Is this acceptable?

[madmondeo]

I walk along a particular road to school with my 5 year old step son. The school is at the top of this road. Its a third of a mile long with two busy sets of junctions; crossroads. A classmate of my step sons walks to school on his own! We have seen him everyday this week and last week too.

Do you think that is ideal for a 5 year old??

[madmondeo]

Right here is an update. I was up at the school yesterday afternoon at 2.40 (nice and early, hoping for some privacy!) Saw the receptionist and coincidently the head teacher was present too. "I would like to express my concerns over another pupil in (my step son's) class" I explained the situation and although the head teacher also thinks it’s wrong and not okay for a 5 year old to walk to school alone she replied "In the eyes of the law, there is nothing the school can do. Until the child is on the school premises the school in not responsible for the children." She is already aware of the situation as several other parents have brought the matter to her attention. She has written to the parents expressing her concerns over the boy but there is nothing else the school can do.

I'm glad the majority of people here agree with me and think it’s wrong for a 5 year old to walk to school on their own in this day and age. Think the most amusing reply here was the person who relates to the 1940s!!! - do they still have the cane in schools?
"Back in my day ................" lol

Question is ...............What do I do now? Walking to school this morning I was looking out for the lad but never saw him. I waited with my step son just inside the gate and was looking down the road for this boy to be walking up the hill on his. A few minutes later, here he comes. On his own. Yet again. :-(

[anneasquith]

what more can you do ? you and several other parents have expressed their concern to the school, who are aware of the situation and have written to the parents. what more do you think you should do ?

[madmondeo]

nothing else i can do is there? just keep an eye out for the lad.

[eyethenkyew]

madmondeo,

I've taken a keen interest in this because the lad's welfare is indeed the prime concern here, and thank you very much for the update.

There may be something you can still do - if you feel inclined to? That is, you mentioned that the lad is collected in the afternoon by his grandmother? Well, that's at least a start. You've found out that he is at least being walked back home by a relative. Why not see if the lady would be willing to shed some light on your concerns.
As I said a lot earlier in this post, no decent parent should object to a genuine or reasonable enquiry, and I'd go as far as to say that should apply to grandparents. So, bite the bullet, it would at least put your mind at rest as long as granny's amenable to your approach which would need to be as low key as possible. Go in like a bull in a china shop and you no doubt would get a hostile response.

Try it, I know I definitely would, but as they say "slowly, slowly, catchee monkey"?

Best of luck.

[tigwig]

I would very carefully speak to the grandparent who picks him up. Dont sound judgemental whatsoever and keep a big smile on your face and suggest that he could walk to school with you as him and your stepson are in the same class and they would enjoy walking together etc etc. I dont really know how you could start a conversation like that as Im rubbish with wording it but I think its the only thing you can do now short of calling social services. In fact that may be an option just to get advice if nothing else, rather than formally reporting it. Or I suppose you could go round to the boy's house and speak to the parents if you are brave enough and again say you would love to help them out and could walk him to school. Its a difficult situation. Let us know what happens, I will be worried about the poor love now too.

[China Doll]

I would get your step son who must know him if he is a classmate to invite him to walk with you in the mornings to school if you are that concerned. It would probably be nice for both of them.

[Old_Geezer]

"how early did you start school? The first year of compulsory schooling now is after your 5th birthday"

After 5 ?!? Gee school gets easier and easier as time goes on doesn't it. I started at primary school at about 4½ and I don't think I was the youngest by a long way. Too long ago now to recall how long my mother took me to school for before I insisted I wasn't daft, I knew the way, and didn't need mummy to hold my hand; but I feel fairly sure it was before the end of the first year. But as I said previously it is probably down to the individual child.

[sophie_1003]

Just checked and as far as I can tell compulsory school starting age has been 5 years old since 1880, admittedly many schools accept children from the September before their 5th birthday so you may have children in their first year of school who have just turned 4.

[horseshoes]

Sophie I think you'll find that lots of us older ones started school well before the age of 5. I went to school in the 1950s and started when I was almost 4. We used to have little beds to nap in the afternoons. My own son began in his reception class the day before his 3rd birthday - that was Easter 1980,athough granted he only used to go for a morning OR afternoon.

[sophie_1003]

Yeah; the morning/afternoon sessions are provided by school nurseries now. Still; COMPULSORY school age seems to always have been 5; granted many children will attend school or nursery before then.