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Original poster

What age is OK for a child to use the bus to come home from school?

78 replies

Itsamess8456 · 27/03/2021 11:41

Ds is 9 and we live 1.2 miles away from the school.

He doesn't want to go to the childminder anymore (lots of younger children and he appreciates the peace and quiet at home!) and can't see why he can't just jump on the bus (bus stop next to the school and across the road from our house). Dd is 15 and is home before him. They get on really well. Ds, although being 9 is quite mature and mellow. I'm home at 4.15pm

Half of me thinks it would be ok but the other half thinks he's too young....

OP posts:
womaninatightspot · 27/03/2021 11:46

It's a tricky age; I'd be inclined to give it a go and make sure he had a mobile phone. Good practice for high school.

Happycat1212 · 27/03/2021 11:46

I have a 9 year old and no I wouldn’t let him get the bus alone!

GordonettaBennett · 27/03/2021 11:49

What year is he in? Would the school release him alone? At ours, kids have to be in yr 5 or 6 before they go home alone.

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ChittyChittyBoomBoom · 27/03/2021 11:51

It doesn’t sit easily with me.

I’m sure you’d have no problem in teaching him to get to the bus stop, ensure he gets in the correct one and then get off at the correct stop. What would concern me is does he have the maturity to deal with unexpected situations that may arise? What is the bus didn’t turn up? What if he missed his stop? What if he felt intimidated by a large group of teens? What if he lost his money/bus card?

Is there any was his older sibling could collect him from school?

Makegoodchoices · 27/03/2021 11:58

At ours yr5 can walk home in groups but not alone. By yr6 they get a school bus, but again, not alone.

Original poster
Itsamess8456 · 27/03/2021 12:01

Absolutely, the act of getting on the right bus (same bus passes every few mins, no other bus on this route) is no prob. Its dealing with being approached etc that is the issue for me. I have an old mobile phone I could set up with a sim that he could use to phone me if there was any issues. No one of his age walks home/catches the bus so he would be alone.

Older siblings are in high school in a different direction and wouldn't be able to make it to the school in time.

OP posts:
jeannie46 · 27/03/2021 12:18

Fine at 9 - sibling at home anyway so no problem.

I remember, at Secondary, us all being amazed when one girl ( 11) said she'd never been on a bus alone.

My sister and I went by bus together to piano lessons, aged 8 and 6.
Neighbour's 3 children used to go by bus, every Sat lunchtime aged 6, 7 and 8 to meet their Mum at work .

My 2 best friends walked together a mile and half, to school and then back again everyday from age 8 ( twice a day, lunch time too)

How times change. Loads of children were out on the streets in the past. Children went 'out' to roam the neighbourhood with friends, with ' be back by 1', shouted after them.

Noodle765 · 27/03/2021 12:28

40-50 years ago, this might have been okay. Sadly, the world has changed now. I have a 9 year old & wouldn't allow it until 11 (maybe 10 if there were others).

Original poster
Itsamess8456 · 27/03/2021 13:05

I want to encourage independence. Not sure about the school not letting him out! I hadn't checked that...

OP posts:
Mammyloveswine · 27/03/2021 13:11

9 is too young, I think last year of primary (10-11) during the summer term when it's light would be fine.

helpfulperson · 27/03/2021 13:12

It isnt the world that has changed it's the UK. In most European countries this would be seen as unremarkable. Certainly in germany and Switzerland children do this from much younger than 9.

PaperMonster · 27/03/2021 14:21

See, I’d be fine with that. My daughter’s 9. She’s year 5 and had been walking home from school on her own a couple of days a week until this lockdown.

NoKnit · 27/03/2021 14:34

Personally I think it's fine. I'm not in UK though and this at age 9 is totally normal here

sunflowersandbuttercups · 27/03/2021 14:36

I have no issue with it in principle BUT will the 15yo really be home every single night? Won't she want to hang out with friends or go to town after school occasionally? What if she gets detention and isn't there to let him in?

LizziesTwin · 27/03/2021 14:39

I did this as a child but my children’s school wouldn’t give them permission to leave without an adult until they were in Year 6. Even when I was waiting with an elderly neighbour for an ambulance after she’d had a fall & it was less than a 10 minute walk.

CuthbertDibbleandGrubb · 27/03/2021 14:55

I think you should check things such as the frequency and reliability of the bus service. As well as what the school response would be.

Certainly if you are to try it, the summer term with no darkness is a good time.

Original poster
Itsamess8456 · 27/03/2021 14:59

I do have 2 older children age 15 and 12 so there will be someone home for the 30 mins I'm in work.

I must admit, it would make my life so much easier if the bus home worked well...

OP posts:
Original poster
Itsamess8456 · 27/03/2021 14:59

The bus service is very reliable, the bus passes ever 7 mins.

OP posts:
Babdoc · 27/03/2021 15:03

OP, is your son disabled in some way? At 1.2 miles, he wouldn’t even qualify for school transport, surely- he’d be expected to manage a 20 minute walk?
I certainly walked that far to school every day from the age of 11, and I had friends who did it to our primary school from the edge of the catchment area while much younger.

Christmaselfie · 27/03/2021 15:09

Ds did this in year 6. I'm not sure I would have let him do it when he was 9.

Volcanoexplorer · 27/03/2021 15:13

I think 9 is far too young, sorry.

Puffinhead · 27/03/2021 15:13

I’m afraid I wouldn’t let mine either,

sausagerollcake · 27/03/2021 15:16

Our school allow them to take the school bus from Y1 although reception with older siblings are fine.

MrsTophamHat · 27/03/2021 15:20

My dad started training me up in Year 6 by walking me to the bus stop, waiting for the bus then cycling home to meet me at the other end. When i (he!) got confident i could do it, my sister was allowed to come with me, and she will have been 9.

kowari · 27/03/2021 15:22

That's a short walk, I wouldn't bother with the bus. DS was getting the school bus at nine and letting himself in after school until I got home from work (less than an hour later). It was six miles though, I don't see the point for a mile. Is it only one number bus he'd be getting or are there several that go past your house? I'd only be concerned about him getting the wrong one.