Y5 wanting to walk home from school

[beigetea]

So my DS is in Y5 (10yrs) wants to start walking home.
He would normally be collected by a childminder from school.
I'm not necessarily against him walking home from school as it's not actually far and the one road he has to cross has a lolly pop lady.
The issue I have is that he would be home alone for an hour before I get home from work.
Am I right to think this is too much for too long for a 10 year old?

I wouldn't at age 10. I wouldn't like the idea that if they didn't make it home I wouldn't be around to know.

I would push it back until he is 11 and in year 6.

Y6 is what I have said to him. Preferably the second spring term as that's when it's lighter etc. his school allow walkers to have phones on and he has life360 installed and we have a ring door bell.
I just don't fully trust him not to lose his key, lock the door behind him etc.

I think it’s fine. Only you know how sensible/mature your own son is though.

We started Summer term of year 5 to tie into lighter afternoons, but he only came home to an empty house one day per week, we worked from home/were off the rest of the time.

Might not be possible but can you work up to this?

We used year 5 to start practicing walking home on their own . I'd let dd walk part the way and I'd meet her and then I gradually met her further and further away as the year went along . Then when in year 6 she walked on her own straight away. The kids who lived closer and only one street away did walk home in year 5. It's really comes down to how sensible your DC is .

It's the being bone alone for an hour which I'm not keen on not actually walking home. If I was home then I wouldn't be so against it.

Are there any clubs after school? Could he do an hour there then walk home? I agree the walking is fine it's the arriving home an hour before you that he's too young for.

Year five is probably still a bit young for this. Most kids in my DC's class started walking home in the summer term of year six...and not to empty homes.

Personally speaking, for me it's too young to be left home alone for a period of time. I thought it was also illegal under age 14? 13? Happy to be corrected if I'm wrong.

You know your child ultimately. But for me, I think it's just that bit too young. I'd be looking at more aged 12 to be honest.

My daughter has been walking to and from school since the start of year 5. She’s on her own for just over an hour. She has our numbers that she can call if there’s ever a problem. Which there never has been

The summer of year 6?! Surely that’s far too late to prepare for high school where there’s no after school club and they will be expected to get themselves to and from school and back to empty houses.
Kids need to be prepared for independence not mollycoddled forever

Could he walk to the childminders?

There's no law that states a specific age, it would have to be argued in court regarding the particular child as to whether it's neglectful to leave them alone with regard to the amount of time and circumstances together with their maturity and ability etc.

I think it's ok if it's only for a hour. My son walked home in Year 5, but he wouldn't always come straight home as he'd go to the park (near the school) or the shop with friends, which isn't much different as I didn't know exactly where he was.
You could let him on the condition that he lets you know as soon as he arrives home.

Thankyou for clarifying this. It's useful to know ☺️

My DD is the same age and does walk home alone, it's 5 minutes on safe streets.
There's always at least one of us here WFH though, I don't think she's quite ready to come home to an empty house yet. Maybe by the time she's in year 6

I guess the question is if there is an emergency can you trust that your child will know what to do? I’m not sure at ten they would. They would probably be fine is good conditions but what if something happened? Would they be able to cope with it?

Mine was ok. Then afterwards she moaned endlessly that I'd abandoned her home alone for an hour.

This would be my concern. It's not just them, it's everybody else. Obviously we can't all live in a perpetual state of fear, but at 10 have they got the same strength/skills/savvy as say a 13yr old. Perhaps I am verging on mollycoddling (something I'd vowed I'd never do !) but I do think 10 is still really quite young for such independence!?

Is there anyway where you could come home a tad earlier? Perhaps give him a trial day to see how he goes and then possibly allow for one day a week? Say a Friday?

Or as above, is there a school club he can go to, walk home from and then not be alone for long?

As others have said, this comes down to individual child. I had to do this from year 6 with a working single parent (and wrap around really wants a thing then) - it might be nice in year 6, if he proves himself to be sensible and reliable (for example texting you when he’s home and looking after his keys) to be allowed to walk and be alone say Thursday and Friday each week when he’s more tired and would benefit from just crashing at home rather than going to childminders.

I completely understand.your concern..at that age we let ds walk.home alone, but frankly, he could not be trusted not to.lose his keys/leave them in the door/leave the door open so we needed someone to.be here.

This is potentially an option yes. I hadn't thought of this to be honest. I might run it past the childminder.

No I don't finish work until 4pm and then drive from the other side of town plus I have to collect my younger child from the childminder.

These are my concerns.