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Secondary education

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Original poster

considering a school/ travelling on a tube - year 7 ( 40 min with the change)

51 replies

newtothis15 · 30/10/2019 06:40

i am considering a school when my DS would have to travel on a tube. From where we live, I do not know any children who travel to that school, as admissions are done by the ballot system...

what factors shall I consider when travelling? I think the school does not allow to carry phones to school ( I will double check today if definitely not allowed on a journey)

OP posts:
TeenPlusTwenties · 30/10/2019 09:56

I'd be thinking about:

  • will they get a seat or be standing, squashed in like a sardine
  • how reliable are the tubes wrt breakdowns, and what if there is a tube strike
  • is my child sensible enough to cope with problems on the journey (especially if they don't have access to a phone, though many schools which ban phones permit them off at the bottom of the bag)
  • how will they cope of days when they have to carry PE kit / instrument / food tech creations
  • what do they think about the commute
  • how good is the school compared with more accessible options
Legomadx2 · 30/10/2019 10:24

This morning I drove DS to school in my nightie at 7am for early sports practice and I said to him thank GOD we live near school for mornings like this.

My advice is go for the nearest decent school. I wouldn't want my child to be breathing tube fumes (depends on the line but eg the Northern line air is horrendous) every day of their lives for years on end.

azaleanth90 · 30/10/2019 10:29

I'd suggest you do the journey at the appropriate time both ends of the day and see how it feels - if it's crowded (likely if you're going inwards) is the main consideration. Safety is much less an issue because they get so used to independence in y7. Also, if it's 40 mins on the tube altogether, that sounds like quite a distance and potentially problematic if trains are down; lots of London kids commute but many of them outwards to the state grammars and the distances are also doable by bus.

avocadochocolate · 30/10/2019 12:19

Is 40 min the entire door-to-door journey or just the time spent on tube?

If it's the entire journey, it sounds within the realms of reasonableness.

I would strongly consider the nearest school though.

My older DC was constantly staying late for revision classes and sports fixtures and I thanked my lucky stars that we had opted for nearby comp instead of faraway grammar.

BiggerBoat1 · 30/10/2019 12:23

No way.

Look at closer schools. Its just not fair to expect your child to do this.

LIZS · 30/10/2019 12:28

A lot of dc travel that time or more for secondary. However given the distance if it is a state school how likely is your dc to get a place. Will they easily be able to do so for before or after school activities, you to travel for parents' evenings, concerts, matches etc, all year and in all weathers?

PhonicTheHedgehog · 30/10/2019 14:06

I’d consider getting my child in-ear protectors to wear on the tube. The cumulative effect of the noise on some of the lines (Northern) may result in hearing damage.

AveEldon · 30/10/2019 15:59

Consider out of school socialising - how big is the catchment? Will your child be able to meet friends at the weekend

Also what if the tube line is down - what are the alternative routes like?

MyDcAreMarvel · 30/10/2019 16:05

No way.

Look at closer schools. Its just not fair to expect your child to do this.

It’s perfectly normal for a child to travel 40-60 mins to a good school. Why on earth would it not be fair. What is not fair is sending a child to a school with poor results for convenience.
Op dc can just keep phones switched off in bag.

aweedropofsancerre · 30/10/2019 16:06

I am not aware of any schools that can tell you that your DC can’t carry a phone on there journey to and from school.

Anyway we are in London and my DS takes two trains, I drive him to the train station. And collect him everyday. I would talk to them about staying safe and looking after there phone and wallet. Do some practice runs of the journey before they start. Apart from that don’t see an issue.

AveEldon · 30/10/2019 16:10

@aweedropofsancerre yep there are schools with total bans - in South London

Seeline · 30/10/2019 16:12

The only concerns I would have would be strikes and/or delays - is there an alternative means of travel, bus, overground etc?

Similar for bad weather - snow etc which still seems to impact underground trains

Also what about extra curricular activities before or after school - would you be happy with them doing the journey later in the evening after sports practice, orchestra etc?

aweedropofsancerre · 30/10/2019 16:25

AveEldon god that’s news to me and I live in South London

AfterSomeAdvice1234 · 30/10/2019 16:30

I think it's absolutely fine. However, if possible could you travel with him the first week or two? It will be overwhelming at first.

With regards to a PP talking about socialising issues - I lived in South West London and had friends from school who lived in Acton - it was fine.

user1480880826 · 30/10/2019 16:34

The journey isn’t really a problem. They will be old enough and the tube is safe and reliable.

For a journey of 40 mins it’s likely to be dark by the time they get home in winter. How safe is the walk home from the station?

Will they resent having no friends nearby?

I would definitely rule it out if your child wasn’t allowed to carry a phone for safety reasons.

Oliversmumsarmy · 30/10/2019 16:49

Dd did this at 10 years old.

I went with her for the first week then she was on her own.

She managed just fine. Infact she was a dab hand at changing tubes, where to position herself so she was right by the platform exit and when there was a problem with the tubes she managed to navigate herself to and from school using alternative transport.

I would say she got used to it very quickly and it did make her grow up.

Oliversmumsarmy · 30/10/2019 16:50

Should say she did need her phone and I wouldn’t have let her go without her phone

jackparlabane · 30/10/2019 17:59

Loads of kids near me travel on trains and tubes to school, though many favour buses as it's free. They usually have to get to school round 8.25 so it's not as hellish as later. I'd prefer tube to train as there's more staff and security and warmth, but ds will probably be getting train a couple stops come next September.

Original poster
newtothis15 · 30/10/2019 21:46

door to door would be more 55 min - 1 h,
40 min is a tube journey with 1 change
My son is quite academic, sporty and musical,
He does sport outside school and has 3 -4 times a week 2 hour training outside school in a club. He owudl need to come back home, refresh, have some food, h/w and then go to training

I have a school closer walking distance School A, School B is in London

Grade 5 or above in English & maths GCSEs
School A ( 300 on roll) - 66% (mixed, mixed opinions) - Oxbridge about 2-3 students last year
School B (180 on roll) - 74% (single sex school, feels very organised and has a very good reputation), Oxbridge - about 8 students last year

The starting time at school be is 8.40 am so not too early.

OP posts:
Legomadx2 · 30/10/2019 21:46

Yes @aweedropofsancerre is too - we're west London and school has a total ban on phones incl on way to school.

I think it's excellent.

@AveEldon

Original poster
newtothis15 · 30/10/2019 21:50

Sorry, forgot to add Progress 8 score
School A Well above average0.93
School B Well above average0.59

OP posts:
LIZS · 30/10/2019 21:52

If he needs to come back home to the. go to training is the journey feasible even if he leaves school on time. What if there is a club after school delaying his return? Does he currently train In the dark evenings?

aweedropofsancerre · 30/10/2019 21:55

Legomadx2 that is a good idea. Probably related to the rise in kids being mugged for there phones

bionicnemonic · 30/10/2019 21:59

Ex did a tube journey for school and he developed claustrophobia and a fear of trains, tubes and flying (being in a tube) he believed it was because of the panic of travelling on his own on the tube to school

Ginfordinner · 30/10/2019 22:03

I would definitely rule it out if your child wasn’t allowed to carry a phone for safety reasons.

Same here. If being mugged for a phone is a worry I would issue him with a very basic phone. That commute with 3 - 4 x 2 hour training sessions is very full on. When will homework get done?

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