To think Year 4 is too young to walk home from school alone

[user63214]

School have just announced years 4 and above can walk home alone. My DS has autism so maybe my view is distorted but he is only 8. Whilst it’s obviously still up to us they seem to be pushing it abit reminding us to sign consent forms.
We are off a fairly busy road and the parking/driving situation at peak pick up times is not always very safe.

I get it from year 6 preparing children for secondary school. AIBU?

It will honestly depend on the route. Walking a mile is very different to 3 houses down the street or the car pick up point. Or walking alone versus walking with a Yr6 sibling.

Yr4 would have be fine for mine as we lived opposite the school.

It depends on the child my 8 year could easily and safely my 12 year old on the other hand is in her own head and would be dangerous alone 🤣

Depend on each child and their route. It was year 5 in DD’s school, route was ok, not many roads to cross. She probably could have done it in year 4, or later in year 4.

I wouldn't be happy to let my 8 year old walk home.

Our school allowed it from year 3 I think( or was a while ago) My 3 walked home together mostly so was fine for my 7 year old with older siblings but they would also change and go off to play in the park after getting home.

I'd say not in Y4.
Our local school is Y6 only (busy, urban environment).

Depends on the child and the route. I used to walk to/from primary school in a small village from the age of about 7 onwards - it was about 20 minutes.

YANBU but I expect others in the class don’t have SEN and don’t have any busy roads to cross so their parents wouldn’t BU to let them walk. It’s always a very individual choice based on the child and the route.

My DD walked to school and back alone from year 5, but as an August born she’d only just turned 9. I’d happily have let her walk at 8. She’s very sensible and we live in an area where there are loads of kids/parents walking the same route at the same time to the same school so I wouldn’t have any safety concerns.

Our local school is from Year 5 I'm pretty sure. I think either Year 4 or Year 5 is fine since it is ultimately up to the parents anyway.

Depends on the child, the route and the distance. Glad this school is being sensible rather than all the ones who seem to be trying to prevent it against the wishes of their parents. Just say no if you are not happy.

Both DDs are young adults now but, from memory, when they were in primary, the school permitted it if requested from last term of yr 5 and actively encouraged it in the last term of yr 6 on the basis that DCs would shortly be in secondary and would quickly move to making that longer journey alone. That all felt about right to me.

Completely depends on the child. My DD (who is only year 2 so isn’t walking on her own yet!) would have to come out of the school, then immediately onto a pathway that runs parallel to the school field, when she gets to the end of it, walk across a small grassy area (none of this is secluded at all) and then into our house. She wouldn’t have to cross a single road, and would be doing this surrounded by parents and children all walking the same way. So I’d be happy with this in year 4.

It does seem very young not to have an adult meeting them. Even if it’s a quiet area and the child is mature, they’ve got the rest of their lives to go everywhere alone. I think children that young need to know someone is there for them, even if that’s a CM or after school club staff.

Depends on the child and the route. Mine managed from year 4. We live very close to school in a village though.

DD is year 2 so I appreciate my view may change but that feels too young to me. Our school allows it from year 6 and I could see allowing year 5 as well (maybe from Spring) but year 4 seems quite little still. Very few routes have no significant roads to deal with.

Depends on the area and the child.

Ive an 8 year old in y4, he's sensible. We live in a village, school is all of 5 minutes away and the route doesn't involve any major roads to cross etc. He'd be fine walking to school I wish to goodness they'd let him.

Ds walked home alone from 6. I’m not going to say I was completely happy about him doing that, but I thought it would probably be ok, and it was. Different child, different route and I might have made other choices. It seems sensible to me that a school doesn’t put barriers in the way of parents who for various reasons need to consider this.

. I think children that young need to know someone is there for them, even if that’s a CM or after school club staff.

The point would be they'd be walking home to a parent who's working from home, who mightn't be able to do the school run for that reason but would be in at home.

Actually there's an increasing body of evidence that children need this sort of independent activity involving some risk and responsibility much younger, the way they used to. In switzerland kids of 6 walk to and from school.

Mine too, but it is totally dependent on circumstances.

Definitely depends on the route and the maturity of the child. Ultimately they are leaving it go the parents to decide as they will have the information.

But then I'd also be happy letting mine walk to the local shop, or to play with kids on the green. There's lots to suggest that being allowed this sort of independence reduces anxiety and mental health issues in kids
It doesn't do to message to them that the world they live in is too dangerous for this, thats what makes them start getting anxious over everything.

Imagine how annoying it must be though, if you live 5 doors down from school but still have to get your shoes on and lock up and go out and do the school run. You don’t have to consent.
I wouldn’t want my 8 year old walking home alone either but I would if we lived very close. His year 6 brother has been walking home alone for a year. Was locked out for about half an hour this afternoon and knew what to do.

I personally think it’s too young in today’s world, but understand some children will be fine while others aren’t. I know children who have done this and I’m 50/50 on whether I agree with it or not as most of the parents I know that have done this I’ve raised 🤨 about some of their parenting or they outright couldn’t give a shit and the children are extremely neglected. There are some that make sense, live extremely close, with line of sight etc.l

I offer to take a friends dd because, as with her eldest I don’t feel comfortable seeing her walk off on her own, she can either cut through a large park or take a longer route that still has dark spots in winter and is renown for boy racers where there have also been fatal car accidents were it’s the pedestrians who have been injured or killed. Mums reasoning is there are no roads to cross, mum is one of those extremely flakey people who has never been on time for the school run and now feels she dosnt have to do it.

My SIL literally lives next door to the school.

this is one of those situations where the only answer is “it depends”