Rules on children walking home from school

emsywoo123

OP do you mind me asking why you don't want to collect him anymore? not a dig, just a curiosity?

Nicki

I would not let a 9 year old walk home by himself if the journey took 10 minutes and involved any roads to cross personally. Nor was I allowed to do this as a child 30 years ago when roads were quieter and there was less stranger danger paranoia. My DS is 11 and in his last term of Year 6 and we are only now starting to let him walk part of the way home by himself and meeting him halfway to complete the journey together (though we do live a 20 minute walk from school).

I am sure the school hasn't thought up this policy to spite you! If they believe that the children at that age aren't old enough to walk home by themselves, then they may have good reasons for it. We had an incident at school a few years ago when a man tried to entice a 10 year old girl into his car, and the school warned all the other schools in the area, who in turn made parents pick their children up from school until the man was apprehended, so it may be there are reasons of which you are completely unaware for the introduction of the new policy. The police told the school not to make the attempted abduction widely known to parents btw in case of vigilante action or action against the wrong person, so only a few parents ever knew the reason why.

balletshoes

alwayspuzzled wrote: »

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!!

the policy is different in our school (from year 4 they can walk to and from school by themselves).

however if your school has just changed its policy this week, I'd be speaking to the head teacher, and wanting to see in writing what their policy is, from the head or deputy head, and not from any other member of staff.

hngrymummy

OP, maybe you could suggest to the school that they do a road safety day. That would do more to benefit the children than making them wait for someone to collect them.

mrsspendalot

I'm not sure whether our school has a policy or not. I have been aware of children as young as 7/8 in Year 3 walking home alone, crossing very busy roads and I wonder why anyone would find that safe. My DD is in Year 6 and we live a stones throw from school. I have only just started letting her walk to and from school alone this year, mainly in preparation for when she goes up to secondary and will have to make her own way as I'll be at work.

She has one road to cross, and it is a fairly busy one right outside school, with a crossing that plenty of cars seem to be incapable of seeing. Many a time I've been waiting to cross there myself and cars haven't stopped, including a police car on one occasion!

She doesn't need to walk home alone, as her younger brothers are at the same school and they get picked up. It's more about her learning a little bit of road sense this year before she has to walk to the next school which is quite a lot further away and will involve crossing many more roads.

Plans_all_plans

If you really want him to walk home, I don't see what it has to do with the school myself!!

I'm only 25 and used to do a 2 mile walk each way to and from school from year 4 onwards. There was a group of about 4 of us who I knocked on for on the way.

I think you should try to arrange a meeting with the Head to discuss this. It may be that in your opinion your child is mature enough to manage it, but that the school feels otherwise, so they just feel obliged to say no. There may be some way to compromise.

alwayspuzzled

emsywoo123 wrote: »

OP do you mind me asking why you don't want to collect him anymore? not a dig, just a curiosity?

I never have collected him from school, until 1 week ago I worked full time and collected him from the after school club at 6pm. I am now on maternity leave and its not the plan that he will walk home on his own every night but that some nights he will.

TBH and not a dig at anyone I don't care what others opinions of children being allowed off the reins are, my question is if the school is allowed to refuse to let him leave the premises and if they can decide to make this rule up overnight.

alwayspuzzled

Plans_all_plans wrote: »

I think you should try to arrange a meeting with the Head to discuss this. It may be that in your opinion your child is mature enough to manage it, but that the school feels otherwise, so they just feel obliged to say no. There may be some way to compromise.

I am planning to meet the head. I have already considered this point but in this instance I don't think the class teacher has been at the school long enough to have made a judgement. DS2 had has a stream of supply teachers whilst his original teacher was off sick, then when he came back he suddenly left after 2 weeks so new teacher has only been there about 2 months.

alwayspuzzled

hngrymummy wrote: »

OP, maybe you could suggest to the school that they do a road safety day. That would do more to benefit the children than making them wait for someone to collect them.

They already have plus they actively encourage children to bicycle to school, now that is something I would not allow my kids to do, round here its illegal to cycle on the pavements and haveing been a cyclist I wouldn't want my sons on a public road.

Odette

Nicki wrote: »

I would not let a 9 year old walk home by himself if the journey took 10 minutes and involved any roads to cross personally. Nor was I allowed to do this as a child 30 years ago when roads were quieter and there was less stranger danger paranoia. My DS is 11 and in his last term of Year 6 and we are only now starting to let him walk part of the way home by himself and meeting him halfway to complete the journey together (though we do live a 20 minute walk from school).

Just to give a different perspective, I started walking home alone from year 5. This was suburban London with one busy road in the mid nineties.
I think it depends on if you believe your child to be sensible enough to deal with the risks of walking home. I cant believe the school are being like this with you, he is your child!:eek: