What age would you allow your child to walk to school alone?

[Lola921x]

My daughter is 8yo and will be 9yo in July. She has recently asked me to walk to and from school by herself. For reference, we live around the corner from the school and she doesn’t have to cross any roads. It’s a 2 min walk if that to the school. I reluctantly agreed and she has done so twice now. She seems to enjoy the independence and is sensible. Do you think it’s okay? I worry because of the times we live in. She knows not to talk to strangers etc but I still worry.

Ours aren't allowed until Y5 regardless of whether your live next door or across town.

I let my 9yo (In Jan) DS walk home (I collect him and his sister) he runs off ahead with his friends to the park nearby and meets us at home.

My main worry is roads to cross, but there aren't any on out route.

I'm all for kids getting independence when they're ready (which your DD sounds like she is) then they seem to be more sensible than the ones mollycoddled until they're in their teens then go wild! (IME- I also have a grown up DC)

It's an entirely personal choice and depends on the route to school as well as what your school's rules are and how mature your child is. If you don't feel comfortable, don't let her, obviously. Don't push this responsibility on random people on the Internet. You have to risk assess and make your own parenting choice. What does your your dc's father think?

We love a similar distance but with a road which did have a lollipop lady (no longer). She started walking to school alone in summer term of Yr4, and home at beginning of Yr5. Now the lollipop lady is gone she waits for a group of parents to cross or if she has a club she walks the long way round to use the pelican crossing a couple of hundred metres up the road.

Her elder sister did it from Yr5... made necessary by Covid regulations as the school she was at then actively asked Yr5/6 parents not to come onto the grounds to make distancing easier.

Of course it's fine. How is this even a concern?

Despite the 'times we live in', the risk to a nearly 9 yo walking around the corner to school is minimal.

Surely she does this already anyway to call for friends or go to the shop?

From 10 my DC got a bus or train to school, and walked c10 minutes from there, crossing roads as needed. I built up to this obviously, and mixed it up with lifts from me, going with siblings, as needed. They are very comfortable with the area & journey, I wouldn't have expected them to do an unfamiliar trip at 10.

Last half term of year 4 is the norm in our area because we are in a three tier system.

DS started walking to and from school alone in Y4 so age 8. We live a minute or twos walk from school (can see it from the front door) and he has to cross one small road.

He likes walking alone and we have had no issues.

As long as the school permits it, fine.

Yes it's fine. I am in a very similar situation and plan to do the same.