Walking to school alone - advice please

Yes its fine, year 5s walk where i live. Can she meet a friend or walk with some year 6 kids?

DD walked to school on her own at that age - I thought I had set up for her to walk with the boy three houses down, but found out much later that they separated as soon as they were out of sight! Three streets away, no roads to cross until literally opposite the school, where lots of other families crossing as well. She didn't have a phone, but if she hadn't have arrived the school would have rung. Can you put an airtag in her school bag so you can check she gets there?

Dc1 is a similar age and walks to and from school most days. Had to fill in a form at the school, and his teacher and head had to agree that he is sensible enough to walk on his own. It's just under a mile and one busy ish road to cross with a couple of small side streets to go over.

His head and teacher were fine with it. They asked him some questions about safety and some what ifs? And were happy with his response. He doesn't have a phone, but the school will call if he doesn't turn up and we've not called in sick. One of us is home when he gets in. If we do get him a phone as they aren't allowed them. They can have them for the walk and then turn them into the office before register and pick them up on their way out again. Maybe they have a similar policy or wouldn't mind holding her/a phone?

He had asked to be able to walk on his own or with friends for ages before I gave in. If your dc is sensible and confident (not overly), I don't see the problem and can understand why her brother at his age doesn't want to walk with her. It shouldn't fall on him. If you're really unsure, maybe offer ds a tenner a week for doing it? Money is the greatest motivator.

I walked to school by myself at age 7 and had my own house key to let myself in after school

My son started the 5 minute walk to school in year 5 when both of us had to self isolate and he didn't. Never been a problem and I wouldn't expect there to be.

Mine walked at 9&7 together, I had to be at work. School would contact you if they failed to register.

It's normal to walk to school from around 6 in many if not most countries

Scotland here too. Children still being walked to school aged 9 would raise eyebrows here and likely result in teasing from other kids.

agreed! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Totally normal here (Scottish city) for kids to walk to school from 9 or younger. But also normal for them to play out in streets and parks in the evening which I realise is unusual in other parts of the UK

I really don’t know where you all live, Afghanistan maybe?? central London?? 😂😉

But Ofcourse that’s ok.

my nearly 9 year old has been walking himself to school (one mile away) since last year when he was 7/8.

absolutely fine.

Your son’s attitude stinks. Wonder if you suggested canceling his phone contract whether he would buck his ideas up.

Can you persuade DS to keep doing it until Easter? I let my y5 9yo do it after the clocks went forward - so that he was only doing it in the light.

I think it's fine, I don't see the need for a phone either. It's just a distraction and won't be any use in an emergency. Surely there will be plenty of other children walking to the same school at the same time anyway

@chickensarnie it's fine. It's 2 streets away with one safe crossing.

I'd just do it, I wouldn't be asking for the schools permission.

I'm sorry but who's the parent the 15 year old should not be calling the shots what's that teaching her, speak with her and compromise but do not allow her to dictate her siblings safety could be compromised and so might your job and both can create an array of different stresses and situations for you as a family. I do not say this as judgement nor do I wish for it to sound malice I have a almost 19 year old who loved to push boundaries and be bratty at that age too . As for the 9 year old safeguarding polices within schools usually refer to taking into consideration the child's level of maturity therefore if you feel your child for 9 would be mature enough and capable enough to walk the distance safely with full understanding of road safety and potential dangers then that's up to you , but give her a phone for your peace of mind and the child's there is a tracker app 360 it can notify you when she leaves home and arrives at school too and you can speak with to let them know the phone goes away during class . I wish you all the best being a mum can be difficult juggling everything all of the time 💗

No way and our school was just around the corner, less than 2 mins away.

DS needs to suck it up and take her.

Yup this is what I was going to say. If you leave at 7.40 and your 15 year old isn’t being responsible for her it’s an hour plus she could be in the house by herself, plus locking doors etc I’d be also worried about.

edit as I’ve just seen your update. It’s a bit of a slippery slope if DS then thinks it’s ok to then slip off increasingly early perhaps. Is your daughter confident to do the walk and leaving without an adult to guide her. I’d be led by that I think.

My DD has been walking a similar distance since about Nov of Y5, also a May birthday.
We met her increasing distances from school and we're always in (DS comes home in a taxi - and it is easier if we don't have to go for DD because sometimes the times clash).

We know she's ok getting to school because they would tell us if she didn't arrive!

They allow this from Y5 at her school, so we didn't even need to ask.

Totally fine and I think that should be encouraged when the route is safe.

A child in Y5, walking 2 STREETS and less than a five minute walk through a village? Of course it's fine!

At my school many of the Y5s do this as long as they have written pwermission from parents.

You should know if she's at school because the school should call you if she was not there at registration unless you have phoned in to let them know she's sick- that's our schoool poilicy anyway. Check with the school.

How about a watch that you can track her and call/mssge on?

If they leave at the same time and walk to school the same way does he actually have to "walk her to school" persumably even if she walked herself to school they would be walking very near to each other anyway?

At our school, kids are allowed to and from school in their own from year 5. But I would make sure that the school is aware, so they can let you know if she seems nervous/upset in the mornings.

You can use an AirTag or other tracker.

Sounds perfectly fine to me.

I had to write a letter to my kids' school taking responsibility for them walking to and from school in year 5 as the policy was year 7 but the school were happy to accept it,

Mine had dumb phones.