Are my children old enough to cycle to school alone?

[NorthernLurker]

Dd1 is 10 1/2 and dd2 will be 8 in January. We have been cycling together for some years and have a very straightforward route to and fro school. The majority of the route is quiet residential streets or cycle path. When I am with them we turn right out of a junction on to a slightly busier road and then left off that straight away to go down to the cycle path but they wouldn't have to do that as they can get off their bikes briefly and walk across the adjacent zebra crossing. So trafficwise I'm reasonably relaxed about it - just wanted to get some other views.
They are both sensible and careful, dd1 especially so, and have fluorescent clothing, lights and helmets. I have told them that I will consider what we are doing and that perhaps in the summer they can cycle there totally independently but for now they can set off about five minutes ahead of me and I will follow. On the way home they could take our usual route and I could take the alternative route on busier roads which should get me home at roughly the same time. It is a fairly short journey - about 12 minutes so I'm never going to be very far away and I really believe in encouraging their independance. DD1 will be making her own way to school from September so I think we all need to practice letting go a bit anyway. What do you all think? Am I sensible mother or total loon mother?

This sounds sensible to me. Just check that your school doesn't require Cycling Proficiency tests before they're allowed to cycle in alone. Ours has this requirement (unless the children are accompanied). But not all the parents heed it.

Thanks - I'll ask about that but I don't think I've ever heard anything about it being a requirement. Dd1 will be doing cycling proficiency this year anyway - she'd better pass after all the practice she's had! For now it's not an issue as I will be following them and I'll need to turn up to collect them to sign them out of after school club. I'm hoping they'll still want to cycle with me a bit 'cos I'll miss chatting to them as we go

they sound old enough and its sounds like an easy route.
Are they ok with locking the bike and making sure the helmets/flourescent stuff/lights don't go walkabout?

Sounds fine to me. My 10 year old cycles quite a bit further than that on his own, as does another friend. Both are fine!

My 10-year old cycles alone to her piano lesson at the other side of our village. The only reason I collect her is that the teacher likes to have a chat afterwards, otherwise, she'd come home alone, too. In fact, sometimes she does.

It's only the start of dark and wet afternoons that has stopped her doing this. I am being soft on her.

At our school they can't leave their bikes at school unless they have done their cycling proficiency, which they do in Year 5.

Thats all very interesting and reassuring thanks. We will do some semi accompanied trips for now and see how we go.