Having spent most of my children's primary school years driving them to
school and participating fully in the infamous school run, we were delighted
to get our children into secondary schools in Handsworth Birmingham within
half a mile or less of home. This was a very specific choice as there are
good schools where both my son and daughter also gained places much further
away from home - but the travel distances were a critical factor in our
choices.

I have had "battles" with my daughter about not accompanying her to school
though they are much less now because she values both the independence
afforded by walking to her school and doesn't want the embarrassment of me
turning up to meet her on a bicycle).

Choices made by parents of school and then the conduct of their negotiation
with their children about the journey to school are crucial in reducing the
sad statistics of numbers who are driven rather than walk to and from their
school.

Simon


Simon Baddeley
Inlogov, School of Public Policy
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham B15 2TT
0121 554 9794
Mobile 07775 655842
Fax 0121 240 4238
Campus 0121 414 4999 Fay Wilson <F.E.WILSON@...>