Walking to and from school - what age?

[Kattekit]

Hi,

Just wondered at what age do you think it's ok to allow children to walk to and from school without an adult?

Also what kind of area you live in i.e. Country, city, suburbs etc.

I only started walking to and from school in year 7. My brother is four years younger and so I used to walk to primary school with Mum and him, there was one fairly big road to cross and mum probably didn't think it fair for me to have to supervise him all alone. I was lucky in that my high school was quite close to my primary, so I took the same route to high school and just went a bit further. Obviously I also had to leave earlier etc.

it's 'allowed' from y3 at dc school and actively encouraged from y4

Until last week I would very happily have said that I was fine with my 8 yo (9 next month) Y4 DD2 walking to school. In fact she did, although DH and I would follow her a minute or so later in the car as we all leave the house at the same time. Near the top of the road, we would pass her, open the window to blow a kiss goodbye and be on our way. We live to close to the school that by this time she would be in sight of the school gates.

Last Thursday, in the time between her leaving the house and my DH reaching her at the top of the road, some stranger in a car had pulled up beside her and offered her a lift.

She was very sensible. She said no. Thankfully. There was a CCTV camera outside the house where it happened, so we have seen exactly what happened. She did amazingly well and reversed herself well away from the car as soon as the man started speaking to her. And thankfully he drove off.

But if he had been more persistent?

Also, she just carried on walking to school, she didn't turn around and run back home to tell DH what had happened.

So we have had to concluded that she will not be out of our sight on the school run for a good while yet.

To add, this is on a tiny single-car lane in a rural village of medium size. 0.2 miles door to door.

For those that say their school won't allow it, how do they police how your DC get to school?? I can understand how they can stop them walking home but surely you as the parent can decide how they get there?

Village. One road down the middle with pavement on just one side, so that is your riskiest crossing, depending on the type of drivers on it. Kids walk/cycle etc to school from yr 4 upwards here, and can be released to go home alone in the pm from yr 5 upwards if arranged with school. It's a short walk and, since it is the only route, there is usually other parents around who would notice anything worrying.

My twin boys started walking to and from school a few days a week from when they were around 9.5 years old. We live in a village, it's less than a kilometre and quiet roads to cross or roads with crossings. They carried an iPhone with them I could track them on the Find My iPhone App. They were only allowed to do it if they were together.

My DD started walking home in year 6 when the weather got warmer. I didn't feel too comfortable about it but OH thought I was just being over protective. We live about 5 quiet roads way from school so it's safe enough in terms of crossing roads. If she finished late because of an after school club then I insisted OH picked her as he was at home anyway.

She's in year 7 now and gets the bus home twice a week and has to walk a couple a roads from bus stop on the main road to home. I'm still not that comfortable but I think I probably am just over protective. I've even put a tracker on her phone so I know when she's on the bus and how far away from home she is.

I'm in New Zealand, and when they first start in Year 0 at 5 the parents are expected to take them into the classroom. Other than that it is not expected that parents stay in the playground at all. Children either walk to school on their own, are dropped off in the car park, or parents walk them in and then leave. Classrooms open half hour before school start so children often get to school early to play in the adventure playgrounds (which are not supervised). This was the same when I lived in a city and now I live in a small rural town.

My dc both walk to school, they are 6 and 8, but we do live at the bottom of the alley that leads into school. I think I still have my UK hat on as I was a bit nervous about letting them go on their own at first, but it is totally the norm here. When my 6 year old had a playdate with a friend after school they both cycled home on their own (there were no roads to cross though, there are lots of reserves round here).

There is a much more relaxed attitude here, children use the school field, playgrounds and sandpit on their own outside of school times.

Children do seem more independent here though.

In this area children are allowed to walk to/ from school alone from the summer term yr 4. Then yr 5 up they are in middle school where pretty much all kids walk themselves to school. It has been a bit of a nightmare for me as both older dc are in middle school and have diagnoses of HF ASD, dd1 in yr 6 needs to walk with her older brother or dh as she tends to have panic attacks when she sees a dog, and her safety awareness is poor. On the way home I have to talk to her (on mobile) till she gets to our house. When ds goes up to high school this year it is going to upset all the arrangements again.

BUT my nt dd2 is going to have a lovely time walking with her friends next year, and I shall probably Lear all about "when best friends fall out", "when friends don't wait for friends" etc. Etc. Which will be a new set of headaches no doubt!

Ds1 aged 8. Ds2 aged 7 with group of same age friends.
Lived in rural village, school in next street and on a quiet lane.

Tiny village here: most kids start in Y3, but mostly walk together in a big group.

My 8 year old walks himself to school. 5 minute walk. One road to cross, but there is a crossing. He walked with his sister last year to get him used to no adult.

I started letting my DD walk herself when she was 10 and two people complained to the school and one called social services!! I had to pick her up for a while as the school refused to release her herself, but thankfully the new HT saw sense and made it parental choice.

Year 3 in our school. My children won't be allowed till year 6 hmm

DS started in year 4, just waking home. Then in year 5 to and from school which is a 20 mins walk. Market town.

Theyre allowed from the summer term of year 5 in DTs school, with parental permission. SE London. Small school, most kids are very local. Along a reasonably main road but wide pavements and there is a crossing control.

I'll let mine do it in Y5.

Quiet village, no roads to cross. Eldest (yr6) happily walks to school with his mates, Middlest (yr5) is a lazy wotsit and will only walk if made to, but again goes with his mates or brother. Smallest (yr1) would love to walk to school on his own, but I won't let him, however I am happy to let him walk with his brothers. At present I tend to be dropping them off and collecting (car or on foot depending on the weather) but have allowed/asked them to walk to school when I've been unwell. Either myself or relatives collect from school currently, eldest pair would be allowed to walk home alone, youngest still requires release to an adult by the school. Think they allow them out without an adult from Yr5.

My eldest started junior school last year, and takes the county bus now. I have now started allowing him to walk home from the bus stop on his own - but then it's a 1 minute walk and he doesn't need to cross the main road (also, similar to you OP, it's a sleepy little village, other parents are at the bus stop, and other children walk home the same way as well). He's 7 and in year 3, but very sensible. I think you can definitely try with your DTs, good luck!

I lived in a small rural village but was never allowed to walk on my own until i got to year 8 (my dad worries constantly haha). I would let my son walk to school when he gets to year 5 or 6 but i'd make sure he was with his friends and definitely not on his own. The only thing that makes me wary these days is that schools obviously dont allow phones especially in primary but in this day and age i would want to know when he gets to the gate and when he leaves. In my day they didnt have phones like you do now and society wasnt so bad as it is now but my dad still worried lol. All the while i can take him to school i think i will just for peace of mind that he is there and safe, but if you cant for work or whatever reason i think year 5 or 6 is okay as long as their not on their own x

market town- 3 busy roads to cross and walking near river with strong current. DC's were allowed from yr5 but one more adventurous ( and more prone to walk head over heels in river& cross road without checking) then the other. DD wasnt confident till end of yr6

Also they now take the bus ( 30 minutes) to city to go shopping with friends ( summer going to secondary) who live there.