"Picking a school might be the most significant decision parents will ever make. You think I’m talking about Ofsted ratings or whether to go public or private? Think again. The most impactful school decision has arguably to do with location and the means of transport used to get there. Let’s put it this way: parents will do the journey to and from school 2,660 times over the course of their child’s primary school years (and that’s without counting additional trips for school plays and siblings). If you hate your journey to school, this will have a big impact on your life." Elsa Devienne is Assistant Professor of History at Northumbria University in the UK where she teaches environmental history, US history and American Studies. Read the full article on the cultural history of the school run here.