At Holyoakes Field First School we actively encourage pupils and parents to travel to school by cycling, scooting and walking wherever possible. This school travel policy explains how we will be encouraging active travel to school. We will discuss the policy with the pupils and re-visit it periodically to ensure its relevance.
Some of the benefits of active travel include:
• Improving both mental and physical health through physical activity.
• Establishing positive active travel behaviour.
• Promoting independence and developing important life skills e.g. improving safety awareness and road safety skills which will keep pupils safe now and, in the future, when they travel further afield (Middle and High School).
• Reducing congestion, noise and pollution in the community.
• Reducing the environmental impact of the journey to school.
What we ask of pupils:
• Ride and walk sensibly and safely and to follow the Highway Code and Green Cross Code.
• Check that their bicycle or scooter is roadworthy and regularly maintained.
• Behave responsibly as a pupil of Holyoakes Field First School, and to consider the needs of others when cycling or scooting.
• Ensure a cycle helmet is worn at all times when cycling to and from school.
• Push bikes and scooters when on school grounds.
• Ensure they can be seen by other road users, by using lights and wearing highvisibility clothing, as appropriate.
What we ask of parents and carers:
• Encourage their child to walk, cycle or scoot to school whenever possible.
• Encourage their child to take up opportunities to develop their competence and confidence in cycling or scooting.
• Consider cycling, scooting and walking with their child on the school run; possibly joining with other families as a ‘cycle train’.
• Encourage their child to push bikes and scooters when on school grounds.
• Provide their child with equipment such as high-visibility clothing, lights, a lock and cycle helmet as appropriate.
• Ensure that the bicycles and scooters ridden to school are roadworthy and regularly maintained.
• We understand that sometimes there is no alternative to driving to school.
• Where a car must be used we ask parents to drive only part of the way, and drop their child(ren) off away from the school so that some of the journey can be walked or scooted
• If you do have to drive your child(ren) and stop in the near vicinity please do so legally, safely and with respect for our neighbours and local residents It is not acceptable to park or wait on double yellow lines, on the school zigzags or
across residential driveways for any period of time.
If you have any ideas to improve things at or around school for pedestrians and cyclists, or questions about travelling to school, please get in touch with the school office@holyoakes.worcs.sch.uk .