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Parenting

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Original poster

What age to walk to/from school alone?

16 replies

BigusBumus · 17/02/2011 15:26

What age would/did you let your child walk to and from school?

I suppose this is specifically aimed at village dwellers...

My 8 year old DS is perfectly capable of walking the 300 yards himself (we live on the same road as the school) and although the road is quite busy he wouldn't have to cross it. He goes out to play unsupervised at a similar distance away already....

So why is this not allowed? Are there actual laws and rules about this?

(I lived in this village as a child as well and walked home to the other side of the village alone from the age of 6).

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Original poster

BigusBumus · 17/02/2011 17:35

anyone?

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PandaG · 17/02/2011 17:40

DD is 8 and walks to school every morning with 2 friends- DH or I cross them over the busy road then they have a couple of minor roads to cross on their own, and another major road with crossing. It is a 15 min walk.

Last year DS walked her to school, but he now leaves earlier hence the arrangement with friends.

school are obviously happy with the arrangement as the letters for after school clubs ask if children will be collected after the club or if they are allowed to leave on their own.

exexpat · 17/02/2011 17:45

Is it not allowed? Some schools have rules about not letting children leave the school unaccompanied before a certain age/year group, but I don't know how they could enforce it for getting to school in the mornings.

There is certainly no national law about it, and my DS was walking the five minutes to school by himself at age 8 (year 4, urban area, couple of minor roads to cross, one bigger one with a zebra crossing and lots of other people around).

I think the decision should be the parents' and should depend on the route and the individual child.

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AndiMac · 16/03/2011 17:26

I think that's the thing, the answer depends on two other questions. What's the route like and what's the child like?

Right now this doesn't yet apply to me, but my sister is asking the question, and asking when do you think your kids are old enough to walk to school with a couple friends and/or their younger sibling?

Drizzela · 16/03/2011 17:29

I think from the last year of juniors is sensible. Unless the route is isolated or there is a huge unsafe road.

A lot of people seem to leave it until secondary school which I find odd as they already have to adjust to a new school and new friends.

The last year of juniors helps build confidence and there's no reason they can't do it at this age. Unless they are very very very short and have to walk past a lot of driveways..

NettoSuperstar · 16/03/2011 17:32

DD was 7, but then we are only a 4 minute walk away.
They called me to come and get her last year when the school shut due to snow, and I said no, just send her over!
It's normal and expected where I live.

Dancergirl · 16/03/2011 19:50

I would so let my child walk to and from school in your situation.

Why is it not allowed? What does the school say?

Goblinchild · 16/03/2011 20:06

School has a duty of care, so they can set the rules for children leaving the premises. We need signed permission for Y6 to walk home alone.
Coming to school, suit yourself.

Goblinchild · 16/03/2011 20:08

If they allowed one Y4, then they would have to allow all, however far they lived. Unless you want us all to be running around with tape measures.

Cymar · 16/03/2011 20:55

One of my friends live right next door to her DD's school (path separating her house and the school grounds). She has a side window where you can see the kids walking from the gates to the playground and she still wasn't allowed to let her DD walk to/from school unaccompanied even though there are no roads to cross at all.

Takver · 16/03/2011 21:32

DD is 8, about to be 9. She walks round to meet us when we are at work (maybe 3 minutes away, no roads to cross).

She doesn't like to walk to school alone, or back alone if we're at home. I'm not sure why, as school is right by her friend's house, and she happily goes to/from that alone at other times, (maybe because we generally take the dog for a walk when I meet her from school, rather than going straight home).

In general children who live nearby seem to start walking to/from school alone from yr 4, a few who live very near do so in year 3.

You just inform the school that your child is going to walk home alone, so that they know that they're not being met (I think then, once they know, they will call you if they think there is a good reason that you should come & pick up - upset child or whatever).

jellybelly25 · 16/03/2011 22:03

I didn't let dd1 until yr6 but it is a twenty minute walk and we are in a city. If we were in your situation I would probably have let her earlier, if I thought she was nto going to get airheaded about it and just wander off to look at interesting bugs/flowers for half an hour and end up late (quite possible in her case).

crw1234 · 16/03/2011 22:09

Our school - in a village - says that KS2 children don't have to be collected -and quite a few go to school on their own. my 5 year old would like to go his own or at least he thinks he would! I have said no - I would be very happy for him to go from 8 or so - one not busy road to cross -

TheSleepFairy · 16/03/2011 22:19

I'm having this dilema at the minute.
DD1 is nearly 9 & very sensible, it's a 10 minute walk with one busy road.
I would still need to walk younger 2 to school but would leave 5 minutes later than DD likes to leave.

No-one here let's their children play out/walk to school & I find it very odd.

I've started letting her walk ahead so I can watch her cross the road but even that earns us dirty looks.

I'm thinking of getting into summer & letting her leave a few minutes before us although she would be walking on her own as her friends will still be with their mums.

NimpyWindowmash · 16/03/2011 22:24

DD is 10 and she goes on her own sometimes - she's usually ready 10 minutes before DD2, so she walks alone even though I'm going to school anyway. It's 1/2 a mile and there are 5 roads to cross. Scares the life out of me, but it has to happen some time.

TheSleepFairy · 16/03/2011 22:32

nimpy that has been my argument with DD1 for a while now.

I still have to walk her sisters to school so why can't she just wait for us, we are never late but she is always ready before us & wanting to go, she will get all stroppy telling us she is to hot or we are making her late.

Part of me wants to tell her to go then as I know I will be 5 minutes behind her but another part of me is scared something will happen even though I know it won't

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