KISS N' RUN
The school run – Diana Watkins looks at the balance between widening children’s horizons, giving them independence – and a stress free morning routine
“The school run is one of the biggest hassles in any
parent ’s life – providing a much better range of
choices for parents and children wil not only reduce
congestion and improve the environment but it wil
improve health and welbeing to” David Cameron
If getting your children into a school is
a major preoccupation – just wait until
you are plagued with the next worry –
getting your child to school! Mornings can
be difficult enough when you just have
yourself to consider but add children to the
mix and this could be a recipe for disaster.
As a teacher, I was always a bit sceptical about
the excuses given by parents for the late arrival
of their children – “The twins poured milk into the
Corn Flakes” – “He had odd socks on so just
wouldn’t get out of the car, so I had to go back
and change them” – “I have to drop my youngest
off at nursery and there was no one there until 8.30.”
Dogs, gerbils, and even hamsters have all been cited
as the cause for delayed arrival but it wasn’t until I
had my own children that I realised these were not
mere excuses, they were real causes of stress and
family dysfunction!
If we believe in balance, we have
to find a way to give children some
independence whilst minimising the risk
Hannah wouldn’t go into school unless her hair was
pulled tightly into a ponytail with no “lumps” in the
front – getting her curly hair to lie flat took strength,
patience and time which we didn’t have and often
resulted in tears, both on her side and mine. Ollie
just “faffed” about in the morning – play was much
more important than getting ready for school. One
day, tried to the limit and seeing the prospect of
my job “going up in smoke” I took him to school in
his pyjamas, much to the disgust of his judgmental
nursery teacher, who had written me off long before
as an unfit mother for not staying at home!
Being one step removed from this morning stress
can help, particularly, if at the same time you are
able to give your child a bit of independence. There
are some parents who have solved this issue by
waving their children off each morning on their own
in much the same way as they themselves would
have travelled to school. These parents are few and
far between as evidenced in the huge furore that
occurred back in the summer when the Londonbased
parents, Mr and Mrs Schonrock, caused such
a stir by letting their eight year old daughter and five
year old son cycle the mile long journey from their
home to school.
The Headmaster informed them that he would be
forced to contact the local social services if they
continued. The response was huge.
Boris Johnson railed against “barmy health and
safety rules” and there were other equally vociferous
claims that the Headmaster had every right to protect
his pupils from “traffic and predators”.
The debate raged throughout the summer and
brought up some important points but provided no
easy answer. As parents, we are programmed to
nurture and protect yet we also know that it is our
duty to send our children off into the real world with
skills that enable them to protect themselves.
But bad things do happen and most of us are not
quite brave enough to believe the statistics which
actually show how rare this is. We dare not take
any risk with our precious “cargo”. So, if we believe
in balance, which seems to be the watchword for
good parenting, we have to find a way where it is
possible to give children some independence whilst
minimising the risk.
Taking the School Bus
Children who take the bus get their first taste of
“travelling on their own” – a big stepping stone for
them. From as young as four, pupils can see this
as a great adventure but they need to sense that
their parents and the school view this in a positive
way. Mrs Julia Eager, Headmistress of Leaden
Hall School in Salisbury, has been delighted by
the growing confidence parents have shown in
choosing to send even the youngest children on
the bus: “What started off as part of our ‘Green
Travel Plan’ has proved to have far more benefit
than we ever imagined. We had to show the council,
that by granting planning permission for our beautiful
school buildings in the historic Cathedral Close, we
would still be able to reduce the amount of school
traffic. We first started with one bus bringing children
in from the local Park-and-Ride – now we are running
four buses which bring children from all corners of
the county.
The surprising thing is that the children using
the bus have become much more confident and
independent. They don’t rely on their mummies as
much and are responsible for their own possessions.
In fact, they have learned to think for themselves
which is a real benefit as they get older and have to
take responsibility for remembering their homework,
sports kit etc.”
Mrs Eager continues: “Another bonus is that the
children are much happier to talk to pupils from other
age ranges and classes – so we have seen a real
community, helping spirit developing where older
children look after younger ones – and this becomes
catching!
One of the best things we did was to ensure that
every bus also carried an adult escort: someone to
welcome each child onto the bus, check that they
are safely seated, belted up and able to ensure that
the ride is a comfortable and happy experience.
