how far is too far to travel to school

[sarahlangley68]

my daughter lives in south London and goes to school in west London as we moved to south London recently. she wakes up 4:50 am every day and comes back at 6 pm, the reason she is going to that school is that no schools in south London do economics as a GCSE option. the curriculum in her school in west London is different to the one in south London. I don't know what to do, and also if she goes to her school in the west she will do good on her GCSEs but if she goes to school in the south she won't do as well. what should I do?

They sounds an incredibly long day and unsustainable tbh.

What happens when they run before or after school revision classes?

How much does the travelling cost? Would it he perhaps better to go local then use the money saved for extra tuition ?

You ignore GCSE Economics and find a school closer to home! Those hours would run a grown adult into the ground but you're making her do that with homework on top of that? No. She will not fail her GCSEs at a local school.

The vast majority of schools don't offer GCSE economics. 6th firms know this and don't expect it. That's a horribly long day to put a teenager through. She'll be exhausted and that will cause her work to suffer.

Move her 100%. GCSE economics? It's really a unusual gcse. If she wants to do it most places will,offer it at a level.

GCSE Economics shouldn't be a decision maker for schooling.
You don't even need A level Economics to do Economics at university.

Waking up at 4:50am to get to school and not returning home until 6pm is no life for anyone.

If she is y7-9 then for heavens sake move schools.
Actually if y10 then move schools too.

She'll get exhausted. To study Economics at uni you don't even need the A level since relatively few schools offer it. Maths is far more important. Move her to a more local school.

If she's in yr 11, you'll probably just have to make it work until she finishes her GCSEs. Would driving be any quicker than public transport or vice versa? Could she stay with a friend/relative a couple of night a week who lives nearer the school?

If she's in yr 10 or below, move her asap. That length of day is not sustainable for anyone long-term. No one needs GCSE economics, no college, sixth form or uni would have it as a requirement for entry to any course because, as you say yourself, hardly any schools offer it. She will get better GCSE results if she's not falling asleep during lessons due to being up before 5am every day.

Although if yr 11 I would see if she could stay at a friend's house overnight occasionally. If yr10 or below I would move her. 4.30 is just too early to be getting up (depending on how long she takes to get ready). Is there anywhere further South - Surrey? What is the school near you with places like other than the lack of economics which is annoying but not ultimately a deal breaker. Move now though before too far into yr10.

An hour each way.

There will be schools that are good in South London. Whether they'll accept her half way through GCSEs in another matter, but I'd certainly try and find her somewhere closer unless she's in year 11. She won't perform well if she's exhausted. Agree that GCSE Economics is not necessary for A-level. Maths is more important.

“if she goes to her school in the west she will do good on her GCSEs but if she goes to school in the south she won't do as well”

Why not?

I can’t see that an exhausting day like this will help her!

What year is she in?

I think the important fact that you have left out is what year your DD is in.

If she wants to choose Economics as an option, and she hasn't started GSCEs yet, then you move her. Very few offer it at GCSE, but are happy for them to do A level without having studied it before.

If she has just started her GCSEs, then I would have thought it would still be possible to change if you can find another school offering the same courses, albeit having to drop Economics.

If she is Y11, then yes she is going to have to persevere for the next 6 months.

It does seem a very long day - what is her journey like? If it's just one train/bus then not so bad, but lots of changes would be hard - especially having to cope with cancelled trains and late buses.

4.50am?! On face value, and without knowing anything else about your daughter or the schools, I think you've lost all sense of perspective!
How long does it take her to get ready, what is the journey time and how old is she?

I studied Economics at A level. Then had to do it all over again when I studied at Uni (required)

I would definitely ditch the GCSE Economics.

Poor kid!

No school is worth a 3hr one way daily commute! Approximately an hour’s journey commute for school or indeed work is what we’ve aimed for when deciding where to live. You either need to move school or move house.

Why is GCSE economics so important? Why wouldn't she do so well on her GCSEs? Does she get the chance to do extra curricular activities?

That's far too long. Knock economics on the head and go to a local school with a more sensible commute. There are lots of good schools in south London!

My DS did Economics at university and whilst he did do at A level he didn’t do GCSE. 04.50 is far too early to get up. Why the importance at GCSE?

Are you being serious?

Seriously, you have lost the plot. Poor DD.

Getting up at 4.50 is too early. I'd be concerned about safety with her travelling through London at that time as there wouldn't be many other commuters travelling with her. What year is she in?

Wow OP...!

I think it’s unfair and not very nice, if a child has to get up or leave the house really early just to go to school. They’ve got their working life to have to suffer an unreasonable commute.

BTW, Kingsdale Foundation School in SE London offers GCSE Economics, and they admit students from anywhere in London - no distance restriction / catchment area.

The charter school also does gcse economics

This is a wind up... gcse economics is a waste of time. You'd Be Better Off Getting A Decent RESULT for maths. Our child sends an hour travelling to school aND gets up at 6 15am. I've no idea what you are doing at 450 ..

I'd imagine that all of her results would suffer if she's having to get up essentially in the middle of the night and doing such long days. GCSE Economics is not worth that level of hassle.