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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

How long is your dc's journey to school?

66 replies

mummy1973 · 14/10/2013 21:05

What time do they leave and how complicated is it? Wondering what is reasonable/doable every day. Looking at schools (dd in yr 5) and wondering how far out to look.

OP posts:
RevelsRoulette · 15/10/2013 07:17

5 miles.
we leave the house at 8 20 to drop them off at 830-35ish
still have to get up at 6 though, to make sure they are all ready and sorted without having to rush. Nothing worse than flapping aroung of a morning. Grin

QuintessentialShadows · 15/10/2013 16:38

Ds1 walks, it takes him 17 minutes door to door. He leaves the house between 7.15 and 7.30 for an 8.15 start. He likes to be there early and get organized.

Original poster
mummy1973 · 15/10/2013 20:04

That is interesting thanks. At the moment we have a short 10 min walk and leave at 8.40 to get there early. Such early starts fill me with dread. Dd would probably be fine!

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prettydaisies · 15/10/2013 20:30

DD1 and DS leave at about 7.15am. 5 minutes to the bus stop and then a 20 minute bus journey and then about a 2 minute walk at the other end. School doesn't actually start until 8.39, but for some reason both like to go early. DD, I think, because she's a prefect and often has duties 1st thing. DS likes to go to the refectory- breakfast is better at school than here!
DD2 leaves at 7.45am and takes 10 minutes to get to the same bus stop - walks slowly with friends. She then has a 40 minute bus journey on a school bus. If I took her in the car it would take less than 10 minutes!

Hulababy · 15/10/2013 20:37

Leaves at 8am, for an 8:35am start
Goes in car with DH on his way to work, gets out near her old primary, 10/15 minute drive depending on traffic (3 miles), and walks rest of way with a friend - about 10 minutes or so

Home
Walks to my school (abt 1 mile, 15 min or so) and then gets lift home with me (3.5 miles, 10-15 min)
Or walks to bus near old school (10 min) then bus home (abt 20 min) and few min walk - timings of buses, etc can make this a much longer journey though - leaves school a 3:30 but arrives home about 4:20.

KatyPutTheCuttleOn · 15/10/2013 20:42

About 15 minutes walk.

FeetUpUntilChristmas · 15/10/2013 20:43

If going by bus they leave the house by 8:20 it's a 7 min walk to the bus stop and around a 5 minute bus journey, depending on the traffic. They could walk but it involves crossing a major A road junction with no paths or crossings so I won't let them. If I'm working we leave a 8am and I drop them off by 8:10. They are girls so they get up as early as 6:30 if they need to shower and do hair.

In the evenings the bus brings them nearer the house so they are in within 20 mins of school finishing. If they do after school clubs I have to pick the, up as the bus only runs at the end of school.

Blu · 15/10/2013 21:14

A ten minute walk.

It makes life easy in many ways.

Buggedoff · 15/10/2013 21:19

Dd1 has a 10 minute walk. We are looking for a secondary school for dd2. Last night we looked at a grammar school but dd2 would need to leave home at 7.20 to confidently arrive at 8.30. We have decided not to go for it.

Marmitelover55 · 15/10/2013 21:34

My DD1 has a 20 minute walk. She leaves the house at 7.50 and goes via friends houses.

I had a very long commute as a child as I went to a school 30 miles away. I really wanted to avoid a long journey for my DC.

MaddAddam · 15/10/2013 21:45

10-15 mins by bike.

It makes life so much easier, we have quite a relaxed schedule and it leaves lots of time for after school activities and interests as well as homework.

I don't like a long commute myself, so I'm very reluctant to expect it of dc.

Bunbaker · 15/10/2013 21:54

"She's found this first half term exhausting (not a morning person at the best of times) and i just hope it gets better."

I'm not surprised. That is a long day without any downtime for a child. Does she have to do so many after school activities?

DD leaves at about 7.40 for the 7.45 bus and gets to school just after 8. School starts at 8.20. School finishes at 2.50 and she gets the 3.00 bus and is home just after 3.15.

SonorousBip · 15/10/2013 21:56

Ds leaves at 7.15am, 5 min walk to bus stop, bus runs every 8 mins and then stops outside his school. It is one of those journeys that is not that far as the crow flies but a bit of a meandering bus. Plus there are some roadworks re a big building project in place for about a year - should knock 10 mins off after Christmas. But even though the bus is about 35-40 mins, it's entirely straightforward, Fills up with boys and girls for his school (together with usual, erm London transport characters) and several other schools, so a bit of light flirting, texting your mates, finishing your homework and some of reading - pretty much perfect for a Y7

grants1000 · 16/10/2013 00:01

DS is 11 and it takes him 4 mins to walk round the corner Grin he goes in early 3 mornings a week for success pathway, it is great we live so near so he can do this, he is not a morning person so no crack of dawn start Grin

grants1000 · 16/10/2013 00:03

99% of the school foot and car traffic goes the other way, so I hardly even know that there is a secondary school around he corner.

Sparklysilversequins · 16/10/2013 00:07

It's exactly 500 m away so between 3 and 5 minutes.

uselessinformation · 16/10/2013 01:00

Old high school ds walked 30 mins there and back come train or shine. New high school 8 mins in car to coach stop then 1 hour on the coach which stops at school. if I can't pick him up from the coach stop on the way home then he has a 30 min walk. Twice per week I have to drive 40 mins from work to pick up at school because of after school activities, then 40 mins home. I still have to pay to retain the coach place.

ThreeTomatoes · 16/10/2013 09:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
mummy1973 · 16/10/2013 18:50

ThreeTomatoes. Thanks. Yes the 2 that are further away have offered places to all that have applied in recent years (yes very big intake, academy, and no guarantee this will still be the case when we apply).

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shushpenfold · 16/10/2013 18:51

35 minute horrid drive each way....all 3 hate it, as do I!!!

FriskyMare · 16/10/2013 18:54

Was a 10 minute walk to primary school in one direction, now a 10 minute walk to their grammar schools in the other direction!

KittiesInsane · 16/10/2013 18:55

Five miles for DS2 and DD.

Takes 10 mins by car, 15 to 20 for DS to cycle, 45 somehow for DD to do the same...

FriskyMare · 16/10/2013 18:56

I had to get 2 buses to my local catholic school.

Madmog · 17/10/2013 10:41

Very lucky here, it's a five minute walk. Having said that, she leaves at 8.10am to meet four other girls, they walk at snails pace but aim to meet one of the school buses arriving at 8.25am with another friend.

I know some don't have a choice and have to travel, but if the local school is as good as any other, it's seriously worth thinking about as they will have many of their friends who are in walking distance for walking to school, socialising. My daughter loves this and no matter what's happening at school, I never have a problem getting her to school as it seems like a massive social circle of local girls.

Original poster
mummy1973 · 17/10/2013 18:47

The local school is about a 20min walk but neither dd or I liked it. I wanted to! It would be so much easier but it's not got enough of what she enjoys and lower expectations.

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