There is a growing trend for the older children in the school to walk home unaccompanied at the end of the school day or at the end of an after-school club. While we as a school promote independence in our children, we are always mindful that safety and security should come first, particularly as the evenings start to get darker. It is school policy that only children in year 5 and year 6 are allowed to walk home on their own, provided that the school and family have no concerns about the child’s ability to keep themselves safe and that the school receives permission via this web form.
Families who would like their child to walk home from The Copse at 5pm will be required to email TheCopse@hillcross with their request. We will not dismiss any child on their own after 5pm.
Children will only be dismissed from Extra-Curricular Clubs and Committee meetings without an adult in the first half of the Autumn Term and the Summer Term (in line with British Summer Time).
Parents should ensure that their child understands the Green Cross Code/Road Safety, is aware of stranger danger and clearly understands what action to take in case of an emergency. It is advised that children of primary age walking home alone go straight to an agreed residence and do not go home to an unsupervised dwelling.
As part of our continual assessment of our safeguarding procedures, we would like to ensure that we have an up-to-date register of all children who have permission to walk home alone. If you give permission for your child to walk home alone, please complete the details below.
Please note, your child will not be able to walk home unaccompanied until you receive confirmation from the school via ParentMail that our Headteacher has agreed your request.
