School not letting my child from the school

You are fantasizing. This is about something simple - the right of a child to walk home, which she will be able to do in the spring. This is an arbitrary rule.

Questioning the rules doesn't mean wilful disobedience for the sake of it.

English schools are just mad.

I escalated to the Trust who agreed it was ridiculous. The school backtracked but for my child only it seems. They are actively saying to the other y6 kids that it is not safe for them to walk home alone. These children are 10 with many turning 11 this autumn.

I'm on the fence on this one. My dd's school has a policy that year 5 and 6 children can walk home alone with parental permission. Do they believe that there will be no one home? Has your child told them there's no one home when she arrives? It doesn't seem too much for your husband to pick her up if it's that close, even at work you're allowed a break. Perhaps the school are aware of a paedophile living nearby? It does seem a strange rule. I'm all for independence and children walking home alone (my elder two did in year 5 and 6, live too far away now and dd has SEND).

That’s a little much. This rule is silly and it’s unclear to me why they call walk in April and not now.

Or a child who will develop independent thought and critical thinking skills. Blind obedience is not a trait I value personally.

Where does that end though? If they do it for OP they’ll have to allow everyone, whether they’re 300 yards or 3 miles away, and parents there or not. God forbid the school try to keep kids safe eh, how awful!

So what hapens in April, when the school say she will be allowed to walk home? Will they then have to allow everyone, whether they're 300 yards or 3 miles away?

This is clearly a cultural difference. Where I’m from kids regularly cycle and walk to/from school unattended. It’s simply not a big deal. I am astounded by the schools approach to this.

Ok, it wouldn't be safe for some children to go alone. So someone picks them up or they use the after-school club. No big deal.

I kind of understand school has a general preference. The insane part is that the school feels entitled to ignore written instructions from parents. If the school doesn't like the instructions, they can call SS, but otherwise their duty is to release the child, not to take it as a hostage.

Because the school has got a duty of care towards your child!
A majority of schools around where I live only slow children to walk home along in the last term of year 6!

I agree that whilst you fight this is there a parent who would "collect" your child and walk them in the same direction as your house? I have often collected my friend's children, she can make it home but cannot make it to school for pick up, the 15 minute walk means she gets chance to get home. Not all jobs you can walk out on at precisely 2.45pm. Meetings and calls run over. She would ring the school office and they would release her child to me.

Schools if they have concerns contact social services, they do not do what OP's school has done. There is a safeguarding policy (a cut down version is on the school website) if you are in school and have done safeguarding training then there is a more detailed who it gets reported to and where it goes from there. Schools can only detain and override parents in only the most extreme circumstances.

Of course people are exactly who they said they are online...

Could people please read Takwonko post. Who actually knows what she's talking about - rather than stating incorrect facts just to say the OP is wrong.

Quite.

And even more so how do MNers think they have more knowledge than the senior leader and safeguarding lead who has said the school can't do this?

And she won't even be alone as every other person will be wandering down the street - school kick out t8me is hardly quiet!

Although I do think she should be able to walk home (my year 6 daughter walked home through year 5), I don't think it's fair that your daughter has to worry every day about whether she'll come home, go to after school club etc. I'd pick her up/ pay for ASC and have the battle without involving your daughter.

Who exactly is at home OP? Can you confirm? Because I cannot understand any situation where one of you WFH could not nip out for 2 minutes

While the school are being totally rediculous, I would ask another parent if they would collect from the classroom and send child on their way.

This is not one of those things that falls within the school’s remit.

I’m a safeguarding lead and it is made very clear to us that we have no legal power to detain students for safeguarding or even child protection reasons. Children’s services don’t even have that power. Only a court can override parental responsibility, or in an emergency the police can issue a protection order that only lasts 72 hours. The threshold for that would be very high and this wouldn’t come close to meeting it. The school are on a power trip and need to get back in their box.

She didn't. Her DH had a meeting with the head yesterday.