Getting to school...

[Pussywillow]

Re: Getting to school...

I've done the stinking school bus to death in another thread, but I want to mention the second secondary school I went to in 1974.

This is gonna sound like the Monty Python Yorkshireman sketch a bit, but I had to walk 3 miles every day to my school in Thatcham, Berks. Yet again I knew nobody and nobody gave a ****, but I walked this in all weathers, usually in platform shoes.

My Father, who was the Head of a local Primary school, never gave me a lift. I asked nay, begged, for a bike or training shoes to aleast make the journey easier. I got neither. I must have had a coat ; a battered old Parka that always smelt like it had been slept in. It used to stink even more if I'd navigated the rain on the way! All weathers I did this for 2 years.

My brother repeated the feat (although not in platforms) 7 years later.

[Big Tim]

Re: Getting to school...

Always walked to Primary School (about 15 minutes), either with my mum, or a friends mum (they took it in turns), until we were considered responsible enough to go unaccompanied (about ten years old, at a guess).

Secondary school was about three miles away. Being a pretty big school (1500 pupils), the catchment area was large, and there were subsidised buses which ran exclusively to the school, i.e. not public service buses - I think in 1991, which is when I started, it only cost 20p each way, so 40p a day. In later years, this increased (probably due to fewer subsidies and increasing fuel costs), so by third year (age 13/14) I cycled to school, which was fine in the summer months, but less so in the winter, when I would often return to the buses.

The winter often brought a lot more "excitement", as the slightest hint of snow would have the majority of the pupils hoping that school would be closed (some of the buses had to come in from outlying villages which were cut off in extreme weather). Unfortunately, on the rare occasions that this was the case, those of us who lived in the urban areas always had to go in, as the roads were never that bad during my time there to warrant sending everyone home.

In my final year, (1996), I was one of the very few pupils to own a moped, and used that to get to school. I stayed on to sixth form at the same school until 1998, and upgraded to a Suzuki GP100 commuter bike, which served me well in getting to school and back. (Except on one occasion when the throttle stuck open in the car park and I had to take evasive action to avoid a line of parked up cars belonging to the teachers!)

[80sChav]

Re: Getting to school...

always up in good time for school.
about half seven.
but i got worse at getting up as i got older.

That was very true, Darren ... then I got bored of it as Igot older .. wish i'd nort now though mind

For Primary School though I had a ll the time in the world as the School for me (as it was for many others too) it was a 5 minute hop from home at worst - so could be up a tad later unlike for High/Secondary School!!

80sChav

[xmark1234]

Re: Getting to school...

ive all ways been up and about 5.30 - 6am every since went school and nothings changed lol I use to do home work be4 I went
school it was only 5 mins away from my mums so I had loads of time be4 I set off

[Mulletino]

Re: Getting to school...

Used to walk to primary school, till the age 8 when I passed my Cycling Proficiency and rode my Raleigh Boxer to school.

Walked to Senior School, except when running late (which was often) when i'd ride my BMX.

[zabadak]

Re: Getting to school...

Bus to my secondary school - always wanted the Panorama Elite III as it was the only one with enough seats!

[darren]

Re: Getting to school...

I only lived like half a mile from my primary school.
Somedays id walk if it was a good day otherwise id get a lift in my dads lada.

that was similar for me too darren

it was great at primary being up on a morning like at xmas when it wasn't even day-light hardly and at secondary/high school but lesser so - hence me being up later though!

If we knew then what we know now though with hindsight - it's such a powerful thing indeed , beyond words

80schav

[80sChav]

Re: Getting to school...

always up in good time for school.
about half seven.
but i got worse at getting up as i got older.

That was similar for me too Darren

It was great at Primary being up on a morning like at Xmas when it wasn't even day-light hardly and at Secondary/High School but lesser so - hence me being up later though!

If we knew then what we know now though with hindsight - it's such a powerful thing indeed , beyond words

80sChav

[amethyst]

Re: Getting to school...

By bus to primary then walking to comprehensive

Nowadays its four wheel drive drop offs to school blocking up everywhere.Dont see many walking to school now and no school buses

[80sChav]

Re: Getting to school...

Usually it was walking but I always wished it was the bus!

Sadly though both the Bus and walking was too close by - though I desired both very much ... just chilling etc with mates. That really feels like a point in life I missed out on I sadly feel

80sChav

[darren]

Re: Getting to school...

always up in good time for school.
about half seven.
but i got worse at getting up as i got older.

[Sly]

Re: Getting to school...

Totally. I used to get up at 8:30 for primary/secondary. Used to set of walking at 8:55. Sometimes even later.

[Trickyvee]

Re: Getting to school...

No. This was when I was working as a printer, would see 2 kids in the same uniform on the 6.10am bus going out of the city. I have no idea if they caught another bus somewhere along the line because the bus I was on terminated in the middle of nowhere. It was a pretty odd to see them though.

Blimey, it took me all my effort to get out the house for 8:45!

[Sly]

Re: Getting to school...

No. This was when I was working as a printer, would see 2 kids in the same uniform on the 6.10am bus going out of the city. I have no idea if they caught another bus somewhere along the line because the bus I was on terminated in the middle of nowhere. It was a pretty odd to see them though.

[darren]

Re: Getting to school...

School was like a 5 minute walk. High school was a 5 minutes bus journey, but I always used to walk home unless the weather was really bad. When I was working nights I was always surprised to see kids waiting for buses at 6 in the morning. What the hell was all that about?

six in the morning thats very odd sly.

unless there school opens at 7.
is it the same school u went to.