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?

My son did this from the start of secondary school so 11.5. There weren't any after school clubs and he wouldn't go to a childminder with his younger brother.

Surely if they’re responsible enough to walk themself home they can sit in front of the tv for an hour until an adult gets in? Year 5 or 6, I’d say. My 10 year old walks herself home from school.

My daughter walked to school from year 4 with her sister and on her own year 5.

They would stay at home alone for an hour from age 9 & 11, but together. My youngest wasn't happy alone until she was about 12.

Y6 as long as the route home is safely walkable, maybe towards summer so it would be light.

As a one-off potentially a little earlier, particularly if they were sensible and had a friend to wait with them.

For some kids, they will be happy to do this every day and have that independence. Others may be lonely if it was an every day thing.

I was fully expecting this to be DC's experience when starting secondary - would have been home alone for 2 hours rather than 1. But covid and wfh means it's unusual and only happens every couple of weeks.

Ah, I see one person did. Year 8 is about 12 years old I believe. I think from the start of secondary school for me, so year 7/8. We do have dangerous main roads/roundabouts where I live, though, and half a mile from school. It just isn't worth the risk. It depends on the child, and I can imagine my youngest needing longer, because he is a bull in a China shop. Therefore it definitely isn't a one size fits all imo.
I love walking so it doesn't bother me, and I have the flexibility to nip out on school runs.
Teachers won't discharge children without an adult at my dc's primary school until upper school so from year 5/6 (with permission from parent).

year 6 or 7.

10 / 11 if sensible for being home alone for an hour.

coming home from school depends on route etc. mine came home by bus (from age 5) and walked back from the bus stop from age 7.

Ours did his, including being at home by themselves by age 11. They were both boys and looked our for each other and were fairly sensible by then. They could also use the landline and had mobiles to contact if needed (they never did). But would message us if they needed something (usually food!)

I was doing it from the end of Y2. Not ideal but those were the circumstances. My mum was at work.

In Y3, it really was quite normal for kids to walk a mile or so home but equally normal for lots of mums to pick up from across the road. Some of us had keys round our necks or pinned to the inside of coat pockets.

That was London in the 1970s. We were more independent.

Depends on the child, journey and if there are people around in case they need help.

I always remember a classmate of DS who had a fairly straightforward walk home and was killed 5 mins away from the school by a bus driver getting impatient and turning into a side road. It was a tiny access road to the back of a building and the driver was dropping off a tour group. He was only 9.

Worst thing was the council constantly refused to put a crossing infront of the school (it was at a crossroads that we called 'murder corner' because 5 roads converged plus two bike lanes, and it was utter chaos). The council said there would need to be 'fatalities' before they'd consider a crossing.

It was a private school so the school ended up paying for a lollypop lady (who was brilliant).

Mine did this from the start of year 7 - would get home at 4ish and be alone until 6 to 6.30pm when I got back from work (sole parent). She was very sensible and also November birthday so relatively old for the year. Never any issues.

it all depends on route home, time taken, personality of child, how they cope with change/ problems. could be 8 or 12

Age 10 would be the minimum, but that's still dependent on the child.

Where do you live? This seems very young to me.

I did this regularly from age 7, but that was in the 70s when we were sent out on the street to play from age 5. My mum had no choice, she had to earn money.

There was never a problem, other than drawn out negotiations with my 9 year old sister over the distribution of the tinned ravioli for tea 😝

Maybe give your kid a phone so you can check on them? And don't worry too much (easier said than done, I know).

I was 9. No difficult crossings, a short walk. TV and raid the biscuit tin before tea. Someone would be home about five.

10 if the kids sensible

I was 7 when I started walking home (only one road to cross, the cul de sac we lived on), a 5 minute walk if I really dawdled...

9 When I had a key and was alone for between 15 and 30 minutes as Mother had to drive to pick my sister up from a different primary school in an entirely different direction, and she had to set off long before I finished to be there in time, as they had a 'collect from classroom' rule.

10 when I was allowed to use an eye-level grill (not eye level for me! had to stand on a stool) to make toast whilst home alone.

11 when I would get a bus to and from school and have keys and be home alone for an hour and a half each evening.

All pre 1992 so no mobile phone to ring mother on. I did have neighbours either side and one a little further away to call on if necessary.

Now - well it depends massively on the child, the route, the level of contact available (can they call the person who is on their way home and talk to them as they make their way home or are they uncontactable til they walk through the door?), the house even...

after Xmas in year 6

I find it really interesting how much things have changed in the last 20-30 years.
Latch-key kids were totally normal not that long ago - children would walk home, let themselves in .... Now they can't be trusted to even walk home by themselves or carry a key..... I think kids are probably much more capable than many of us give them credit for.

My cousin, who is much older than me, started school during the War. No Yr R then so aged 5. He and a few other children who lived nearby walked to and fro together, with no adult, from the start. He said they were told what to do if an enemy aircraft appeared overhead!

What's the difference between now and September when she's in year 7

mine walked to and from primary school alone from age 9 but the school was on our street and it literally took under 5 minutes to get there or back. The road is also a cul de sac so while there was traffic it wasn't a main route. I had of course enured they knew about road safety and "stranger danger" and they were also mature and sensible. So it depends on a lot of factors

10 home alone till 5pm also to add they had a “disability” he’s 24 now
youngest was also 10 and by 12 was coming home to empty house getting changed and getting self to hobby were was picked up at 7pm

Secondary school imo. 8 is insane and completely negligent

I let mine do this in Year 6 to prepare themselves for High School.