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?

Year 5-6ish? But depends on the child and how far they travel to school

DS got a bike for the Christmas of Y5. By February, he was riding it to school, he turned 10 in the May. I wouldn't have been comfortable with him walking but the bike seemed safe and we have a good cycle path system for most of his ride so a very safe route.
There was always someone to see him off in the mornings though and be there when he got back.

We started leaving him alone for short periods around the end of Y6.

Year6 age about 10 . Secondary school siblings would be home about an hour later . All fine . In fact youngest was the wisest of them all !

My 10yo has just started doing this twice a week. Very sensible, very mature, school is a 5min walk on small roads and one of us is always home within an hour.

We have built up to this gradually with walking home alone, being left at home building up from 5 mins, etc etc, and talked through what to do in lots of scenarios.

I'm not at all convinced I'll do the same with dd2 when she's the same age, she's a lot more impulsive!

Mine were fine from Y5. Yes, they were fine in the house for an hour.

Mine are all now adults. I would do the same again.

And actually, the busy roads didn't worry me because they tend to have crossings.

I'm sorry that happened to you.

I was 9 and it was fine and I enjoyed having the time and house to myself.
More than an hour actually, because I was home by 3:30ish & parents not back until 6ish.

Children are different.

11/12 no way would i leave anyone younger - 8 is madness

No, I wasn't missing that at all and I suspect others weren't either.

An hour alone aged 10 is entirely doable and safe. Get snack from cupboard, turn on TV.

Depends on the child I guess. My daughter in year 6 is mature and sensible enough, but she wouldn’t want to do it so I wouldn’t make her. My 9 year old would happily do it, but I don’t think she’s old enough so she’s not allowed!

Y6- 10/11 years old

Absolutely NOT !!

11 or 12. DD did this at the end of P7 (11yo) to get ready for secondary, when we guessed this might come up more due to different school hours.

Not 8! Makes me sad to think of that.

Nope, not missing anything.

IMO Year 8 is very late to start staying home alone for the first time. But when I was that age, I was frequently home alone all day during the holidays, lol.

I would say it would be good to be building this up during year 6 so they are prepared for secondary... but some children are more mature than others.

We sometimes do this when unavoidable. They are in yr 5 and 6 and walk home together, I then arrive back from the other pickup about 5 minutes later. But we have left them at home for an hour or so when there's something to sort out with the younger child.

Not everyone does around here, lots of parents are still at work so kids will be alone for an hour or so. Many of them go to the park etc. alone after school too.

Assuming no special needs then I don't see why not

I didn’t miss the “staying at home for an hour” bit. DD (11) got a phone at the same time so we could check in during times she was home alone and she could phone if there was a problem. Wouldn’t leave her longer than an hour at this age.

Definitely by the first year of secondary school and start practicing the year before so from 10 onwards.

Year 7. So 11 coming up 12 except your dc would already be 12.

I can imagine some, but not all, 10 year olds being ok with this occasionally but I wouldn't want to be doing it regularly before 12 or so.

8 is ridiculous. My goddaughter is 8.5 and I wouldn't leave her at home on her own for an hour let alone her walking home from school and letting herself in too!

10-11
8 seems a bit young. Start of secondary school is a bit late to suddenly introduce this level of independence. although I would build up gradually - let them walk home on their own, let them spend time at home alone for short period buildling up to longer period, then do the two together.

I was doing this from age 9 and my journey included a bus ride. I think that was too young :)

11 (Y7 onwards).

I'd be reasonably happy with a sensible 9/10 year old walking home alone assuming the walk is short and no major roads to cross AND assuming that there's someone at the house to let them in when they get there. And also fine to leave a 9/10 year old home alone for short periods assuming they are happy to do so. But as someone upthread has pointed out, the scenario the OP describes involves both at once. It's both the walk home AND the letting themselves in (so needing to have responsibility for a house key, being able to use it and not lose it etc!) and then also being home alone for an hour. I think that's quite a big ask of a child younger than 11.

Our school will allow kids to leave alone from year 5 (around 10), if it was an easy walk with either no main roads or crossings, I'd be fine with that. For tricky journeys I'd maybe wait another year.

Year 7 minimum.

It really depends where you are, on what's considered appropriate. Where I am, its considered appropriate from 7 years old, other areas wouldn't consider it appropriate until 10 or 11.