Year 2 walking to school alone

[justlikebuses]

Just a quick one:
Would you let your year 2 walk to school alone?
For context: school policy states only year 5 and above to walk home alone.
Child would walk a distance of 3/4 mile, crossing main road that is 75% manned by lollipop.

I know 🤣

and apparently I know nothing of the social norms of the country I live in and I only know the norms of my family and friends, all of who live in a completely different country 🤣

@WiseKhakiGoose

🤦🏼‍♀️

There should be awards for posts like this.

Here, have the first ever Mumsy Award 🏆

When the police came to talk to DS’s Primary school about road safety we were given leaflets stating that until about aged 8 children don’t have the spatial awareness to judge the speed of cars.

Where it is more common for young children to walk on their own I guess their is safety in numbers, older children probably provide guidance and motorists are aware there will be children walking without supervision

No

Do you have lollipop men and ladies in England? Children in Scotland walk to school from about 8 or 9 and plenty younger too. There are lollipop men and women everywhere to assist with crossing the road just as there were when I was walking to primary school in the 90s. Children don't walk very far to their catchment school but they do cross roads.

The issue now that I was horrified to see while working in schools was some 7 and 8 year olds walking to and from school with their heads buried in phones, not even glancing up as they crossed side streets.

To posters shouting about neglect- giving smart phones to primary aged children is far closer to neglect than letting them walk to school in my opinion. They are an absolute poison for young children.

The biggest danger my child faces walking to school is parents parking dangerously. (Mounting the pavement to park next to double yellow lines).

We lost our lollipop lady last year as she resigned as she got fed up from the abuse from motorists. Fortunately there's a piano crossing 100m further up the street.

She started doing it alone in the summer of Yr4 (when we had the lollipop lady). I had to collect her until Yr5.

Unfortunately I presume drivers aren't such dickheads in Scotland hence its safer for the children.

Thanks. It's confirmed to me that it's not right. I wouldn't dream of sending my kids to school on their own at that age. My older ones started walking in year 5, but only with friends never alone.
So my next issue is what to do with the information. I'm have already clocked that parent does not have appropriate car seat either (child is short for age, well under 122). Mine is also under 122 and it's recommended contact outside of centre soon.
If I raise it with cafcass I'll be seen as malicious but I feel I need to to ensure my own child's safety when they are with them.
To answer other questions, it's a busy road so when lollipop isn't there the kids crossing have to rely on cars stopping, it's also on a bend so sometimes one car may stop but oncoming car might not see why, hence the lollipop but it's one that seems to be sick regularly.

Given your concern relates to how a child is getting to school: If you want to raise a concern, you could phone the school to clarify whether they have a policy / expectation on how children arrive at the school. If they do and they expect that children younger than Yr 5 are accompanied to school as well as leaving school, you can relay what you have observed. If they don't, and you think there's a safeguarding issue, let the safeguarding lead know your concerns. You'll probably be able to find the contact details for the DSL from publicly-available school info.

@Yourethebeerthief many schools can’t afford them anymore. I know there used to be one for our local Primary School but when she died they were never replaced. It’s not a nice road to cross. Meant to be no parking but parents ignore that

In England. In Scotland it's very normal!

In our Scottish primary the teachers wouldn’t let them leave alone until p4. So not jsut hysterical English posters.

AnywY, OP, I think you will have to raise it. But sympathy for the issues it will cause

Personally, I wouldn’t no. Our two and most other kids around here started walking to and from school after the easter of year 5 probably a closer walk than yours OP and no main roads to cross either. But lots of vans whizzing around the estate not to mention parents running late for school and or work with dangerous driving and questionable parking and manoeuvres.

I once read children don’t have proper road sense until at least age 8.

Definitely not.

Scottish person here. DD is 7 and no I wouldn't even though I think she's more than capable. Most kids in my wee town walk from P5 (age 9).

In addition to plenty of lollipop men and ladies for children to cross with, it is now illegal in Scotland to park bumped up on the pavement kerb.

I lived on the same street as school. There was a small busy (due to school traffic) road to cross. I waited until mine were in y6

Its illegal on this road too... its double yellow lines
But the please only come once a term....

If a parent told them to they’d have no choice. Same as England. It’s a parental choice.

If they felt it was a genuine safeguarding issue it could be raised as such, but not just because they have a blanket policy.

It’s only illegal if the council enforces which I believe only Edinburgh has. Others are looking at it.

@Jazzjazzyjulez

Yes it's rolling out over a period of time as some people are still now not aware of it. Changes like that take time.