DD no longer allowed to walk from school.

[TheWonderhorse]

DD is 9 and has been walking from school to a car park just off the grounds (not the official school car park but closer). She's been really wanting to walk home but we compromised at this for now and would work up to that gradually. I signed a consent form to permit them to release her.

So this morning the school sent a letter out saying that they've had a rethink to all parents, and from Monday only Year 6 children are to be allowed to leave the classroom without a parent.

DD is Year 4 but the oldest in her class, meaning we won't be allowed to start this again for 17 months. AIBU to ask the head to reconsider? I know they can't really refuse to let her out, but I don't want to be a dick. I just feel like DD is being held back for no good reason at all. We have this covered and didn't need the school to intervene.

IABU, school know best.
IANBU it's up to the parent to judge what's safe for the child.

But it's different here. There are set safeguarding protocols that must be followed. The school are using a blanket rule for all children to make their lives easier & to make it clear to everyone, including supply teachers, what the rule is.

This school has done nothing wrong and nothing unusual at all, the OP just doesn't like it.

I mean, those families you speak of need individual support, and being collected from school does absolutely bugger all to help the child living with a suspected abuser or an alcoholic. Social services need to be involved there and at that point walking home could be refused

Bahahahahaahhahah

Oh you sweet innocent woman.

Maybe join the board of governors? Then you can see why policies like this need tweaking.

My reaction has been an email, and seeking opinion on here, hardly massive. I'm asking the head to rethink because I'm within my rights to seek clarification on the policy change and some sense of the reasoning behind it. Parents get to ask questions. I haven't said I'll break the rules, the fact that I am asking for him to rethink them shows that I don't want to do that surely.

Loads of other people who allow their children to walk home are in the same position and are unhappy too. Not because they can't be bothered to collect or because they don't care about vulnerable children (that can and should be dealt with differently) but because they feel like the children gain from that experience. It isn't selfish or wrong to want it to continue.

I have governor friends, none of them knew this was coming, which is concerning in itself.

What set protocols?

You really aren't going to let it go are you, despite the fact your child can walk home in Y5, Y6 and beyond?
It's just so unimportant in the scheme of things & so temporary.

It's not Year 5, it's just Year 6. So a year and 8 months.

What set safeguarding protocols must be followed that mean the school must override parental wishes until year 6, when suddenly they don't have to? And why do so many other schools in the UK not follow these set safeguarding protocols and allow children to leave alone at younger ages?

Ok, I stand corrected but walking a few yards to your car is hardly a huge step in independence so I don't see why you are so riled about it.

Some parents in Y5 might be if their kids were allowed to walk before I suppose.

Maybe let us know what explanation you get from the school but I would imagine, as others have suggested, is a measure for all to protect a few. And that's just life isn't it?

9 is too young imo.

They cant and parents need to be able to make decisions about their own children.

@Gogogo12345 totally agree. Schools spend a fortune on measures to reduce issues eg banners, signage. If more just walked less issue. I was a governor and to some degree walking into school, which you know is warm & staffed is also different to allowing Yr4 to go home alone.
They have no idea if that child has a key to get in at home, if anyone would be home, if there is an adult to supervise them etc etc.

Safeguarding is a dynamic assessment of risk. Something has changed:

• A child may have gone missing temporarily between school and home, and as a result of that incident the school has rightly reviewed its procedures (the parent may have held the school responsible) and changed their procedures rules.
• A new general risk may have been communicated eg reports of individuals / cars acting suspiciously near local schools.
• A new specific risk may have been identified eg an alienated parent may have attempted to take or harm children during the holiday, or the school nay gave become aware if children acting as young carers returning to an empty house and looking after younger siblings. The risk is sufficiently serious that the rule for all is changed to protect the few.

Quite reasonably, the safeguarding has been reviewed as a result.

Some parents actively or passively make choices that harm their children, and it is reasonable to- in fact compulsory - for schools to act to mitigate and report the risk regardless of parental choice.

If Y4 allowed to go home alone it would be very easy then for parents to not bother sorting childcare and saving costs. Tell the child to let themselves in and watch tv until they get home later... some Yr4 would only be 8. Maybe some one has raised that issue too

Yep, they can report safeguarding concerns to SSD when necessary. This is not an example of that

OPs daughter is able to safely walk a distance from school that her parent has been monitoring and overseeing. That needs to continue

School can say its not 'allowed' but neither are they allowed to refuse for the child to leave. They can say they're going to phone SSD and report it, that would go no where (thats my job) because there are no safeguarding concerns or allegations of neglect or abuse based on OP.

Schools really can't win can they??

I would much rather a cautious, safeguarding-aware school than one that isn't and possibly puts children at risk.

My kids couldn't walk home until the last term of Y5 and then Y6 so up until then we paid for after school care for each one. And I still remember how great it felt when we stopped paying it!

Ps but I didn't begrudge it, I knew they were safe & with their friends. They got fed too. They actually quite enjoyed it

Well, we live in London and a 9 year old was subject to an attempted abduction just outside the school - so no child is allowed out unaccompanied.

So the parents weren't allowed to decide.

@soupfiend but if OP insists then it creates havoc for school staff with other parents then demanding it too. It's not all about what she thinks is right for her DD. There is a much bigger picture here.

It is for parents to decide if their child is sensible or not.

Provide a letter that you give permission for him to walk home alone which they will keep on file. They have no legal right to deny you.

does she know the change though?

are others allowed to work through the playground to parents collecting other children becuase if they are surely that is the same

i think year 6 to walk home is far too late - year 5 at the latest as well build up slowly to high school

Allowing nine year olds to leave unsupervised is a safeguarding risk. YABU.

@Bellsandthistle really?
So who should supervise them once the school day is over and their parents have made perfectly reasonable provision for them to walk home to where the parent is? How long should teachers be made to do this for?

Then stop being so ridiculous. If the school think children shouldn't leave alone, they shouldn't.