To send my 8 years old son to school on the bus?

[loveblueskys]

Hi all,

So DS1 is 8, 9 next month he's in yr4. So the school he goes to is about 2.6 miles from where we currently live (we used to live 5 minutes away from school before we moved in here - 2 years ago) We've been doing the drop off and pick ups of course.

As things have changed now currently pregnant and with 3 years old toddler who goes to nursery since this September, DH works hours, it became quite hard to do the school journeys with DS1.

I had a discussion with DH about sending DS1 to school and back on the bus only one bus straight from our main road to school main road (5-10 minutes walk to the bus stops.

DS is very sensible, mature enough for his age and responsible. He also very good with the journey on his own as we've tested him quite few times to lead us.

We're considering giving him a mobile phone ofc. My only concern is that what if the bus goes on diversion?

Has any of you sent DCs to school alone at around similar age? Just looking for some reassurance. TIA

Is that allowed? Wouldn’t be at my kids school

I’m sure you posted before about this as well as it rings a bell?

Oh god i wouldnt, not that young

Yeah, as pp said, our school would definitely not be happy with that. I think 8 is too young, there's too much that could go wrong.

I would say no.

I think he's too my young. I have a yr4 ds and I wouldn't do it although he is just 8 rather that nearly 9. At his school hey have to be in year 5 to be allowed to go in or leave on there own so I do t think the school would allow it or it would raise concerns at least.

No

Absolutely not. I work in a safeguarding role and this would ring all kinds of alarm bells

My initial thought was no way but actually I did a similar sounding journey to school when I was 9 (3.5 miles but only 1 bus) and actually it was fine. So probably yes.

What was the original plan, Op?

I'd say he was too young too. In our school kids aren't allowed to walk home on their own from school till yr5. Do you even know if the school would let him leave on his own?

At our school children are expected to arrive on their own from p4 (age 8) but I would not send ds to a bus stop alone. I might under some circumstances agree to walk him to the stop and put him on the bus by himself. But even then I’m not sure.

My school kids aren’t allowed to go on their own till year 6 seems on the late side though compared to other schools.

On public transport? Not a chance.

It's a no for me.

I'm not sure I understand why you can't take him to school?

To the ones asking if the school is okay with it, yes our school allow children go home alone from yr4.

No it’s too young.

When I was a child (& dinosaurs roamed free) this would have been fine, but now that children are individually wrapped in cotton wool & he'll probably be the only one, it's probably not a good idea. Even though in all likelihood he'd be fine. Going with him on the bus isn't too much of a hardship surely??

No too young. It’s not his fault you have chosen to have more children so you need to juggle the school run.

@TurnUpTurnip This is my first time posting about this

I think I'm pretty relaxed, but this is not acceptable! Why would you move away from your child's school, then expect a young child to get a bus alone, and why does having a baby on the way mean you can't take your child to school

No way would I do this, maybe 11-12, but 9 is far too young, too much could go wrong.

I was getting the bus to school by myself from the age of 6...and at 8 was hit by one in a head on collision and was lucky to survive.

He's too young OP.

Any DDs friend in Year 4 did a similiar bus journey except she had to walk 15 mins from school to bus top to catch the bus and then 10 mins other end- she walked to bus stop with my DD via our house and often stopped for midway snacks 😆