To think DS's school doesn't need written permission for him to walk home?

[StuntNun]

My DS1 is nine (ten in January). We live a third of a mile away from his school in a small village. There are pavements all the way from the school to our house and he only needs to cross two quiet roads - both cul-de-sacs. He has been walking home from school by himself or with friends most days since the start of the school year (unless there is heavy rain when I pick him up I'm the car.

Today the headteacher phoned at 3:10 to ask who was picking him up. I said he was walking home as he had done for the past eight weeks. She said I need to give the school written permission for him to walk home.

AIBU to think that this is over the top? And more to the point, if he needs written permission to be allowed to walk home, why has he been happily walking home by himself or with friends for the past eight weeks? Is this standard school practice now?

'Our school make it clear that once a child is in the playground at 3.10, they're your responsibility.'

they might lijke to pretend that but it aint the truth.they are responsible til they are handed overr

I think I'm justified in my annoyance at the school. I wouldn't be happy if they let my 6yo out to walk home alone so a written permission certainly makes sense. I am alarmed, however, to find out my 9yo needs written permission when he has already been coming home alone for over six months and recently on a daily basis. He has even taken his bike in to school, locked it in the school shed all day and cycled home in the afternoon. If they have recently made this requirement then they should have mentioned it in one of the school notes home. So in conclusion AIB a bit U but in response to an inconsistently enforced system.

seems a bit ridiculous to be so late in their request. i had to sign a permission slip quite a few years ago. surely there is a teacher on the gate making sure chidlren are met

i agree, it is the lack of enforcement. and anyway, assuming there is a teacher at the gate, how could they remember whether johnnie had permission.and billy didnt.

Our school will only release without an adult if year 6 and written oermission is given to allow the child to leave without an adult. Its safeguarding and protects the school.

Yabu. I run a children's holiday drama club & require written permission for children aged 11 & over to walk home. Under 11 have to be collected. I don't want to Bevin the situation where a parent says to me where us my child, why are you not looking after them.

At my children's school no child is allowed to walk home. On a Tuesday I have to leave work early to collect dd and her 2 friends in tear 6 and walk the to their dance class in the next street. A pain but it's the rules. They arnt even allowed to cross the road to go to a parents cr parked opposite the parent has to come to the side of the road by the school entrance.

Perversely dd is allowed to cross the road to the adjoining senior school to go come back from her piano lesson. A TA usually takes them unless they are the last lesson of the day they come back alone.

No official supervision in our playground after school so it's up to parents. But after school club providers usually want collection - fair enough as there are fewer people around when the children go out, and the time is out of the usual routine so things are more likely to go wrong.

That, pictures is just setting them up for trouble in Yr7.
It's FAR better for children to gradually be given a bit more independence gradually, than going from 'nothing' to 'total' all at once. So, walking home in Yr6, on a route they are familiar with, often with longstanding friends, and safe in the knowledge there are lots of other parents around at the time, makes a huge amount of sense, before they have to start (with so many other new things they are adjusting to) at the beginning of Yr7, walking an unfamiliar route, not having yet established friendships, and often having a much longer journey.
Our school (and all schools I know of, both through work, and those friends children attend) allow the Junior age children out into the playground, and the responsibility is put upon them to do what their parents expect them to do. Quite rightly IMVHO.

So are they now only releasing children when they can see a parent. Because if they are just letting them out without checking you are there then how is a letter or not writing them going to keep any children safer. I can see more of a point of a school knowing how a child gets to school. If a child who get them-self to school doesn't show up they can let you know sooner rather than waiting until they don't come home after school when they could of been missing for 6 hours

picturesinthefirelight

That is completely and utterly unenforable. I agree its setting them up for trouble in year 7 if they have been babied so much.

I imagine its legally unenforcible. What would the school do if a year 6 child walks to school on their own. Social services are hardly going to intervene if Little johnny has walked 200 metres to school on his on at the age of 10.

In our area kids go to middle school at 9 and they just walk out. Some get school bus, some cycle, some walk home. Noone checks.

think this is getting out if hand. If a 9 year old cant be trusted to walk a short distance home then what are we breeding?

