Year 6 only allowed to walk home in summer months?

[Clumsy12345]

My son is in year 5 (age 10) in September he will be going into year 6. I mentioned to a teacher that it will be nice when he can come home on his own in September, she looked at me horrified and said “No he can’t! it gets dark early we don’t allow it in the winter months only the summer when it’s light” I already felt like year 6 was a bit late as most schools allow it from year 5 but now it’s only the summer months? aibu to think this is a bit over the top? his school finishes at 3.15 and it’s never dark at that time even in winter. Does anyone else’s school have this rule (for year 6) as that’s the first time i’ve heard it.

Exactly! My DS used to get the service bus to and from school from day 2 of P1 when he was 4.5 (DH went with him on day 1). My English MIL works in a school and was aghast!

Depends where you are doesn't it? Our primary let them walk home alone after Easter in y6. If it was
A village setting I'm sure
It would have been a lot
Earlier.

Had the same rule. Didn't challenge it but school finished at 3.50 and on a miserable evening it would really be twilight by then.

Surely it's not up to the school to decide? It's the parents' decision. The school's jurisdiction over the child ends when the school day ends, doesn't it? They surely can't dictate what happens after that?

I'd send an email to say he will be walking. September isn't even 'winter months'. It won't be dark early until at least when the clocks go back and even then that's well after school finishes here.

Just checked sunset times where I live in the SW and it's literally only December when it's before 4pm (assuming half three finish and half hour walk). Would be earlier further north but then it's not even dark at sunset but a bit later.

Its not up to the school it's up to the parents. My kids school don't allow it until year 6 but mine wanted to walk home in yr 5, I encouraged it. Had to send a disclaimer letter to the head, that was it.

Earliest sunset is showing as 3:51 in London, assuming he'd be home by then if walking? Could be dull if rainy but not dark, fine in a bright coat or with reflective strips on coat or bag.

It isnt. Mine did from juniors. At 8 they are more than capable. Below age 7 they don't have the awareness.

I remember reading that they can't judge speed until age 10. Mine were walking from 8, but I'd covered the route with them, and compensated for that lack of ability. Slightly longer but safer route, safe places to cross, waiting until the road was clear etc.

I don't believe schools have this authority. If they forcibly retain your child after you have told them that your child is to walk home on their own, and that you have (presumably) risk-assessed the route and your child's level of competence and determined that they will not be at an undue level of risk in travelling independently, would they not be committing an offence?

Note, I'm not a legal type (would be good to hear from someone who is), but this seems very iffy.

Our school is on a busy B road and kids can walk home walk home from Y6. Y5 with a permission slip.

I live in area with middle schools so children start walking to and from school at end of yr 4.

Do you live in the north of England or Scotland? The earliest it's sunset (not dark) here is just before 4.

Sounds like a good school to me worried about the children's welfare, old fashioned values, that's what it was like when I was at school I like it. X

Welfare, walking home in full daylight in September and October?

@S0livagant I'm taking about saying the can't walk home in the dark.

Ar our school they can walk home from Year 4, including from after school clubs. If they can’t walk in the dark in Y6, how on earth are they meant to cope at secondary when they may suddenly be expected to navigate much longer distances with no experience of having built up that independence?

it won’t be dark, he finishes school at 3.15 she claimed it would be dark in winter, we live in london, it isn’t.

Even from after school club? that’s surprising all kids here need to be picked up from after school club even in year 6 so I could see if she meant that but he’s never been to the after school clubs which she is aware. She genuinely looked horrified when i said about him walking home alone 🤦🏻‍♀️

it won’t be dark he finishes at 3.15

they don’t let children go till they see the parents

What would happen if your kid just left?? Would they try to lock him inside?

The old-fashioned way, when I was at primary school in the 1960s, was to merely open the school gates at the end of the school day and let the children out! The staff neither knew nor cared where any of us went after that!

yes, from the extra curricular clubs after school, which tend to finish at 4/4:30/5 depending on the club. It is up to the parents to tell the club leaders that they give permission (many parents in Y4 don’t allow it, but a lot do by Y5, and it would be highly unusual for a Y6 child not to walk home alone (unless a parent had to come to collect younger siblings or something). The default expectation is that from Y5 the club leaders don’t find it at all unusual for children just to leave by themselves.

Obviously whether it is advisable depends on your route and busy roads, but my DD has been walking alone from the start of Y4 (a few streets with only quiet roads) and while she was one of the few at the start of the year, by now several of her friends who don’t have to cross big roads walk alone. When I asked the head, she said it was up to us as parents, but that she felt it was appropriate for children to gain independence from that age if the walk was safe in terms of traffic.