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?