Year 5 - walking to and from school WWYD

[SpinningTops]

DD is moving into Y5 next year. She is summer born so will just be 9 (and probably looks about 6/7). They have been told they will be allowed to walk to and from school (presumably if allowed).

I’m ok with giving a bit more freedom and responsibility but I’m wondering what to do on our situation.

We live about 1.5 miles from the school so not a round the corner wander. The walk would involve walking along a fairly busy morning rush hour road (30mph) but she will be sensible. She could get to school with safe crossings but has to go under an underpass (my main concern!) She would not have a phone and I would not buy her one.

On the upside, it’s great exercise. On the downside I wonder whether she’s too young and it’s too far.

She would never have to do it as we have a younger child at the school who will be being taken but I’m wanting ideas on whether other parents would be OK with allowing her to walk.

You know best how the area feels to you but based on that I would say yes. You don't want her to have a phone (which I agree with at this age) but have you considered a watch phone? Gives a means of communication, you can see that she arrives at school from tracking, and doesn't have any internet or apps so doesn't have the issues of normal phones. My DS has one and it proved invaluable last week when he got off the train before the rest of us and got lost in a busy station.

I’d say she can do it from the summer term when it’s light, it’s better weather and I would definitely give her a phone (not a smart phone, just an old nokia). But up to you what you’re comfortable with. Personally I wouldn’t be ok with a 9YO that never goes anywhere by themselves doing that length of walk including through an underpass on their own with no phone, potentially in the semi dark too as we get into winter.

Smart watches are not allowed at the school she’s at.

I’m very against a phone, even a brick but maybe turned off in the bottom of a bag only for school run and emergencies.

I’m also quite against tracking. I feel humans have survived for so long without tracking children’s every movement and I want to create a sense of good troubleshooting of problems and resilience.

I have read the anxious generation so quite keen to give some freedom and responsibility but it feels like a big step.

I think we will try the 5 minutes head start. She’ll probably get lonely and join the rest of the gang. Or be too disorganised to set off in advance.

A watch phone isn't a smart phone but if you don't want to track then its no good either, better a brick phone for emergencies only. She might decide she prefers to walk with the rest, or she might find she really enjoys the independence and sense of responsibility. Good luck!

Hmm, difficult really. I was walking 30 mins to and from school at that age like most kids were but I wouldn't let my daughter nowadays. Not that I think it's necessarily more dangerous these days - maybe it is? My daughter is about to join Junior school for year 3 and they dont let yrs 3-5 leave the premises to walk alone, specifically saying only yr 6s can.

This is it, I don’t think things are more dangerous. I think there’s more harm in wrapping kids up in cotton wool.
But society has changed. I can almost imagine the village Facebook group having comments about the poor little girl walking to school (for the mile or so no other child walks or is seen walking), especially since she’s so small and young looking!
If I did let her I can just imagine her swell with pride at being trusted to do it.

How far in to the route is the underpass? Could she walk with you and then go on ahead?

My DD will be year 5 but she doesn't want to walk on her own yet, so we haven't has the issue.

It’s about half way, so 0.75 miles. I did think that, but probably better the other way, she sets off early and waits there to do the 2nd half of the journey together.

I would build up so you walk part way and then she does the rest on her own. This is what we’re doing with my daughter. We started spring term of Y5 though. At first she literally walked out the school on her own while I picked her younger brother up and met me by where I parked the car. She moaned at first but we live a lot further away than the other kids over two very busy roads that I wasn’t comfortable her crossing yet. Most kids who were leaving on their own at the beginning of Year 5 only lived round the corner with no roads to cross. In secondary she’s going to have a longer walk or a bus ride depending on school so it is important to let her learn to manage it on her own so we will carry on in Year 6.

I would trail her, so she walks ahead but can still be seen on the days that her sibling is walked to school and see how that goes. Sometimes children want the independence but it can be daunting if they have to walk toward a man when there is no one else around. I think the underpass would be the most worrying part of her journey. Sadly you need to talk to her about how to deal with situations she might come across, ie no adult would ask a child to help find their dog. No adult would ask a child directions and engage them in conversation.

Where I live a girl was snatched (yes England) and murdered so as children at the time everyone remembers it. Those children are now parents and it makes them wary because it is seared into their memories. Rare, so incredibly rare, but when it happens on your doorstep it alters the mindset because you know it can happen.

My DD is a year older so going in to Y6 in September. She has been walking to and from school independently all this year and the last half term of year 4. She meets a friend around the corner then they walk the rest of the way together.
The difference is it’s a 5 min walk with no busy roads though so in your situation I would probably say no until later in Y6