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.

Ours can walk home from after school club at 4.15-4.30 by year 6 so it seems ridiculous to me that some schools don't let them out at all or only in the summer months

I think our school is the same! I haven’t seen any year 6’s walk home themselves this year!

I’ve walked my year 3 and 5 kids out of school and them they’ve walked them home themselves while I’ve taken the car home…seems silly for me to collect them!

This. If you want your children to walk home tell the school. It's not up to them. Complete overreach.

It’s the start of year 5 for us. DS(10) loves the independence.

LOL how funny the school think they are in charge of this.

Just ignore.

So it’s a 15 minute walk or about 4 stops on the bus.

School are rediculous. My kids have been walking home without an adult since the beginning of year 4. Obviously if we were in inner city that might not be appropriate but by year 6 it definitely should be.

I'm in Scotland but from England and I think our school would let them go alone from P4ish. P1 and 2 are released to parents only. Catchment is very close and pretty well all kids in that catchment go to the catchment school (or the Catholic school) and so are not going far.

There are also more crossing patrols in Scotland than England (think that might be related...)

That said I'm not letting mine walk yet (P5) as we're right on the edge of catchment and have a really crappy road to cross which I hate crossing because people park like twats and speed despite the chicanes. Also I have to collect the P2 anyway...

Yes it’s over the top. My daughter is the same age, nearly 10 and going into primary 6, and she’s been doing the 10-15 minute walk to and from school since the beginning of p4.

Our school doesn’t allow walking home at all. Even year 6 must be collected.

I had no idea this wasn’t the done thing!

No transition at all before getting themselves to and from secondary and many home alone for two hours after school then? That decision is so poorly considered.

No, a few of them walk to school but they aren’t allowed to leave without an adult collecting them. My son is such a law abiding citizen he wouldn’t walk out without an adult even if I told him too!

Better than nothing but this means parents would need wrap around after school if they work office hours, no starting with a day or two a week of the child walking home and being home alone. Then secondary could be straight into a further distance home, then two hours home alone every day. They are failing to support gradual independence.

I'm more amazed that Scottish parents think it's ok to let 5/6 year olds walk to and from school on their own!

When my son was at primary school they didn't check there was a parent waiting from about year 3 ,
Do they wouldn't know if they were walking home alone or not.

not here every year the children are brought into the play ground by the teacher and not released until the teacher sees the parent

same here my son wouldn’t “just leave” as someone suggested he do, if he’s told by the teachers he is not allowed he would not do it so to answer the question i don’t know what would happen if he just left because he wouldn’t

It's fairly common across Europe.

Also, "Scottish parents" aren't one homogeneous mass. Few would be happy with allowing P1/P2 children walk, although it's very much area dependent.
School crossing patrols are commonplace, so the risks are reduced.

My nephews walked home on their own from P3. Straight road, about a 10 minute walk.