School run

The school run is a modern British phenomenon resulting from parents taking their children to school by car. Many parents park their cars in school parking lots and driveways to drop off and pick up their children at the appropriate times.

Background

In the past it was normal for children to walk to school, either on their own, with friends, or accompanied by an adult. Walking to school has fallen from 61% of primary school pupils in 1992/4 to 50% in 2004. In recent years walking to school has become less common as more and more students are dropped off at school by parents using cars, sometimes in a rota with other parents.

The reasons for this are manifold. Firstly, in many cases both parents work and do not have time to walk their children to school, and do not know any other parents who have the time either. Secondly, even if the children are old enough to walk on their own (or cycle), most parents are worried that something may happen to them, e.g. abduction, car accidents, etc. Often there is no convenient bus service, and the distance is too far for walking, thus forcing the school run.