At Knightwood we take our responsibility to safeguard children seriously. Walking home alone is a significant responsibility and there are potential safeguarding dangers. We would strongly recommend that this responsibility is only granted for children in Upper Key Stage 2 (Year 5 and Year 6).

When deciding whether your child is ready for this responsibility, you might want to consider the following:

1. Do you trust them to walk straight home?

2. Do you trust them to behave sensibly with a friend?

3. Are they road safety aware?

4. Would they know what to do if a stranger approaches them?

5. Would they have the confidence to refuse to do what a stranger asked?

6. Would they know the best action to take if a stranger tried to make them do something they didn’t want to do (scream, shout, kick and fight)?

7. Would they know what to do if they needed help?

Should you, as parents, feel your child is mature enough to cope with this responsibility, please complete this online form https://forms.gle/C2ZFW6KVfGu1CpC3A

Mobile phones also pose a safeguarding risk in school, if not used appropriately. However, we also understand that parents who allow their children to walk unaccompanied home will want their child to have a phone. 

Only pupils who have written permission from their parents will be entitled to bring mobile phones to school. We advise parents to only request permission for pupils who walk to and from school without an adult.