Walking to School

On my way into work I pass two primary schools. The first is a private school (fee paying), tucked away off a cul-de-sac off a suburban backstreet, the second is a large state school (actually the one my kids went to) on a fairly busy route into the city. This morning, as I went to cross the road by the first school I found myself having to dodge multiple cars that were pulling up in random places, driven by smartly-dressed professional parents and packed with uniformed children. I have to admit that I got a little annoyed. Clearly, THE most important thing in the world was getting the car as close as possible to the school with minimal regard for anyone else trying to occupy the same physical space. It set me thinking about children being driven to school versus my own experience, and the experience of my children, of walking to school.

In my opinion, children ought to go to their local (nearest) school and, in a city/town such as Plymouth, for most people this should mean that they can walk there. Walking to school provides all kinds of benefits including improving physical health through some daily, low-stress exercise, improving mental health through exposure to the environment, potentially improving family relations by encouraging conversation between parents and children etc. Shutting kids up in metal boxes and delivering them door-to-door, perhaps to a location that is outside of their local community area, just seems like a BAD IDEA to me. So what if it rains a little (like it did this morning) or is a bit cold (or even hot)? Surely exposure to the elements is mostly a good thing?

Thinking back to my own experience, at primary school age I used to walk a good mile or so to school along a lane and a canal tow-path (quite rural despite being in a town). At secondary school age I had a similar length walk, including a pretty decent uphill section, through a housing estate. It didn’t do me any harm… [unless anyone wants to try to argue that it made me into a grouchy old man who goes off on rants about trivial things occasionally…].

Passing the second school on my way in it was noticeable that a lot more people were walking their kids to school. It was much more how I think things should be. I think it is entirely possible that the difference was due to the fact that the first school was fee paying and the second wasn’t but I am going to resist the temptation to try to argue this case and leave it just as an observation.