High School How long is an ok walk

[purpleme12]

High School child
How long would you consider is an ok walk to high school?

This depends on so many things...

whether the child will be walking alone or with parents or friends, the safety of the area, the street lighting, whether the walk is a highly populated main road, or quiet back streets or parks.

If walking alone, how street smart and sensible the child is.

How vulnerable they are (and sadly girls are generally more vulnerable than boys).

In general if it is too far to walk most children either cycle or get the bus.

It's kind of up to them and their families as to how far is too far.

Ok but I wasn't asking about those aspects
I just wondered what people considered to be ak distance to walk

40 mins

No more than 20 minutes.

Yes people do get the bus or cycle if it's too far to walk

Well, we walked a mile and a half to school at primary.

Secondary was about two miles. My kids did walk it sometimes.

Were rural. In case it wasn't obvious.

DD walk was around 40 mins each way. She didn't mind it and it meant she was getting a good bit of exercise in each day as she is more studious than sporty.

I'd say half an hour walk or a half an hour cycle ( my DS did a half hour cycle everyday and it was fine )

DD had a 10 min walk to train station, 14 min train journey and 20 min walk to school from the station. This was usually done with a group of other kids from her school so it always felt safe.

Students walk up to an hour at DC's school.
They tend not to do it both ways every day - there will be occasional lifts from parents, or they will cycle some times.

@Savoretti @HotCrossBunplease thanks

Mine walk 30 mins and that’s about normal here. I think my year 7 would struggle with more as she’s so tired at the moment with starting a new school but my year 11 could physically do more but prob wouldn’t want to.

I would say up to 40 mins ish if walking at normal pace. DD had a 30 min walk to her secondary school and it wasn't an issue at all.

I know some of DDs friends walk about 30 minutes (no buses) from the next village. I believevsome walk 40 minutes from the village beyond that.

If there’s friends walking a similar route then longer walks are much safer and more pleasurable than walking alone.

My kids walked a mile which they never moaned about but they were used to walking to primary school too so it was never a big deal. I live in the suburbs where there’s lots of people who walk the same route to school so it’s easy to find company to walk with.

Depends on how much you prefer walking over biking?

My eldest goes to school 5 km away, i doubt he will ever go on foot. But his younger brothers’ school is only 500 meters away and he is also going by bike. Only on foot when there is heavy snow.

My DS in year 7 walks 1.1 miles to school and back - and that's perfectly normal where I am, there are loads of kids walking together.

Thank you

This (possible) walk would take 55 minutes.
And we do many walks like that getting places
I know she's quite capable of doing it
But I wasn't sure whether that's something that's an acceptable/ok distance to walk or not

From most of the replies here it wouldn't be

I think 55 minutes is too long personally, but if they were to bike that distance it would probably be ok?

I never had to walk to school as I got the school bus so maybe my perception is a bit skewed but I would think 30 mins tops for walking

When I walked to secondary schools years ago, my walk was about 30 minutes each way. My friend who used to call for me, lived even further, so she probably had a 40/45 minute walk.

I guess a bike is a possibility

Unsure how I feel about her riding a bike there

But perhaps it's something worth looking at

I think 55 minutes is acceptable. The only thing I might be concerned about is if your DC's bag will be heavy or if they have to carry a musical instrument or bulky sports equipment on some days.

Being able to walk an hour is not the issue.

Its walking with your pe kit and food ingredients, in the pouring rain.

Or in the winter, its dark at 4pm, yet you are at school to 4.30 that day.

Having to leave at 7.15 in the morning.

If there is no other option... its doable. But if its because the school is marginally better than a nearer one... it can wipe out any benefit

Its only too long if your DD thinks its too long. My DD could happily have walked further than her 40 mins - she took a hot drink with her and listened to true crime podcasts which made the time go really quickly. If its an out of catchment school so not entitled to a bus, sometimes they will let you pay if there is capacity, so if this is the situation its worth asking. Around here I think its about £500 for the year.

Ok interesting so about 3 people think it's an ok walk