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Original poster

Would you let 8yo walk 0.3 miles part of school run on their own?

306 replies

SchoolRunQ · 15/05/2023 10:15

I'm contemplating changing my work hours that will mean one day a week I won't be around for the school dropoff. We have two children that go to separate schools so DH and I usually take one each. There aren't any other parents that go from where we are to school to team up with.

So one day a week DH will be doing drop off for both and to minimise walking distance for the smallest one, planning to drop off DD age 8 (and a half!) on the pavement where she will have to walk 0.3 miles (about 6 mins) straight up that pavement then will arrive at the school. No crossing involved. We currently leave her further up that road anyway to walk the last few metres alone (there is a steady stream of kids and parents going the same way). She's bright and sensible but can be oblivious to surroundings so that's why I wanted to gauge opinion! It's a 20mph road with some traffic but never fast as there are traffic queues at the end of the road.

Don't know if I'm being overly precious even questioning this - she's my first child so not left them alone to walk anywhere before but might be good to start building a little bit of independence!

OP posts:
Gcsunnyside23 · 15/05/2023 10:17

I would think that's fine, as long as she is confident and happy enough to do so. I would feel happy with it that there is no crossing etc. I think it comes down to the child as I could trust my 8 year old but my friend couldn't trust hers to go straight to school

YoucancallmeKAREN · 15/05/2023 10:20

Of course.

WelshNerd · 15/05/2023 10:20

Yes, I'd do the same.

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UndercoverCop · 15/05/2023 10:22

Check with the school some don't allow children that young to come to/leave school alone.
For me it's too young. Can the younger child scoot/cycle to make the journey easier? Our local schools all have bike sheds

FatGirlSwim · 15/05/2023 10:24

My dd is 8 and quite mature, but I wouldn’t. I’d let her walk with an older sibling but not by herself. At that age I want to know they’ve got to school safely

MrsDoylesDoily · 15/05/2023 10:24

It sounds fine but out of interest, why do you need to minimise walking for the younger one?

CadburyDream · 15/05/2023 10:27

No but it wouldn't be allowed at our school

Teacakeorcrumpet · 15/05/2023 10:27

I let my 8yo walk to school with friends. Its about half a mile. Its a safe road, they know the way, and its good to teach some independence and responsibility.

Darkchocolatekitkat · 15/05/2023 10:28

Would I leave my 8 year old unsupervised out in public for six minutes? Honestly, no. I would insist on seeing them actually walk through the gate. From y5 or y6 I’d be fine with it, but not y3, and certainly not just to save a few minutes of walking myself. Freely admit I’m on the more protective end of the parental scale though - I mean round here there’s people let five year olds “play out”. Just depends what you’re comfortable with.

Lamontaine · 15/05/2023 10:28

My 9 yo does this and there is a zebra crossing involved. We walk half the way together and then she finishes off the journey alone or with other kids while I take the younger dc to school.

We live abroad though and it’s very common here. Kids walk to and from school from about 6 which I do think is too young.

If you child is sensible and you have a couple of practice runs beforehand, I am sure she’ll be fine.

Ostryga · 15/05/2023 10:30

No I would never do this, and DD’s school wouldn’t allow it either.

DistrictCommissioner · 15/05/2023 10:31

Yes I would.

schools can’t actually dictate how a child arrives at school surely?

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 15/05/2023 10:33

Yes,the kids here tend to walk home from the end of year 4 in preparation for walking to and from school in year 5 at middle school. It's a mile.

Simonjt · 15/05/2023 10:33

YesI would, my son turns eight this year and come September he’ll walking to school on his own some days.

PaddingtonTheAngelofDeath · 15/05/2023 10:35

Ostryga · 15/05/2023 10:30

No I would never do this, and DD’s school wouldn’t allow it either.

How would a school stop it? Different at the end of the day when they have the child (but again they can't actually refuse if rhe child isn't being put at risk) but they do not have any control over the way people go to school.

Yes op I'd allow my 8/9 year old to walk that distance, mine do.

Darkchocolatekitkat · 15/05/2023 10:36

DistrictCommissioner · 15/05/2023 10:31

Yes I would.

schools can’t actually dictate how a child arrives at school surely?

They can raise safeguarding concerns. I’m assuming though that given they already see a y3 arriving “alone” that they don’t regard it as an issue. I’m slightly surprised by that, my children’s school is clear they expect up to and including y4 to be supervised and will only allow children to leave without an adult from midway through y5 (and written consent) but schools are different.

CadburyDream · 15/05/2023 10:36

They won't stop it they will just report you for it. Its not allowed at our school.

BarbaraofSeville · 15/05/2023 10:41

OP, you're right that it's a good way of building up independence and I'd really question the judgement of those who wouldn't allow it.

