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

[SchoolRunQ]

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!

I would, a sensible 8.5yr old, a straight walk with nothing to cross, slow traffic and high chance of other parents and children being around, no problem at all for us.

I was certainly walking to and from school alone, circa 10 minutes, and crossing roads at that age. I suspect it's probably just as safe as it was in the 90s.

If you hadn't said she was oblivious to surroundings I'd have thought possibly ok. But she is oblivious so you should err on the side of caution tbh.

I think it’s insane, personally, that you’re considering an 8 yo walk alone because your DH can’t manage the schoolrun with two NT kids. This is normal. What millions of parents do all the time.

No I wouldn't be happy with that

She really should be able to do this.

Not a problem

I wouldn’t personally do it. My now 11 year old walked after she turned 10 and I am on school run with her younger brother anyways.

She is very mature, I wanted to know she’d be ok if things didn’t go to plan.

Are you saying their dad is going to stop 6 minutes away from school and turn around because it's too much walking?

Why do you want to minimise walking for the younger child?

Absolutely not. Also usually schools have a rule that you have to be older and they may report you

Our school wouldn't allow this to Y6 and Y5 in special cases. I would talk to both schools. It may be that someone needs to be late, or you use a breaker club on that day for 1 child.

Describe what you think my school run is?

Are you saying their dad is going to stop 6 minutes away from school and turn around because it's too much walking?

This is a good point. Surely he can walk another 4 mins each way and see her to school…..or is it too much for him?

That's not the problem. Commenting on that is not what the OP asked for. Alongside barrages of hateful comments (not on this thread) giving unsolicited advice is becoming so common on this website. OP asked for a general opinion on her 8.5 year old walking to school alone for 6mins on a straight road with no traffic. She didn't ask what you think of her DH or what he should or shouldn't do.
I can't believe we've infantilised our kids to the point where this is seen as a shocking idea to some.

I agree here, you never know what may crop up which an 8 year old may not be able to cope with

Like what, though? That's partly why I posted, to see if I wasn't thinking of something! It's a residential area, 99% of people walking there at that time are parents and school kids. In fact I don't think I've ever seen anyone I didn't recognise from school when I've dropped off in the mornings.

Goodness no!

I think you need to read your Op again, as I got it spot on. Your DH being unable to corral two kids for an extra few minutes is ridiculous

I wouldn't, no. But I stand in the school yard and watch my 7 year old go into the school doors with the teacher so maybe I'm overprotective.

Would you not worry all day about whether or not she made it to school?

@philautia doesn't your school call you or send a message if your child is absent?

@Dodgeitornot I've never not called when she is off sick so never had a call from the school and to be honest, the lack of a call wouldn't be something that would make me feel better about letting her walk a third of a mile by herself...

That's beside the point though, at my daughters school, only year 6s can go to and from the school grounds without a parent. Otherwise it's a safeguarding issue.

They report it as a safeguarding issue.

Most schools only support independent walking from Year 6.

IMO even as a mature 8 year old - it's too early - and mainly because no other 8yr olds are walking it. Not like back in my day when everyone walked from the age of 5 in groups.

Really interesting to hear other schools' rules. I've checked and yr 5 and 6 can leave school unsupervised - yr 3 and 4 need written permission. I think in yr 4 many do give permission and meet them halfway down the road. I guess if you're used to city schools it might seem weird.

I don't think there are any rules about arriving tho.

Op I think this is fine and sensible - good stage in the journey to independence.

I agree, how would / does any school know how the child arrives? Are parents of junior dc really waiting in the playground with them until the bell? We never did that for sure and I’d be amazed if any school kept tabs on that.

Some of you would be horrified at me - dd walked 3/4 mile to school with a friend from age 9/yr 4 - crossing two roads.

ds1 was left alone in house for 20 mins at age 9-10

(in both cases at their request btw)

Meanwhile I walked to and from school aged 5 - about a mile - with only my 7yo sister. Dh walked along at 5yo bc his older siblings were at a different school.

@SchoolRunQ we do live in a village, those are the rules.

@philautia Its not a safeguarding issue. A school can make a policy that they won't release a child alone before a certain age, they can't control how a child gets to school. Their policy doesn't trump the law though and it's ultimately up to the parent. There is no law around this. Social services can make an enquiry and check everything is ok. There's no way they'd make a fuss over this.
You feeling good about this isn't the point either. The reality is, you as a parent are responsible for making your child independent of you in a successful way. Looking at the rates of mental health problems at the moment, we aren't doing so well in that as a country. It is obviously a problem of multiple layers but 'safeguarding' as a reason to wrap kids up in cotton wool is used far too brazenly. The only thing you're safeguarding is your feelings, not the healthy development of your child.
You wont feel comfortable with many things involved in your child's life. That's just being a parent. It's all quite scary and looking at how little they are it's hard to believe they can walk 0.3miles alone. Small steps in independence are healthy for the parent and child.