What age is considered appropriate before a child can do this...

[Poppymayday]

Get themselves home from a local school, let themselves in and stay home alone for an hour or so until adult gets back home?

Many variables, but I’d say about Year 6.

I did it from secondary and was younger in my year so would have been 11. Our primary wouldn’t release an 8 year old without a parent or guardian anyway. They allow them to walk home from mid year 6 without being collected.

Depends on the route between home and school. Plus the community in which you live.

If you live in a neighbourhood where most people know each other and your dc would know which neighbours to go to for help, then a sensible 10 year old might be ok.

Otherwise, 12 at the minimum.

Secondary school (y7) or mature year 6.

Depends on the child, my son is 14 and couldn’t do now although he does have Sen. I could have done myself at 8 or 9 but I was very sensible

Think people are missing the “staying home for an hour or so after school until a parent gets home”.

I would say for a sensible September born child, perhaps year 7. But for most, the start of year 8 if they’ve had independence in year 7.

Same in my area but the vast majority have at least one parent working from home. So the dc might walk home but a parent is then in the house when they arrive.

Far too young, that's crazy!

Surely no one lets an 8 year old walk home on their own to an empty house to be on their own for 1+ hours!? Really?!?!?

My friends 8 year old walks home on his own, but it's 100 metres and no roads to cross, plus my mate is at home working.

If it's back to an empty house, then I'd say aged 11 is sensible, possibly age 10 depending on maturity.

I'd say 10. Younger if they have an older sibling with them

Yes, I think from the first year of secondary school, depending on the child.

Eight, its unusual here for a child of that age not to be doing it.

Mine did that together in Y6 and Y4. It was only one day a week though when I was working a bit later, and I was only about 10 minutes away if they needed me.

The combination of coming home to an empty house... secondary school. Maybe summer term of Yr6 (for England)
Walking OR staying home... 9/10

There's another thread currently running where posters think that children shouldn't be even allowed to leave the school grounds without an adult until they are 11.

It's hard to say as so much will depend on individual factors - how far is the walk home, are there busy roads to cross, how well does the child know the nieghbours in case of emergency, whether it's a one off or a regular arrangement etc etc. And the personality of the child!

My middle child was super sensible and I would have let her do this aged 9, although not on a regular basis and I would tell my neighbour in case of emergencies. My oldest child... about 23...

My daughter in 10 yrs old Y6 walks home from school when one of us is WFH but I wouldn’t leave her in an empty house. I think that’s ok for secondary age kids 11+ years.
8 is ridiculous and our school would not release a child that age without an adult to collect (they are allowed from Y5 with parental permission, by Y6 most of them walk by themselves)

I’d say about 10 - year 5/6.

Not before secondary school age imo.

My ds will be doing this age 11 in September.Im not thrilled with the idea but nothing we can do

My daughter did it once a week or so in year 6 (June birthday, so she was 10). My husband got back an hour or so later.

I would say for a sensible September born child, perhaps year 7. But for most, the start of year 8 if they’ve had independence in year 7.

The vast majority of children travel independently to and from school from the start of Y7. If they're capable of doing that, why can't they be home alone for an hour?

I was 5 (normal for the 80s).

My kids (now young adults) were 8 and 7. Not every day. Sensible, no roads, <100m from school, neighbours they knew if a problem.

Only you know what your kids can do, but I do think they are usually able to do more than imagined, if given the opportunity.

I would also add I wouldn’t go from no independence straight to this. I left mine at home alone from just before 9, for 5-10 mins and then built up from there.

I was 9. It was far too young. Part of a wider picture of neglect.

I'd say end of Year 6/ beginning of Year 7 is better.

My youngest 2 were 7&9 when they started walking home. It might seem young, but I was comfortable with it for a few reasons. 10 min walk with no roads to cross & they walked with a little group, so there were usually 6 of them. They let themselves in and were home for 30- 40 mins until a parent or teen sibling got home.