When they're 11, they're usually expected to go all the way to school, which could involve longer distances, crossing busy roads, changes of transport etc.

So they need to start building up to this in the later primary years and the low risk start you're looking at is perfect.

PaddingtonTheAngelofDeath · 15/05/2023 10:42

CadburyDream · 15/05/2023 10:36

They won't stop it they will just report you for it. Its not allowed at our school.

To who? There is no set rules in the UK about what is and isn't allowed. Social care struggles to find the staff/time/money to deal with children suffering from abuse how exactly will they stop a risk assessed situation.

I'm fed up with the sensationalist posts about reporting parents, even if you were contacted nothing would happen as it is a reasonable and proportional manner to solve the situation.

CadburyDream · 15/05/2023 10:45

PaddingtonTheAngelofDeath · 15/05/2023 10:42

To who? There is no set rules in the UK about what is and isn't allowed. Social care struggles to find the staff/time/money to deal with children suffering from abuse how exactly will they stop a risk assessed situation.

I'm fed up with the sensationalist posts about reporting parents, even if you were contacted nothing would happen as it is a reasonable and proportional manner to solve the situation.

Show quote history

Yes social services. Its not sensationalist I was reported to them for leaving my 9 year old home alone for 20 mins 😆 op asked if we would do it and I said no and it isn't allowed in our school till year 6 our school is pretty hot on Safeguarding though so this would be very much frowned upon.

Original poster
SchoolRunQ · 15/05/2023 10:47

School wouldn't be able to tell if anyone is arriving 'alone' because there are loads of parents and kids arriving at the same time, so unless they begin a policy of 'one adult must accompany one child' and check on the way in I don't know how they would do this. Chances are that this one morning a week DD will end up walking in with another friend and parent.

I’m slightly surprised by that, my children’s school is clear they expect up to and including y4 to be supervised and will only allow children to leave without an adult from midway through y5 (and written consent) but schools are different.

As far as I'm aware the only guidance where we are (small village school) is that for pickup, parents have to give their consent for the child to leave alone in year 3 and 4 (I think it's assumed in yr5). There is a small park-type area about 1-2 mins from the school where many parents wait to meet their children so many leave and walk the 1-2 mins to there on their own (and the parents have sight of the kids from about 10 seconds away from school).

Can the younger child scoot/cycle to make the journey easier?

Annoyingly they are starting to do this but this only makes sense if we are going directly to his school by the nice quiet 'back' route, not via DD's school where it involves going along a busy main road (DH would accompany both kids all along here by the way!) with extremely narrow pavements.

OP posts:
PaddingtonTheAngelofDeath · 15/05/2023 10:49

CadburyDream · 15/05/2023 10:45

Yes social services. Its not sensationalist I was reported to them for leaving my 9 year old home alone for 20 mins 😆 op asked if we would do it and I said no and it isn't allowed in our school till year 6 our school is pretty hot on Safeguarding though so this would be very much frowned upon.

Show quote history

But that isn't illegal, it is perfectly legal (also where I am in the UK perfectly normal) to allow a 9 year old to be at home alone for 20 mins providing they are happy, the house is safe as practical etc.
Schools can not dictate everything under the guise of 'safeguarding' safeguarding is to protect not micromanage.

Schools may not like it but there is nothing they can do if the child is not at risk. Walking to school with lots of children also walking is much safer than many other situations.

CadburyDream · 15/05/2023 10:52

PaddingtonTheAngelofDeath · 15/05/2023 10:49

But that isn't illegal, it is perfectly legal (also where I am in the UK perfectly normal) to allow a 9 year old to be at home alone for 20 mins providing they are happy, the house is safe as practical etc.
Schools can not dictate everything under the guise of 'safeguarding' safeguarding is to protect not micromanage.

Schools may not like it but there is nothing they can do if the child is not at risk. Walking to school with lots of children also walking is much safer than many other situations.

Show quote history

Thats what I thought but ss did contact me to discuss it and I am in the UK so I would rather just not have the stress tbh anyway its not something I would do personally either way until probably year 5 at the earliest

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 15/05/2023 10:54

It's expected around here. Kids from middle school upwards are expected to walk or make their own way to school.

The first school does practice walks in the weeks leading up to the summer hols and kids from yr 6/7 will sort of lead a walking school bus type thing in the first few weeks of school.

BarbaraofSeville · 15/05/2023 10:55

They probably contacted you to discuss it @CadburyDream but I expect that they had no further concerns and didn't advise you not to do it again?

So all that was achieved by someone's ridiculous over-reaction was to add to the workload of an overstretched service that can't keep on top of dealing with children who are actually at risk.