Some of the escorts are members of our school
staff but we also employ escorts who love being
with children and just want a part time job. They
start off with the driver in the morning and finish as
the last child is safely into school. The added bonus
is that if any child seems to have a worry or may not
be feeling well, the escort can mention this to our
school secretary and all concerns are followed up.”
Nowadays, we can be pretty sure that because of
the school inspection process, there is a commitment
by all schools to have their compliance procedures in
excellent order. Drivers and escorts will have specialist
licences to drive the vehicle, plenty of training and, of
course, CRB checks (the government system which
checks suitability to work with children).
Children who take the bus get their
first taste of “travelling on their own”
– a big stepping stone for them
Some school bus runs have developed for reasons
other than sustainability. Caldicott School, near the
idyllic Burnham Beeches in Buckinghamshire, runs
buses from Central London so that children can have
the best of both worlds. The buses allow children,
who benefit from everything that London has to offer,
to spend their school days in the countryside. Says
Headmaster, Simon Doggart:
“These children have brought a new dimension to
the school, broadening the horizons of more local
children. At the same time, Caldicott provides the
boys from London with the advantages of space to
play, fresh air and the ability to take lots of exercise.”
“There is nothing better than watching boys put
on their outdoor shoes and run,” says Mr Doggart
who, as a firm advocate of educating boys and
girls separately at prep school age, feels that this is
exactly the right environment to encourage the best
learning outcomes for his pupils. He believes that
many Caldicott parents have chosen daily travel as
a “half way house”. They feel that the London day
schools can be restrictive for growing, active boys
but they are not quite ready to part with them to
boarding school at eight years old.
“The parents really enjoy coming out to the country
to watch anything up to sixteen rugby teams on
Saturdays. The real bonus for the children is that
whilst they may have a slightly longer journey to and
from school they do not have homework so their day
is no longer than their friends in the city schools – the
fact that Caldicott has gained two Eton scholarships
per year for the last five years has proved that the
school has managed to achieve the right balance.”
“This is exactly the right environment
to encourage the best learning
outcomes for growing, active boys”
Car Sharing
Mike Davies, Headmaster of Edge Grove School in
Hertfordshire, also feels very strongly that travelling
to his school from the confines of North London can
give both boys and girls the chance to experience a
“holistic” education where healthy outdoor education
and “bags of sport” can sit happily alongside a love
of learning and a commitment to excellence.
“I don’t think there are many schools where you can
enter the gates and see cows and sheep grazing in
27 acres of school grounds,” says Mary Walsh, Edge
Grove’s Registrar. She helps parents find partners
to car share: “When a child first registers with the
school, I am very happy to put parents in touch
with others who are also doing the same journey.
We do have two school buses but by enabling
parents to car share and pool resources the children
can get to know other families and build mutually
beneficial friendships.” Travelling to such an uplifting
environment is well worth considering and being able
to car share is a practical and positive solution which
can have time and financial benefits.
Walking Buses
Walking buses are the most environmentally
friendly option – one which also fosters a spirit of
independence and a healthy lifestyle! A walking
school bus is a group of children walking to school
with one or more adult. It can be as informal as two
families taking turns walking their children to school
or it can be a structured route with meeting points,
a timetable and regularly rotated schedule of trained
volunteers. It is like the car pool without the car, with
the added benefits of exercise and a healthy walk
getting to meet neighbours and friends.
The walking bus is very simple and can be set up by
any parent or teacher. There is a Walking Bus Guide
which sets out exactly how it works and has been
endorsed by none other than the Prime Minister,
David Cameron, who recognises the same concerns
so many of us have experienced: “The school run
is one of the biggest hassles in any parent’s life –
providing a much better range of choices for parents
and children will not only reduce congestion and
improve the environment but it will improve health
and wellbeing too.”
Thinking laterally about how your children can
travel to school is worth considering:
• You can access schools that may well provide
a broader educational experience than you
thought possible
• You can give your children their first taste of
independence
• You can help your children become more
responsible for their own possessions
• You can encourage them to learn how to
develop social skills within their peer group and
across age ranges
• You can benefit the environment – fewer cars
on the road!