It's a quick letter. It only has to be done once. Means school know you have ok'd it and that you take responsibility for him once he is released from school. Means school cover their backs too.

It'll take 2 minutes. Can't see why it is a problem tbh.

Looking at another way... picture this. It is pretty dark, foggy and cars are crowded on the road.
Child: (wants to get home to play new DS game) I am going home by myself tonight.
Teacher: fine, off you go.
Parent arrives 5 minutes late, no idea where their child is, child can't be found.... Just imagine the aibu and newspaper stories that would attract.
I think the school is making sure everyone knows what is meant to happen.

Sorry, did I just read up there a SIXTEEN year old would need permission to walk home from a sports club? SERIOUSLY?

Primary school I can see the point, but bloody hell.

I'm quite happy to do a letter for each of the after school clubs my dd goes to, Hula. I understand they are covering themselves at realeasing a child alone, an hour after everyone else goes home. I think that's quite right.
Where I think the school are setting themselves up for trouble, is, by having a policy that is insisting on a letter for each child, they then have to provide the staffing and administration to check that each and every child, every day, has written permission to go home with whoever they need to go with on that day, or indeed to go alone. Any changes would have to be in writing, and someone will have to monitor (both) the gates, with a big list of all (in my dd's school's case) 360 children on it, updated daily of course because of all the different arrangements families need to make, then be prepared to supervise the children while someone (who?) tries to contact all the parents of all the children who have a different arrangement from the one on the list, and then what - that phone call would need to be recorded would it ?

If you can't monitor / enforce it, then you can't have it as a policy, surely ?

It's just not practical, and would cause fury among all the sensible parents who actually know their children can be trusted, at 9, 10, or 11 to walk home.

If a parent is not there to pick them up at 3.30pm at 3.40pm they are taken to the after school club. More than a couple of occasions and you get a bill. Ive mentioned it to a couple of other parents & teachers at the school and they are all horrified that I have an issue with it.

There are to be fair only a handful of children who live within walking distance of the school which is situated virtually in the town centre. At year 7 a lot of children use the school bus, public transport or are collected by car.

Backforgood - we manage quite easily at infant age to do this. We don't have huge lists - we just have a note for children who are not collected by an adult - as it is infants ALL children have to go home with an adult unless we have a letter with alternatives on it, ie collection by an older sibling from senior school. They are not allowed to go home with a junior school child.

School have to cover their backs. They are responsible for the children at home time.

If a child is to walk home alone - it takes one letter. School give their permission. Very easy, if necessary due to staffing, to have a list up on the class noticeboard for new/supple staff to refer to before letting a child go out alone.

With juniors I think it is using judgement as to going home with friend's parents or aunts/uncles etc. You ask the child themselves - do you know them, were you expecting to, etc. If child not aware - then teacher goes to office and calls parent to check.

At end of day 1 teacher is usually only responsible for 30 children. So, of those 30 I suspect there would only be 1 or 2 at most, if any, where there was a query - so not an issue to sort ime.

Jeez. It's only about writing a quick confirmation in writing. It's not denying him the right to walk home alone.

Your child's teacher just needs to know the way your ds is getting home.

Lighten up fgs.

I think school being totally reasonable and I don't get the problem; you just write (a very short) letter.

A quick update - a note was duly sent in with DS1 as requested. (There was no answer to my query as to why they had been letting him out for weeks on end without having the required letter.) Anyway I was running a bit late today and ended up parked quite far away from the school, jumped out to go and get the boys (DS2 is supposed be collected from the gate due to his age) only to see them both crossing the road to get to me.

Their system just doesn't work.

Alco and Forever the problem wasn't writing the note, the problem was being asked for it months after he had started walking home by himself occasionally and weeks after he had been walking home by himself every day. I think it's a perfectly reasonable policy but only if they actually inform the parents that it exists.

If you are at school everyday collecting your DS2, maybe the school assumes that you have been giving him permission to walk home by himself once he's seen you (and is out of their care)?

Hula - there's a big difference between infants and juniors though (obviously some transition in Yr3). That's the point - they need to move from being totally looked after in the Infant school, to being totally independent in Secondary school. This gradual giving of more responsibility happens in the juniors in most sensible schools.

Here no permission needs to be given for yr 5 and above.