School lets child run off. Am I overprotective?

I think it sounds odd to let kids run on Hampstead Heath (I'm assuming that's the one) without supervision. The thing is if your child is told to stay in a pair and be back in 20 minutes then your child, at 7 or 8 should be able to follow those simple instructions. I have a 7 year old and I wouldn't worry about the road or the pond at this age. I would be asking my child what they thought they were doing wondering off alone and not checking the time, when they were asked to do so. I suggest you take a trip to the Princess Diana playground in Kensington Gardens this weekend, give your daughter a watch and ask her to check back with you every 30 minutes. That way she will need to develop a sense of direction, responsibility and time, ready for Monday.