Walking to school alone

[NortieTortie]

Just found out that my childrens' school's rules reg. walking to school alone is only allowed from year 6 and for the summer term only. This seems too late for me. They'll be walking to school and back in secondary school and I was hoping they'd get more than a few months practice at the school run. My niece's/nephew's school is from the summer term in year 5 and I think that's far more reasonable.

We live 0.1m away from school with one back road to cross, but it does get extremely busy during pick up/drop off. I'd be happy for them to do this from age 8 tbh.

AIBU?

Also in Scotland. Thankfully left up to the parents here.

It’s year 6 in my kids school as well.

I don't see how a school can dictate whether your child walks to school alone. If you send your DC out the house to walk to school, that is your decision. The only thing they can do is report as a safe guarding concern if they think they're too young.

As for walking home, the school can say they won't release the child unless an adult is there to pick them up...but you could just as easily make an arrangement for another mum to 'pick up' then that mum takes them out the gate and they then walk home alone.

The parents are the ones that know what the route is like, so are in the best position to decide what age their children can walk alone at. If the school thinks the parent is wrong then they should report it.

My very sensible 8-year-old walks the 100m home alone and also takes the dog for walks. It’s a quiet village and she crosses one road.

Her headteacher said she was delighted to see a child being encouraged to have independence within safe, known perameters.

My boys are allow from year 4 onwards

how/why is it up to the school to dictate how a child arrives at school?? Surely they're under your care / rules until they go through the school gate? I bet they don't stop people driving to school which would make it safer for everyone else who walks!

That's fine, you don't have to let them, irrespective of what the school recommendation is.

They can’t enforce it

There was a thread yesterday where a poster challenged schools rules (bring picked up by 13, year old sibling) and school were happy one they had in writing.

I can't see how they can police walking to school alone. I agree one term practice insufficient and traffic around school likely exacabated by the rule.

Ds had been going alone since summer term year 4 and coming home alone since starting year 5. Elder Ds had journey with bus and then choice of walk/one stop on tube in year 5 no issues.

How can they stop your child walking to school alone?

Mine have done it since Y5 with very little issue. Youngest is now Y6 and comes home on her own and is home alone for 20min until the big two get back. She forgot her keys the other day so went to a friends house to wait and got the Mum to text me so I knew where she was.

It’s not actually up to the school.

if you put in writing that you are allowing it from X age because you’re happy with the risk assessment you’ve made for your child they most likely accept it. A blanket policy is easier for them, but it’s a parental decision.

The only thing they can do is instigate safeguarding procedures if they genuinely feel it’s a specific risk to the child. In 20 years working in education I saw parents challenge the policies numerous times (and have done so myself twice) and have only seen a school speak to SS once when it was part of a wider safeguarding issue.

Walking to school - they can do very little

Walking from school is a very different matter. And reasonably so

But 8 to me seems far too young

Added to which at 8… I loved seeing mum at the school gate and I know my two also loved seeing me there

plus they often have a shed load of “stuff” to carry home

It’s not different at all.

It’s still a parental choice and all the school can do if they disagree is start safeguarding procedures, which they won’t do the majority of the time.

I literally said “It’s still a parental choice and all the school can do if they disagree is start safeguarding procedures, which they won’t do the majority of the time.“

Except it’s not the schools choice. As umpteen schools I’ve worked in over the last twenty years have found out when a parent challenged their policy.

Its a parental choice.

Scottish schools don’t have these insane rules. They mostly bring the primary ones to the gate and see them to a parent but from primary two onwards, the kids just stampede out and it’s up to the parents to decide how they get home.

I think it should be for the parents to decide!Cannot see or understand why schools are policing this 'rule' !
My children all walked to school in year 5.

Can you just talk to the school? Surely if they know the circumstances and how close you are then they'll probably make an exception.

If they don't make an exception then just tell them your kids will be walking to school alone from the age you decide and if the school are concerned they can report it to social services (who won't care once they know the circumstances, so it will be a big waste of time).

Ultimately although the school do have certain responsibilities (and rightly so), they shouldn't be unreasonable about what is really a very safe decision - and it's your decision really.

I still wouldn't have them walk alone before Y4/5 though, even for such a short distance.

They do it for safeguarding reasons - it's more about the end of the day really when they are releasing children and it is responsible of them to think about where the child is going and not just let them wander off alone. It makes sense, but they should make exceptions where it is clearly fine.

Which bit of what I’m saying are you saying is wrong?

If parents tell the school to release their child alone schools have no choice but to comply unless there are genuine concerns about the child’s safety and they start safeguarding proceedings - what laws are you saying allow the schools to say no?