Aibu to ask when and why it became the norm for schools not to allow juniors to make their own way home?

[RedHelenB]

Seems they need parents to collect them from the class teacher up until y5 or 6 now, whereas a few years ago my dc orimary school.Just let them out at hometime and stonewalled home, somewhere collected by older siblings and some by oarents. Just one staff member by the junior entrance.

@Stellaris22

I sometimes worry about what other parents must think about us.

We both WFH so having DD walk home (Y4) is great, she loves the independence. She plays in the park after school some days and knows to be back by 4pm.

She seems to be the only one, or one of very few, in her year that walks home by herself.

We introduced it by following her for a few days to check she was being safe.

I think that sounds fine, apart from playing in the park. That would worry me.

That's a very good point regarding school run traffic congestion. Our school frequently receives letters insisting staff go out in hi vis to move on badly parked drivers.

Do the authors think the presence of a flimsy, bright yellow coat and a stern face will deter the type of driver that parks on the zig zags? After they scream in your face "No" and "Fuck off, you ain't got no auforaye" you're out of options.

My dc are in Yr 4 and 6 they both walk to and from school on their own.
In their school you are allowed from Yr3 but I don't think many actually do.
We live in an area (in the North, UK) where most kids are allowed to play out on the streets and go to the parks on their own from quite a young age.

The playground DD goes to after school is next to the school, also lots of people know her. We walk our dog in the park so dog owners know her, plus parents know her and she'll be there with friends.

It's been great for her confidence, so really glad we let her.

The main concern is parents insisting on dropping their kids off directly at the gates, making the road unsafe. It's why we don't let her go to school by herself yet. She could do it, but I don't trust parents driving.

So seriously…how can schools actually dictate these ‘rules’ !
What are the consequences for the parents if they ignore,use their own judgement….god forbid!
Do they get arrested and prosecuted!!!!!

I was in primary school in the 2000s and you could go home alone in y6 if your parent told the school you were allowed to.

@toomuchlaundry

I’m assuming the number of latchkey kids in Primary schools is also reduced.

In other countries where children walk home alone from a very early age do they go home to an empty house? Are there childminders/after school clubs?

@toomuchlaundry In my country some will walk home to a parent, some will walk to a grandparent's house, some will go to after school club then go home (only available for 1st and 2nd graders), some might play with friends, in the cities they might go to a supervised playground, and yes, some will go home to an empty house until their parents get home from work. School can sometimes finish as early as 12:00 so it can be a long wait. Also school start time varies so they might start at 8 some days so leave at same time or before their parents but other days might not start until 9 or 10 or even 11 so will be home alone in the mornings and have to remember to leave on time and lock up. DD came home to an empty house twice a week for the first few months of school until I went on maternity leave, most of the time she wasn't alone though, she'd come home with a friend or go to his house after school to play so she wasn't lonely at least.

When I was at school in the 70s and 80s, my friends walked home alone or with siblings from age 5!

90s and 2000s and either walked home alone or with friends from 7. I could see the school from my bedroom window and where we played was between my home and the school. Most of my classmates walked home alone, only a handful were actually picked up or dropped off by their parents. That was the States though.

@Clockstooforward

So seriously…how can schools actually dictate these ‘rules’ ! What are the consequences for the parents if they ignore,use their own judgement….god forbid! Do they get arrested and prosecuted!!!!!

They can’t. It relies totally on parents not realising they can decide, or not being confident enough to tell the school what they want to do.

The only thing schools can do is contact SS with a concern if they genuinely believe it’s dangerous for the child.

They can dictate as they just won’t let the child go until the parent is there, mine don’t anyway, a teenager came to pick up her sister from reception (she was in the local secondary school uniform) but the teacher wouldn’t let her take the child as she isn’t 16. So the school just won’t let them go.

@AHungryCaterpillar they may think they can’t.

They can and will have to if you insist.

