Deciding where your child will go to primary school is a huge decision for every parent. There are so many things to consider: what sort of school is it? What’s its ethos? What’s the head like, the teachers? What does Ofsted say? Can you stomach the other parents, let alone the school food…. The list goes on and on. But in all the hectic decision making, one key issue often gets lost. The school’s location. This is fundamental and every parent should ask themselves a very important question: “Does this primary school fit in with my daily routine?’

Having children at a primary school is a very hands-on experience. They are not yet old enough to travel alone. This means they need escorting to and from school. Plus, this is the 21st century; it is now the norm for most households to have two working parents. Two people who have to get one, two, three or more children to school by 8.45am before they have to get to the office by 9am or, if you are lucky, 9:30. The leafy delights of St Cuthberts Prep across the other side of London will pale considerably if getting there means a journey in traffic-choked busy rush-hour London before you start your journey to work in traffic-choked busy rush-hour London. And, yes, yes, there are breakfast clubs and an army of nannies and au-pairs but many families like to do drop-off themselves and in this morning dash, literally every second counts.

The best advice? Keep it simple. Keep it local.

The golden rule is 20 minutes. Your child’s school should be no more than a maximum of 20 minutes walk from your work or your home. And we’re talking an easy 20 minutes here, you must allow time for buggy pushing, clarinet carrying and the occasional temper tantrum. Your child’s school needs to be close to your home, or your work, or if you are very lucky, both.

This no doubt accounts for the popularity of The Lyceum School in Paul Street, EC2A. Its location means it’s within easy striking distance for any harassed City commuter – just seven minutes walk from Liverpool Street station (and even less from Old Street tube) but it’s also within the golden 20 minute range for families living in Hackney, Clerkenwell and even some of the prime residential streets of Islington. So if you really organise your life, you could walk the kids to school and walk on to work and be at your desk feeling very smug by 9am.

The school if moving location in September, but don’t worry, it’s only going round the corner to 65 Worship Street, EC2A.

Join Lyceum at their next open morning on Tuesday 4th June – Book your place here.

advise prep Primary School