Does this sound ok? School run…

I'n the 1960s when I was 4 and a half I started school and was able to get up breakfast, dressed and school bus to school everyday as my Mother was unable to wake up.
I know, I know its a different world/life now but kids can be responsible for themselves.

what time do the schools start?

eg if school A gates open at 8:40 and school starts at 9:50 and school B gates open at 8:45 and school starts at 9 then you can drop School A at 8: 50 and be at school b by 8:50 or 8:55 in time for school start

I don't think they can, but there seems to be lots of parents going along with their made up rules and who think it's entirely reasonable that children can only walk alone or with friends in their last year of primary school.

I actually don't think it is. ETA: "Incredibly" young? what age would be just "young" I wonder? and what age would be OK – if 9 is so very very young?

I think it's fine for an NT 9yo to walk to the corner postbox to post a letter or to the shop to buy some sweets. In fact (assuming safer roads and good road safety drilled) I think it’s a good* thing to do.

And in fact by the sounds of it, the 8/9yos won’t actually be "alone in the street". They will be surrounded by other kids and parents. Yes the parents do not have to look after the OP’s kids – but what needs to be done anyway? If there genuinely is a queue of folk outside the school at 8.35am that is.

Unless there’s going to be a massive drip feed about the children having severe SEN or the school being in an area of ridiculously high crime, then of course it’s fine to do this. People’s perception of risk is so bizarre.

I would probably just be late dropping your youngest off instead.

Good question. School tried it with one of mine. They eventually backed down and admitted a nine year old arriving at school alone was none of their business. Child was nine and we lived a few doors away, no roads to cross.

8 and 9 year olds routinely take themselves all or part of the way to school where I live, so not a big deal at all. You will know your local set up and whether this is safe or not.

English schools are totally unhinged about this. Not letting 10 year olds leave school without a parent. Nuts.

If youngest’s gates only open at 8.45 then presumably they stay open till 8.55 or 9am?

There can’t be only a 2 minute window for drop off surely?

So you drop your older two at 8.40/8.45 after gates open and your youngest one at 8.50/8.55.

Or do you need to get yourself somewhere (work) straight afterwards and that’s why youngest needs to be there at 8.45?

Maybe that’s why I’m so confused! I’m in Scotland and my son has been walking himself the mile to school for a year now and he’s 9. Lots of kids in his class walk themselves and there’s no issue. I’m in a city too.

Can the headmistress control what you do outside school hours not on school site?

No you obviously can't just dump them outside the school unsupervised before it's open. You're basically relying on other people to watch them without even asking.

Parenting your children isn't a luxury of time 🙄

This would not be allowed in my kids school.
Even if it was, that's incredibly young to be alone in the street.

In Scotland it would be a total non-issue. Schools do not start policing who/how children are dropped off or collected. Definitely not 8 and 9 year olds.

I used to do that all the time when DS was in year 4. It was fine. In year 5 he started walking by himself so I think it's a sensible progression.

I’d imagine that ultimately they can’t.

And tbh, even though there is a teacher on the gate, I’m not sure they’d notice at our school. The kids all chat in the mornings, wander together with friends while parents wave them in. Especially the older children, they aren’t all walked in individually next to a parent.

How can they possibly enforce this rule? It is outside their authority.

How would this school cope with a child walking to school alone?
There is no law to say children must be accompanied to school.

Sounds fine to me, I would expect 8 and 9 years olds to be walking to school themselves potentially if close enough so definitely fine to be dropped off and then left without a parent in the playground. If they can’t do that how will they be ok to get themselves to school etc for high school, independence needs building up

I would put them in breakfast club so you can hand them over to a safe adult in a safe place.

How do schools actually prevent children arriving alone?

It’s interesting to see the spread of views on this. A generation ago it would have been a total non-issue.

I wouldn't let them on their own with no supervision. No because they are going to be in trouble just because they may find that the trouble comes to them.
Speaking with the schools to allow them a few minutes is one thing you can do. I don't see why not. Other parents may help specially if your kids are friends.
Early breakfast is far too much for a few minutes in my opinion.
There is some parents that do the always five minutes late pick up in the afternoon in my school and the school allow it because they know that particular parents can't make it just on time after their shifts.
It is worthy to ask arround.

I'd do that without a second thought. If an 8 and 9 year old can't sensibly stand next to a school gate for 5 mins where there are other parents and kids milling around then something is wrong.