They can dictate as they just won’t let the child go until the parent is there, mine don’t anyway, a teenager came to pick up her sister from reception (she was in the local secondary school uniform) but the teacher wouldn’t let her take the child as she isn’t 16. So the school just won’t let them go

Dd2s school started this.

Despite the junior playground previously often being full of secondary school kids who got off their school bus and collected their siblings and walked them home. Apparently now a 15 year old cant walk their sibling home.

Not that anyone takes any notice . They carried on anyway as most people thought it was ridiculous

They wouldn’t let the child go so I’m not sure how people could carry on anyway, unless she pushed past the teacher and went into the class room and took her 🤷‍♀️our reception don’t let the children out of the class room, you stand there and wait and they call the child when they see you. The teacher said she was going to call her mum.

I started school in 1970 and walked with my 9 year-old brother to and from school from day 1 as mum went back to full time work. We went home to an empty house but not for long as she was a teacher (and could leave at the end of the school day without being made to feel guilty back then!) Sometimes I walked home on my own as DB didn't want me hanging around.
When a girl from my class was abducted and murdered on the way home, mum and dad insisted he had to walk with me.

When we moved to the NE, I walked home on my own as juniors finished 15 minutes later than infants, and I didn't want to wait for DB. I don't remember many parents at the school gates but there were some.

Our primary lets children walk home from year 4 but they must have their parents' permission to do so. By the time they are in year 6 very few children are still being collected.

@AHungryCaterpillar just see how long they are prepared to wait.

Or you could call the police. I agree it’s extreme but trust me, the school cannot do this.

The schools where we are go primary school has years reception-4, middle school is years 5-8, high school is years 9-13. Everyone is handed to a parent at primary school but as soon as they're at middle school in year 5, they're mostly walking home themselves and all just pile out. I walked with DD in years 5 and 6 but she walks with a friend now in year 7.

[quote Amymegandbethandjo]@AHungryCaterpillar just see how long they are prepared to wait.

Or you could call the police. I agree it’s extreme but trust me, the school cannot do this.[/quote]
I wouldn’t do that I’m happy to pick mine up as we are a bus ride away and tbh wouldn’t fancy having ss called on me.

Well no, I personally wouldn’t either, but it driving me mad that everyone is saying that the schools “won’t.” They have to. This is your child.

It’s like the myth that you won’t be released from the maternity ward without a car seat.

Mine walked home from year 4

Ps mine switched school in year 6, the norm where we lived, and took the bus alone (city bus not dedicated school bus) this was 2010. I don't think mollycoddling kids does them any favours

@Clockstooforward

I questioned it and told them it was ridiculous my dd couldn't walk home with her friend (whose mum also wrote a letter) they said they would check with social services, 3 days later both girls got "permits" (they had been walking the previous year with my eldest who had switched school.) Under 10 mins walk, there was only one road which had a crossing attendant and very large school so dozens of parents going the same way. They actually brought in a walking bus a couple of years later, too late for us, brilliant idea

Must vary by school. Both of mine walked home alone in year 5/6. We live about 3 minutes walk away.

@Lovebroccoli

I walked to and from school on my own from age 5. This was in 1958. Society has changed.

A long time ago now, but I started school in 1956 - in a residential area of an East Midlands town. My mother took me on the first day and I walked alone thereafter. One road to cross, escorted by a lollipop man or woman.

@AHungryCaterpillar

They can dictate as they just won’t let the child go until the parent is there, mine don’t anyway, a teenager came to pick up her sister from reception (she was in the local secondary school uniform) but the teacher wouldn’t let her take the child as she isn’t 16. So the school just won’t let them go.

They can’t just not let them go.

They’ll try and push a parent. They’ll call SS if they feel it’s dangerous (or they’re particularly stubborn), but ultimately they will have to just let them go.

I’ve worked in 20+ schools and seen at least a dozen parents have this argument with them. I’ve personally had it with DS’s school. Only once, and it was per of a bigger picture, did SS have any interest in backing the school. In every other case the school had to accept it because it’s ultimately not their call.