evenings etc. It's kind of a no-brainer isn't it?

Well my ds has just started doing that sort of journey, for what we feel is a very good independent.

He could have gone to a highly regarded state secondary nearer home, or other independents that were closer, but we all felt that this school was the right one for him. It is worth it, but it's not without difficulties - mainly by the time he gets home, it's dinner, music practise, homework, shower and then bed - no fun time at home.

He does do excellent after school activites a couple of nights a week and reads on the train.

Long term I think we would hope to move nearer the school as younger siblings follow him as then they would all be doing lots of travel time.

I come at it from the opposite perspective.

Having (for long complicated reasons not of our making) had the DCs at much further away schools, we have finally moved home and schools so that they are both in the local average-ish school.

The benefits of having local friends, being able to attend after school activities etc swung it massively for us - the DCs have thrived as a result, rather than having to miss out on so much and have much more energy for not having such a long school day.

As your local school is not dire then that would be my choice IIWY