Rules on children walking home from school

alwayspuzzled

Hi does anyone have any experience of this? My DS2 is in year 5, he is at the youngest end of the school year and is so still 9. I have just finished work on maternity leave (baby due in 3 wks) and have taken him out of the after school club - not very MSE to pay for childcare I don't need! I wrote the school a letter explaining he would be walking home alone and have just recieved a phonecall from his class teacher saying that it is now school policy that they are not allowed to let the children leave the school premises unless they can actually see the parent/child minder. But next term when he's in yr 6 it will be fine.

I understand that many people think children should be wrapped in cotton wool BUT he is my son, the school is less than 10 mins away I am perfectly happy with his abilily to walk home in a safe and responcible manner are the school allowed to insist on me standing outside the school gate before he leaves their premise?

Unfortunately the only parents of school friends I know also use the afterschool club as they also work F/T so I can't ask a friend to stand in for me.

Buttercup2305

Not sure my kids school policies is that years 5 and 6 can walk home. Unless they attend after school activities and it is later in the afternoon as it is darker.

peachyprice

Our school will allow children to leave the premises as long as they have a letter from parents giving permission.

My DD is also in year 5, she walks from the school to the car park at the end of the lane where I wait for her and walks to up the lane in the morning.

I would be inclined to check with your LEA whether this is a general rule in your area or just your particular school.

rachbc

I started getting my son to do this when I was on mat leave as the school is at the top of the road and with feeds etc I occassionally couldn't get there on time- he would have been year 4 and they were fine with it (as was he). I would go in and speak to them rather than phone/ write.

pigpen

Sounds acceptable to me. and perfectly sensible of the school. I know a lot of the parents at our school think it is ok to let them walk home alone, but they don't see them coming out of school running straight into the road and almost getting knocked down by cars.. it is always the same children. It isn't just the road outside school either which is a 20PH zone it is every road and a couple of them are quite busy and 40mph. They don't hear them swearing and bullying other children on the way home nor do they see them fighting and pushing each other into the road. Or being rude to adults in the street or being thrown out of shops for being horrid and stealing.. the latter usually gets them more than thrown out!

I know a lot of this also goes on at high school but the parents won't be blaming the teachers once they are in high school like they will in primary.

I think it should be implemented at all primary school, such young children are unable to judge the speed of traffic and are less aware of dangers. I'd be really pleased, our car might be safe from dents caused by flying small children then!

Kimberley82

pigpen wrote: »

Sounds acceptable to me. and perfectly sensible of the school. I know a lot of the parents at our school think it is ok to let them walk home alone, but they don't see them coming out of school running straight into the road and almost getting knocked down by cars.. it is always the same children. It isn't just the road outside school either which is a 20PH zone it is every road and a couple of them are quite busy and 40mph. They don't hear them swearing and bullying other children on the way home nor do they see them fighting and pushing each other into the road. Or being rude to adults in the street or being thrown out of shops for being horrid and stealing.. the latter usually gets them more than thrown out!

I know a lot of this also goes on at high school but the parents won't be blaming the teachers once they are in high school like they will in primary.

I think it should be implemented at all primary school, such young children are unable to judge the speed of traffic and are less aware of dangers. I'd be really pleased, our car might be safe from dents caused by flying small children then!

Just because some children act like idiots does not mean all do.

Anacrusis

It should be up to you, but if they have this as a policy then I guess you have to go along with it if you want to use the school? You caould ask for a copy of the policy to check it's definately a "school rule", as if it isn't then a letter from you saying it's fine should be enough.

rachbc

pigpen wrote: »

Sounds acceptable to me. and perfectly sensible of the school. I know a lot of the parents at our school think it is ok to let them walk home alone, but they don't see them coming out of school running straight into the road and almost getting knocked down by cars.. it is always the same children. It isn't just the road outside school either which is a 20PH zone it is every road and a couple of them are quite busy and 40mph. They don't hear them swearing and bullying other children on the way home nor do they see them fighting and pushing each other into the road. Or being rude to adults in the street or being thrown out of shops for being horrid and stealing.. the latter usually gets them more than thrown out!

I know a lot of this also goes on at high school but the parents won't be blaming the teachers once they are in high school like they will in primary.

I think it should be implemented at all primary school, such young children are unable to judge the speed of traffic and are less aware of dangers. I'd be really pleased, our car might be safe from dents caused by flying small children then!

FYI My son had no shops to go past to steal from, nor any roads to cross so your car is safe...jeez talk about judgemental!

Though of course if less parents were ferrying their little darlings to and from school in cars the roads would be safer for all of the kids!!

jackieglasgow

I have no idea about the rules, we don't have such things here, it seems only to be the 5 and 6 year olds who are definitely handed over to parents. But if the school is only ten minutes away, is there not any way you could just go and meet him yourself until the end of the year? These would be some nice memories for you to make for him, and for yourself, and of course once the baby comes and you're well enough, he may want to show the little one off to his school mates

alwayspuzzled

Anacrusis wrote: »

It should be up to you, but if they have this as a policy then I guess you have to go along with it if you want to use the school? You caould ask for a copy of the policy to check it's definately a "school rule", as if it isn't then a letter from you saying it's fine should be enough.

No apparently it wasn't a school policy last week, because when I sent the letter in the class teacher sneared at it said "I don't think so" sent him to see the head teacher. The head teacher was busy but the school office said its fine as long as there is a letter giving permission. Class teacher just said on the phone she doesn't think it was school policy before but it is now, as of today!!

pigpen

rachbc wrote: »

FYI My son had no shops to go past to steal from, nor any roads to cross so your car is safe...jeez talk about judgemental!

Though of course if less parents were ferrying their little darlings to and from school in cars the roads would be safer for all of the kids!!

Ooh.. touchy or what.. lol.. Did I not agree with you?.. sorry.. I shall berate myself later..

FYI my children are unable to walk far so we have a motobility vehicle so we can get them there safely.. so 'talk about judgemental' yourself..

And no I wouldn't want to hit a child whose parents were too lazy (I know this is the case with at least a couple at our school.. so not a dig at you before you stir up your bonnet bees! I wouldn't want to do the walk at 37 weeks pg either) to do the 5 or 10 minute walk to school and supervise their safety.. it is all to easy to say 'Oh my little darling wouldn't possibly be a little turd on the way home from school'.. but it isn't possible to know without being there what they are actually up to.. was my actual point.. and I don't think children of this age should walk home alone.. as I said, they cannot judge the speed of traffic so are in danger whether you see it or not it is a risk to be taken into account.

There is all this crap about 'safeguarding children' then at 3pm they kick them out into the street without a second thought. I have on several occasions spoken to staff and parents about hcildren behaviour coming out of school when they have put themselves in danger.. I would want to know if my child was lying in the road.. yes I have seen this and told the child off!

Kimberley82 wrote: »

Just because some children act like idiots does not mean all do.

Is it worth the risk? You could put money on it being the one sensible child who is involved in an accident