11 year olds travelling to school - London

[TeddyIEI]

Hoping some London parents can put my mind to rest or something.
My brother his wife snd 3 children live in south west London. My eldest nieces (twins) turned 11 at the end of July, they are due to start senior school. I've just learnt they will be going to school in central/west London and taking the tube there alone!!
On the first day my brother is going to make sure they get off at the right stop and they have done the walk from their stop to the school before with their mum before. They have to be there for 08:10 and will leave at 16:50ish, so will almost definitely be caught in the rush.
My sons are 13 and 15, we live rurally and right now they can do whatever in our village, walk to the bus stop for school (school provided bus), my 15 year old has been allowed into the nearest town to go for food with friends and I wouldn't mind dropping to the cinema/picking them up or similar. But the thought of them going into central London alone, at peak times at 11 makes me feel a little ill. They will be on the tube for nearly 30 min (no changes) and a 5 or so minute walk either end.

Is this normal? Do lots of kids in London do this? AIBU to think this can't possibly be safe ?

FHSS? Loads of girls from my part of SW London (not Kew) go to there and I see them on the bus in packs.

Normal. I did it decades ago. That’s the age we start going to school alone. Much safer than in the sticks because you’re always in a crowded place.

Totally normal.

DD (14) has been doing this for the last 3 years in SE London - two trains (one into central London from home and then one a couple of stops to school) but if there are issues on the line then she'll also do a tube & bus combo.

She also takes tubes and buses after school to various music classes.

She has a season ticket so often goes into London on her own at weekends to meet up with friends.

She has a bank card, a smart phone and all the travel apps she could ever need.

Don’t encourage her! Her brother would be perfectly justified in keeping her country mouse nose out of their business.
@TeddyIEI everyone’s told you it’s the norm, but it seems that’s not what you want to hear.

Sorry but you are being rather silly saying this. You don’t live there so you don’t know how easy and safe it is for kids to get around on the tube. They have so much more fun and independence than suburban kids who get driven everywhere- plus they’re safe! The tube is crowded, well lit, policed, staffed and warm.

And normal for us 'normal' not wealthy enough for private school families who don't live in catchment for many schools, too.

@UnRavellingFast

Its an opinion. I’ve lived in London. I’m glad I don’t live there now. Where I live is incredibly urban by the way but my kids walk to their secondary school (10 mins). Suits us. Different strokes for different folks. Nothing silly about it.

Well quite! Why does the DB have to calm his sister down.

I used to commute like this to school in london. I don’t remember feeling particularly at risk but I did find it really hard work doing a long, slightly stressful commute everyday.

@TeddyIEI - you are being very dramatic and, tbh, you sound ignorant by fearing something you haven’t tried to get to know or understand.
Your anxiety levels are going to go through the roof if your sons ever leave home.

Yep, totally standard. I see schoolkids as young as six or seven taking London buses alone to and from school.

It's Completely normal and you sound way over involved.

Totally normal. As an adult who grew up in London I feel safer with that sort of journey where its busy, well lit , there are help points etc than desolate villages with one bus and feeling in the middle of nowhere !

It's none of her business because her nieces have parents who live in London and know what they're doing. The OP lives rurally and hasn't got a clue what she's concerned about other than ooh Scary London.

Speaking as a teacher, I’d say they’re more at risk of harm inside school than on the journey there tbh

So completely normal. They usually travel in packs too.

Honestly OP it sounds a bit crackers to be worried about this. Almost every child in London does this. They are surprisingly competent and capable.

My 14 yr old DC has taken tube since March of Yr7. We were hesitant at first and as they started during the pandemic, my DH and I drove him to and from school, Sep to Jan. They’ve never had an issue and is on tube 35-40 mins from NW to W London. We aren’t from London and my school journey was a 10min walk on a road that I lived on.
Someone commented above that travel was free. Only bus for my DC; need to pay for tube albeit at a reduced rate.

My DC feel far safer in London than rural areas (as long as their phones are not in plain sight)

Does your 13 year old not go into town with mates?!

Normal. Both of mine were in London as soon as they got their Oyster card at 11, riding the tubes and exploring.

Totally normal . Last two terms of yr 6 mine used to go to and from school on a bus ( 5 stops and a short walk involving crossing two roads at a pelican ) . Year 7 travelled from West London into the City on the tube .

Yes, very normal. DD1 caught one bus, DS1 caught 2 busses and DS2 gets the tube. No problems.

Am shocked your 15 year old has only been to the local town. By 14 my older dc were getting trains with changes three hours or so to camps.

It's completely normal for school children to get to school on public transport from year 7. This was the case 50 years ago and is the case now. I would imagine it is safer than being driven to school.