How long is your dc's journey to school?

[mummy1973]

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.

DS out door at 7:30 back at 4:30. DD out door at 7:50 back at 4pm. Both reasonable.

5 minutes walk to the tube, 3 stops on the tube & then an 8 minute walk for some of them.

5 minutes walk to the tube, 3 stops on the tube & then a 20 minute walk for DS. He could catch a bus rather than walk but he's used to walking & by the time he's walked to the bus stop & waited for the bus he'd be at the station.

They could all catch the bus but that is a longer walk at this end & then traffic congestion.

We are so lucky.

Primary was a 20min walk,

Secondary about 30-40 min walk. DDs both walk with large groups of friends which they meet at various points along the way.

We originally looked in to DD1 going to Grammar 20 miles away but made the decision that difference in results wasn't significant enough to warrant the much more difficult daily commute.

I'm so very glad we made that decision - friendships, hobbies, and her independence have all been able to flourish in a way which would have been impossible had she taken the place at the Grammar.

DD either cycles or gets a lift, weather dependent but so far has cycled and it's a 2.5-3 mile ride. She leaves home at 0750, calls for 1-3 friends on the way and arrives at school by 0815.

5 min walk to train station, wait for train, 5 min train journey, 5 min walk to school at other end.

10 min walk to bus station. 55 min bus ride. 10 min walk to school from stop. On homeward trip bus doesn't leave till half hour after school finishes though.

Interesting! Thanks for starting this, OP, I also have a Y5 dd and am looking at schools.

Our choices: local school 20 minutes walk or short bus ride

                indie a:  1 hr on bus, but door to door

                indie b:  10 minute walk, 10 minutes train, 10 minutes walk 
                
                indie c: 5 minute walk, 10 minutes bus, 10 minutes walk

All complicated by the fact that the local train station is in woods and has 'incidents' almost every winter, of one sort or another. And all her primary friends, bar possibly one, will be going to different schools

Elibean - interesting isn't it to see how long some take. Can't imagine my young yr 5 being able to do any journey on her own in 2 years time!

Its take ds about 3-5 mins to walk down the back of our house to his school. Am so glad he hasn't got to catch a bus or cycle with the amount of stuff they have to carry.

Mind you I remember doing the same at his age and we all got through didn't we?

5 minute walk each way, I can watch her going in from my back door

Can't imagine my young yr 5 being able to do any journey on her own in 2 years time!

Most of them really do grow up a bit during yr6 and be ready for it. I'd have thought the same about my DD but...

we have to be out of the house 7:30, drive her two miles to the bus-stop; school bus leaves 7:40, I think it gets there about 8:30. Return journey leaves 3:50, back 4:30 (or later depending on traffic).

DH did a practice run with her in the summer hols before she started secondary, made sure she knew the way to and from the stops at the other end and where to cross - absolutely no problems. Although its quite a long journey its not complicated and she actually enjoys it, its her social club.

If she had something after school in yr7/8 we'd pick her up unless she had a friend also coming home at the same time on the public bus, but now she's yr10 we don't need to do that.

DS (Y7) has a 10-minute walk to the station,10-minute train journey then 15 minute tube ride then 2 minute walk to school. Could get the bus all the way there but it takes ages.

I worried about him doing the journey A LOT before he started but it's absolutely fine. It's difficult to imagine your primary-aged DC managing journeys on their own but they can!

It is good to see that many do cope with a journey and that by yr 7 it is doable! Obviously I'd prefer a really short journey but weighing everything up I think the school has to be right rather than the journey being priority. And in the car the journey is only 20 mins. I could take her sometimes. However I expect she will enjoy the social aspect of the journey too. Think nearer the time we'll need to do a few trips so she can see what is really involved. It is a 15 min walk, train with 1 change and 10 min walk the other end.

Dd leaves house at 7.20 gets a lift to station & the train & walk to school (with a group) about 10- 15 mins. Back home about 4.50 pm. Decided to do no after school clubs this first term. Has coped v well this first half term.

DD1/2 leave at about 7:10, when DD1 walks alone she leaves at about 7:40 - fastest walker I know! Takes them about an hour and twnety minutes.