Should I use the particle に for 学校＿行きます？

Question

学校＿行きます。
がっこう＿いきます。

I assume that it does, because で or を doesn't really makes sense. Since で indicates that I'm going in school, and 学校 isn't really a direct object. Or is it?

Answer 1

You can use either に or へ here. As mentioned in @EddieKal's comment, both of the following are correct:

学校に行きます。
学校へ行きます。

• this に is "a particle which indicates a place toward which [someone] or [something] moves" [1]
• this へ is "a particle that indicates the direction toward which some directional movement or action proceeds" [2]

In general, you can use the above two interchangeably [3]:

In actuality, native speakers use へ and に (of point of contact) almost interchangeably except in the case of

ニューヨーク{__}の便はもうありません。
There isn't any flight to / as far as New York any more.

〇 ニューヨークへの便はもうありません。
〇 ニューヨークまでの便はもうありません。
✖ ニューヨークにの便はもうありません。(に cannot be followed by の)

An example:

東京に十二時に着いた。
東京へ十二時に着いた。
I arrived in Tokyo at 12:00 o'clock.

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_{[1] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar p. 302 (ni⁷ に)
[2] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar p. 116 (e へ)
[3] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar p. 117 (e へ Related Expressions section I)}

Answer 2

学校へ行きます is more common.

When using "へ" you are referring to a place/direction, while "に" you could use for other verbs.

• その目的地へと（行く）。
• その目的地に何かありましたっけ？

People often use に because they are assuming they are entering the building "School".

Go to cinema:

• 映画館へ行く。Correct.
• 映画館に行く。Correct.(Edited)

Entering the car:

• 車へ入る。Not common.
• 車に入る。Correct.