From what age are children allowed to walk to/from school?

[JewelFairies]

Does it depend on the school or is there some legal ruling?

We've spent time abroad where children routinely make their own way to school from the age of 6. Now back in the UK dd1 (nearly 8) is furious that she has lost that independence and is not let out the door unless the teacher sees someone collecting her. Can I suggest to the school that she is perfectly capable to walk the short distance on her own, or will they just laugh at me?

[husbanddoestheironing]

There's no specific rule, it depends very much on the circumstances- if you think it's appropriate then I would discuss with the school. If a child lives close by then it's obviously suitable for them to walk alone much sooner than a child who lives half a mile away across a busy road

[MN164]

Kids at our school start, mostly in year 6 (i.e. 10ish), but there have been a couple in early year 5. The school needs written permission from the parent to allow the teacher to release the student at home time.

[5madthings]

My ds3 has been doing the school run from in yr4, he was 9 when he started but its a longish school run. He cycles. I hsd to speak to the school to say i was ok with it.

[JewelFairies]

She's only yr3 so I guess we'll have to collect her for a while longer yet. One difference here is that drivers don't expect children walking and crossing roads on their own, so even I am not totally convinced she should do it yet.

[AChickenCalledKorma]

Pretty sure it depends on the school. At ours, you can give consent for them to walk home along in Year 5 or 6. But it has to be consent in writing signed in blood Even then, they insist on an adult collecting from after-school clubs in the winter, when it's getting dark.

By the Sept of Year 7, they are miraculously expected to have grown up overnight and be able to get themselves miles and and from secondary without adult interference. And this is from a school that prides itself on supporting transition to secondary ...

[JewelFairies]

AChickenCalledKorma That's what surprises me, too.

[MaudeLebowski]

My DC didn't go alone until secondary, but that was logistics. We were still walking to school with younger siblings too. When they went to another school, they made their own way and we carried on with under 11 children as per usual.

[CPtart]

DS1 started waking home age 11 in year 6. It is a good 25 minute walk partly along a country lane with no footpath. This was in preparation for secondary school, and I wouldn't have felt comfortable him doing this any sooner tbh.

[yoyo1234]

Good thread. I was thinking of letting DS walk from aged 10.

[AuntieStella]

Our school seriously discourages it before year 5 (age 9/10) But it's school policy, not something regulated or legislated on. And presumably varies enormously depending on your neighbourhood (and what the traffic is like).

[TheBuskersDog]

I'm amazed at people saying they have to give written consent to school for year 5s and 6s to walk home, does this mean that otherwise the teacher does not let them go until an adult collects them?

[DiaryOfAWimpyMum]

I waited until ds2 was 9 and let him walk with friends, he only has one road to cross and it's patrolled from 8 a.m. I've seen some DC around here walking from when they were 6/7.

[redskybynight]

School likes you to tell them, but as no one checks (from Y3) they could conceivably come home alone from then. Year 5 and 6 it is the norm.

[AChickenCalledKorma]

TheBuskersDog - yes. Teacher hands each child over individually in the playground, right up to year 6 unless they have consent to walk alone.

[SteppeAwayFromTheKeyboard]

depends on the school.

Pretty much all KS1 children will have to be collected.
Some schools allow them from year 3, others year 4,5,6, etc..

At our school they are handed over R-year 3, but from year 4 they just walk out into the playground themselves so could walk home.
We have to sign a permission slip for them to walk, but as I said from year 4 they go from the playground.

After clubs they can only walk with permission. We live round the corner from the school with no roads to cross. Dd2 will be year 3 next year, I am not sure if she will be allowed to walk, or if we will have to wait till year 4.

The schools can't win though. I have heard people complain that their pfb was allowed to leave school premises when they hadn't given permission for them to walk home and if anything happened it would be the school's responsibility - kids concerned are year 6.

[BackforGood]

Depends on the school, and obviously the route home.
Where my dcs were, after the first couple of weeks then all juniors were released from the classrooms to walk round to the front ot the school (where parents / carers wait) on their own, so anyone could go home on their own or with anyone they chose to.
People then tended to gradually meet them further away. - first meet in the playground, then perhaps meet at the end of the drive, then maybe down the road a bit. But as said, it depends on their route home, and, of course the confidence, personality, and skills of the child

[Saracen]

The school cannot dictate to parents about how, or with whom, children travel to and from school. They are only in loco parentis during school hours. I think some school staff forget that!

Obviously the school could get blamed for releasing a young child to walk home alone without the parents' consent. So you may well need to write a letter giving consent for her to make her own way home. Conversely, if you have an older child who cannot walk home alone safely, and who might take it into her head to try, you'll need to tell the school that she must be handed over to you.

All the school can really do if they feel very very strongly that your child should not be walking home alone is to contact Social Services. I should think it would have to be a very extreme case for SS to be interested!

It is interesting to me that parents' and teachers' perceptions of what is a "safe age" to walk home alone are so localised. People think it's OK if everyone in their road is doing it, and criticise parents for overprotectiveness if they don't let their kids walk alone. But if it's unheard of in the local area, people will tell you that you're mad and that no child below x age can negotiate the route to school safely.

When my dd started a new school just before her 10th birthday, the other parents were very concerned that I dropped her off and left her to make her way across the village green and one small lane to school. She once mentioned to the other kids that she was used to roaming all around our medium-sized city by bus alone. They thought she was telling tall tales!

[TeddTess]

our school encourage them to travel home without parents from the summer term of yr5, obviously depends on logistics.

some who live very close to the school have been going to and fro by themselves since yr4 and some of those bring younger siblings too. but of course the parents have written giving consent and taking all responsibility!

[TwinkleThis]

OP, speak to the school and give your permission.

Mine (all Ks2), walk to and from school. Sometimes together, sometimes on their own. The youngest (8 in Y3, like yours) also takes herself to and from a late-afternoon club at the school. She is equipped with a torch and sometimes a walkie-talkie (I'm on the other end; we like to say "Over" a lot).

The only I've ever received was from another mum at the club who noticed my daughter alone and couldn't quite believe it when she was told by my daughter that she walks home alone, so gave her a lift back.

Luckily this was a friend (erm, who hadn't noticed that my daughter had been doing this for four months), otherwise I might have been a bit more concerned about a random parent bundling my child into her car.

(Then again, I might not; we live in a small, friendly village, though it is on the outskirts of a city.)

[JewelFairies]

Thanks twinkle. I think I'll leave it to yr4 and then approach the school.

[balletgirlmum]

At ds's school no children are allowed to walk home /leave without an adult collecting them. I think it's a bit ridiculous myself. When dd was at the school she wasn't even allowed to walk with 3 friends to her ballet class right round the corner from school.

[openthecurtains]

Allowed from year 3 at our school. And children in any primary year can be collected by a secondary-aged sibling.

[SoonToBeSix]

It's juniors in our school that walk home alone so year three age 8 plus.