Maximum distance for Infants School?

[dulwich Jon]

Hello;

Not long to go until we hear about whether our 4 year old has got into the schools we selected, we live in Southwark.

I expect though that we will not get into any of the schools (we live in an area where there are very few state schools close by).

In this situation, is there a maximum walking distance for a school, for an infant. I fear we may be asked to send our son to a school many miles away, but have heard there may be a rule against schools being too far away?

thanks in advance

DJ

[Fuschia]

It's two miles I believe

[dulwich Jon]

Ok, so just wondering what happens if the closest school in the borough, which has spaces, is over 2 miles away.

It's a particular scenario, I suppose I will find out soon. : )

DJ

[Fuschia]

In theory a council has to provide transport

I don't think in London there is usually a difficulty though ... There are an awful

Lot of schools in any given 2 mile radius

[dulwich Jon]

I believe that if none of the schools put down have space, then the borough you live in places you in the closest school with spaces, in their borough. We live in the south of southwark, in the pointy bit, so the closest school to us with space might be as far as peckham or camberwell, several miles away.

DJ

[minder]

A long story but after taking my child out of her then primary school during Year 3, I applied to another school nearby, not even thinking she would get in.

After a couple of weeks, received a letter saying we had gone straight to No. 1 on the list as we were "12 minutes walking distance" away from the school.

12 minutes walking distance is not that far so I'm not sure what the maximum walking distance is.

Hope everything works out for you.

[James Barber]

The legal target is to offer you a place within 2 miles.

In Southwark most places offered are within 1 mile.

What complicates the overall picture is where familes want a particualr faith school which is some distance away. This raises the average distances and the numbers of people over 2 miles but often from choice.

Good luck and if you need any help just get in touch.

[Carbonara]

But you can apply to and go on the waiting lists for nearby schools over the borough border, which will be closer than many Southwark schools.