How old to stay home alone?

[Olanabunny]

DD is 16, coming up for GCSEs
We want to go away this weekend and she doesn't want to come. We plan to be away for 2 nights, 3 hour drive away. We have family within a15 minute drive of home.
She is quite sensible if not a little forgetful and plans to spend the weekend studying. No boyfriend/ rarely goes out, spends a lot of time in her room usually.
DH says we're not going, we're all staying home if she is. I would like to compromise and ask her to stay with my sister the first night and she can spend the second night home alone. The house is alarmed and cctv all over. I suspect she may stay at my sisters all weekend anyway.
Would you let her stay behind?

My children were fine to do this at 16.

I’d say it’s fine. She’s sensible and wants to get on with studying. I wouldn’t do anything to disturb that tbh.

She’s 16. She can move out if she wants. She can even join the army. Of course she’s fine to stay home alone. At the end of GCSEs last year my then 16yo got on a plane with a friend and stayed in a hotel in Dublin for the weekend. A few nights at home is nothing. Tell her to get a friend round if you’re worried.

Not too long ago, she would have been able to marry.
She can legally be a parent.
She can leave school.

She should be able to cope with a couple of nights alone. Especially with back up.

Main ground rule...not telling people on social media!

If it was after GCSEs finish I'd say fine, but given GCSEs start in earnest after next weekend, I'd stay at home to support her

I think she would be absolutely fine. She's got an emergency contact locally, and doesn't seem to be the sort of person to hold wild parties and get blind drunk the minute your back is turned.

Give her the chance to prove herself.

I think this depends on the child though. At 16 I'd have absolutely loved the peace and quiet of two days on my own just to study and chill on my own terms.

If she’s happy to stay at home, I think it’s fine. She can call you or family who are close by if there is a problem.

My kids would have wanted to study with GCSEs being so close, there is no way they would have wanted to go away.

She obviously can't go if she has exams coming up, and I'm not sure what help you'll be other than providing meals, so go. You can leave her with ant frozen leftovers or easy to cook pizza and salad etc.