At what age did your child start walking home alone?

[Intothewildwest]

At what age did your child start walking home alone? We live about 5 minutes away from the school and up until now we've used the after school club however, I've been offered a new role with a pay rise. The money would be really helpful, as I'm a single parent. My son is 10, in year 4 and would sometimes be alone for an hour and 30 minutes. I do have a relative that lives across the road that could check up on him. I'm just battling between guilt at the moment of what to do.

Year 4, ten minute walk home from school though they were not then home alone.

Not allowed at my kids school till year 6

I live a 10 minute walk and my daughter in year 5 walks home alone by choice, she’s 10.
I have a younger child at the same school who I have to collect anyway but she’d still rather make her own way home and has a key for when she gets home first.
She occasionally has after school activities so will walk home an hour later.
She is very sensible though and I think that’s what counts.

Your son can’t be 10 in yr 4?

Daughter started walking home (5 minutes) start of year 5 but was not home alone.

Could he not go and wait at the relative’s house?
I think there’s no set age it depends on the child and the walking circumstances ( would there be a friend to walk with/busy road to cross) etc

I think he’s a bit young to walk home by himself then let himself in and be home alone for 1.5 hours. If it were just the walking home it’d probably be ok if the school allowed it (some don’t until yr 5 or yr 6).

Mine started in year 5 as we live 5 minutes away, but she’s not home alone after that

My eldest started walking home when he started high school, it was too far to walk to and from his primary but I’d let him walk to the corner shop aged 10.

Unless they delay started him, my nephew is a year older than the year he should be in.

At our school it was only allowed from year 6 onwards although some kind parents of other children would walk the child out of the gate a bit up the road and then the child carried on to their own house. Loads of parents and other children around so very safe for a year 5 child but school would not allow. This was the only work around for a single parent.

I am confused how he can be in yr 4 but be 10. So I left Dd ( who is old for her year) home alone in YR4 for 20 minutes at 7:30 am to go for a run. DS and Dd were home alone for 1-2 hrs aged 10 (yr6) and 8 (yr 3) one night after school although I was on the phone to them. I think yr 4 is too young to leave for 1.5 hrs.

Sorry year 5 just a typo. They actually allow them to walk home from year 4 in our school, as it's a small village and most children live within 10 minutes of the school. He couldn't go to my relatives house no, if that was an option I'd obviously have already taken that up. Many of his friends have been making their way home since last year, and his after school club shuts at 5, so that's not an option either.

I would, if he is sensible, both of mine stayed at home in the holidays whilst I was at work from the end of yr 5. I’d get a ring doorbell so that you can see that he gets home safely

I don't think schools have the right to keep hold of a child if a parent / guardian has given direction that they are to release the child to walk home, unless, perhaps they think they have very strong safeguarding grounds to do so. If you think they're competent to get home, crack on. IMO, being home alone for 90 minutes after school is not something many 10 year olds would find easy / feel confident during.

Walk home yes. Be left at home for 1.5 hours - no. Id be waiting until secondary for that.

My DS is 10 yr 5 and has been walking to School and home alone for the past 4 weeks. He is home alone after School for maybe 30 minutes until our DD get's home and I am less than 5 minutes away at work if I needed to get home I can. I have grandparents who also live round the corner and childminder who looks after youngest DS also just a minute or 2 away. My DS loves the independence and we're fortunate we have a short safe walk to school and no roads to cross. Give him a trial run and see how you both feel about it. I was like you and really nervous at first but so far it's working really well he's been very sensible.... even does his homework when he gets in with no arguments haha

Yes to the walk, no to the amount of time home alone.

Mine was walking home alone regularly from latter part of year 5 but would have a maximum of half an hour home alone.

Though I am not sure why it makes a difference between half an hour and an hour and a half!

My daughter in Y5, when her little brother moved up to juniors ( Y6 and Y3) they used to walk home together only about half a km and no roads to cross. This was about 10 years ago, I did get a few surprised looks from other parents when I said I was doing this and I suspect a school won't release a Y3 to a Y6 child now. They are in their 20s now and really enjoyed their walk home together. I think that early independence bonded them and was good preparation for secondary school.

That would be too young in my opinion, especially to be home alone once they got home.

Thanks all. He'll be 11 in September, so I feel he'll be fine for an hour and half, along with my family popping in from across the road. I do have a ring doorbell also. My neighbour also doesn't work, so he can always knock next door if needed.

My son started at the start of this year. He’s in year 5. I wasn’t 100% ready but I didn’t want to quash his independence.

He’s not coming back to an empty house, though.

Mine started walking in year 5. Although there was someone at home.

I’m really surprised by primary aged kids being allowed to walk home alone! This was never the case when I was growing up. It would be year 7 for me.

Similar age for mine but check he’s confident with using the key to get in! Might be worth having a brick phone for emergencies/for him to check in with you?

Allowed from year 4 in our village school

Crikey, really? Everyone walked home from Y5 at my primary school in the 80s , and my son's school is summer term of Y5.

I think it's a good idea because people tend to live closer to primaries than secondaries, so you get to build a bit of experience and independence in a safe environment.

In London you see primary kids getting the tube and bus on their own!