To ask how many of your 10 year olds walk to school alone?

[Danielle32]

My DS is 10. From tomorrow he will have to walk to and from school on his own once, maybe twice a week. He hasn't done this before. Previously, a relative has been taking and picking him up but is unable to on these days. I can walk him half way but not as far as the roads.
It's about a 15 minute walk but he has to cross two main roads. One of the roads doesn't have pedestrian lights and is very busy. He's a sensible boy and we've done a few trial runs that went ok, but I'm worried sick about him crossing the roads. How many of you have ten year olds that walk to and from school alone? Thanks.

Mine did, it was fine. Most children here do and for about a year before this to be honest for those close to schools.

My nine year old does. It's not far though - five minute walk and two roads.

My DS started walking to school on his own in Year 5 (aged 10). He loved the independence and was very careful with roads.
He starts secondary school tomorrow and will be getting the public bus every morning! He’s really looking forward to it.

If he's ten he's likely going into Y6? You won't have a chance in hell of walking him even half way when he's in Y7, so now is a great time to practise

Mine started walking the term before his 8th birthday. He was playing out unsupervised by 8 too. I'd be a bit concerned if he couldn't safely cross a road by 10.

Yes - has done since the start of Y5 (so she was just 9, summer birthday). We have rules about texting when she gets there, always using the crossings we’ve practiced and wearing a coat with reflective strips when it’s dark in winter.

Thanks for these responses. He's played out before when we lived in a better area, but not here as it's on a main road and nowhere for him to go really. I agree it's good practice for year 7. He's got a phone so can text me when he's there. I'm just a complete worrier.

Here try walk without adults to local schools from about 7/8 but generally that's because they walk with 10/11yo.

But they have crossings on both busy roads and a lollipop lady by school which maybe what makes difference?

Can he have a PAYG phone and text when he's there?

Sorry hadn't refreshed before posting. That's good he has a phone

Mine does, longer than that but no main roads to cross. You may need to find him a route that avoids main roads even if it's a bit longer?

My DD was exactly 2 days after her 10th birthday. Best thing ever

Don't fret!

My ten year old walks to the school bus (school is 45 minutes away so too far to walk!)

It involves crossing 2 roads. She copes fine.

Mine did, but there were no main roads to cross, so not the same.

As an aside, in order to get to secondary school from our village, there was a really big main road to cross, with no crossing. So one of the parents from a few years above became a councillor and got one put in. Thank goodness for 'doers'!

My son walked home from the summer of year 5, and to and from school once he went into year 6.

And he had to cross a main road, but there is a toucan crossing.

I think he'll be ok. It's me being a worrier. My younger kids are in another primary so I walk them to school, their school being in the opposite direction. I can walk with him to the bottom of our road, then we have to turn off in opposite directions.

Is there a friend he can call for en route? Mine walked without me but it was less than 10 min and no busy roads. They met friends on the way.

Download the app life360. You can track him real time. Won't stop him from being in an accident but may give you peace of mind

Struggling - you’ve reminded me, I managed to get a traffic island and a speed hump put in at the place where my dd crosses a residential road that’s used as a rat run. It took a few emails to counsellors and filling out every single TfL and local council survey I could find for a couple of years, but it did happen. I made the point that it was a main route for access to several primary schools and a secondary school. So it’s definitely doable, even if you’re not a counsellor.

Sorry, councillor! Autocorrect got it wrong.

A 15-minute walk is fine for a 10-year-old. Presumably in a year’s time he’ll he travelling further for secondary school so it’s good he’s getting used to getting to school independently now.

My 10 year old son started riding his bike to and from school the last week of school and will continue from this week, he is loving the independence. Takes him 20 minutes. No busy roads to cross taking the back route. He texts me when he gets to school to let me know he has arrived safely for my piece of mind.

Mine from about 9 years old. Theydo fromyear 5 round here

The secondary I'm hoping to get him into is a short bus ride away so he'll have to get used to going out by himself. To the PP who said about the app, thanks, I'm going to download it. I think tomorrow I'm going to walk him halfway then watch him from a distance crossing the other roads.

Mine walks around 15 minutes by herself and usually meets a friend in the way. I walk my younger son to school but she usually insists we go a different way 😂