School question for mums with older children…
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No older children but live in a very rural part of Devon. Everything is a drive away. The choice of schools are 10 mins drive each way and sometimes may get stuck behind a tractor/ have to reverse for a mile etc so things can take longer. I'd say you get use to it. My LO likes to faff getting into the car seat and wants to do it on her own, so we have cracked down on that on weekday mornings, also husband puts July baby in whilst I put our other baby in the car x
We live rural so have to drive regardless of what school we go to! My advice would be don’t try and park anywhere near the school it’s absolute carnage, so we always park a bit and walk! My school run in the morning takes around 20-30 mins and afternoon takes 30-45 mins but then again afterschool I take 8children a day 😂
@Emma Shorrock We had said that should we live somewhere different that this may be the situation regardless! Of course. Yes, that’s basically our situation too- a nursery, a school and both with jobs to get to- in the opposite direction to nursery and school! 😬
@Sam Thank you for sharing. For some people it’s definitely just the norm isn’t it, and we hadn’t really given it much of a thought, until my doubts about the local school crept in!
@Laura One definitely lends itself slightly more to the driving and parking situation than the other, but I can absolutely imagine both being very busy. It would take us a good half hour, and we both work in the opposite direction to all schools, so there’s nothing convenient about them, but if they’re the right fit then I’ll struggle to put the closer school down as a first choice!!
@Chloe have you considered some sort or wrap around care? Maybe not right away but childminders off a more homely feel to afterschool club! A lot of the kids I had at preschool are now my wrap around children!
@Laura Yeah, we’re definitely going to have to use it longer term, whether it’s their own breakfast and afterschool club or a childminder, but especially at the beginning we just want to try and keep his days as short as we can
@Chloe oh absolutely! My new reception children are only in till 1 all this week and they are all so tired! Be interesting to see how many naps we have next week when they start full days! I’ve already told the parents if they need to sleep they can sleep as long as parents are happy with that xx
I think this depends on your life and other children. I would prioritise a better school if the local school was poor quality but being able to walk to school when you have a younger child/children has honestly been a godsend. I think where I work full time as well, and our childminder for the younger child is local it just makes life so much easier and the village school is still a good school with a range of clubs and has wraparound care etc. My advice would be to do the commute at normal school run time to test it out, if it’s a much better school and there’s not terrible traffic it may be better but I have always been very glad to not need the car with younger kids.
@Lara it definitely would impact our youngest, both our commutes and life more generally to pick a school that’s a drive away. I think the further away schools would have to be absolutely amazing and the local one rubbish to make it worth it! Life would absolutely be easier for everyone if our village school turns out to be a good fit for him!
The school we want is about 20mins away, and out of catchment, as I can't see it being a problem as we already travel that long for nursery and the school will be kind of on our way to work. Really hoping we get this one otherwise don't know what we'll do
@Laura it's amazing that you do wrap around care for schools, a lot of childminders in my area aren't doing it as it takes up a day space is what I'm being told
@Kath I think if the schools we think we’ll prefer were on the way to at least one of our workplaces, or in the same direction as our other child’s nursery then I would be completely sold- but that sadly isn’t the case for us! Hopefully you get the school you want 🤞🏻
@Kath you can only have 3-4 little ones a day but up to 8 children under the age of 8 at a time so for me it’s a massive money maker! Also the school kids before/after school are so much easier than all day babies 😂😂 also I’m at school collecting my own 2 what’s a couple more on top 🤷♀️ didn’t buy a 9 seater not to have the seats full! Xx
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@Laura maybe the childminders around me just don't want to do school runs then or is it because she'll only be 4?
@Kath no there’s a few minders around here that only do babies/preschool children they’re happy with 3/4 a day! If she’s at school and it’s wrap around care they don’t count toward the normal ratios (it’s all very complicated)
@Laura thanks for this, I might ask some more in the area as a back up plan. My mum was a childminder but it's all changed since she was doing it
We live rurally and any school is about 15 mins away. Nursery is the same now so I’m not concerned, but you do just have to factor it in to your timings and especially in the winter with defrosting a car etc Personally I’m going to choose the right school and then figure out the logistics. We will be doing school and nursery drop off and both working corporate jobs!