To let DS walk/cycle to school when he starts Y5?

[TreesAndFlowers]

DS wants to walk or cycle to school with his friend (who is 5 minutes further from school than us). He asked ages ago and we said that we would consider it when he started Y5. He moves to Y5 in September and is now asking again.

DH says to let him go. I remember that at his age I had a 15 minute walk to the bus stop, crossing a major road and then a 30 minute bus trip to school. But when I was chatting to my neighbour (who has a DC in his class) she threw up her arms in horror and announced that her DC wouldn't be going to school on their own until the very end of Y6.

Journey to school is 25 minutes walk or 10 minutes cycle. There are no major roads and it's through a residential area (full of school children/parents walking to school so always someone about).

Doesn't sound unreasonable to me. How do friend's parents feel about it? I would give them a set of rules and make it clear that if rules are broken then they lose the "freedom" they are being given.

I would let him do it - particularly as he has a friend to walk with. As you say, when I was a child of 7 I walked (alone) for about 1/4 mile to my primary school in a residential area. Having said that I wouldn't let my 7 year do that now

My DS starts middle school in Sept (Yr5). He will have a 20 minute walk through our town crossing busy roads.
It is very common in our town that kids walk to & from school alone once in middle school.
In fact, in the last term of primary they can do it there. I have just given my permission for DS to leave school on his own.

My oldest is in year 5 & he's more than capable (he doesn't because I have a younger one as well, but still).

I would not allow biking solo. You need much more experience with traffic & judging the tricky bits than most any year 5 boy would have.