Travel to school
Active travel is a perfect way for pupils to increase physical activity, potentially see nature and enjoy a more relaxing start to the day. A walk to and from school can help children get towards the recommended 60-minutes of physical activity a day.
Here are some ideas that you could consider to support your pupils to travel actively:
Active travel and air quality information sessions for Swindon's primary schools.
Fun and engaging information session on the causes of poor air quality, the effects of air pollution and how log burning in particular is a large contributor to particulate pollution and how pupils can reduce their own emissions by travelling actively to school. If you are interested in having an information session delivered to your pupils, please feel free to contact Andrew Abbott: aabbott2@swindon.gov.uk.
School Travel Plan
Complete and implement an online School Travel Plan through Modeshift STARS Education.
The “Accessing Swindon Schools” map
The “Accessing Swindon Schools” map is now on the Swindon Travel Choices website. This is the latest guide to accessing Swindon schools. You can see the walking and cycling routes across the borough, and read about schemes and initiatives to help keep children safe so that they can travel actively to schools in their neighbourhood.
Individual schools' travel guides are also available for individual schools on the same web-page.
Bikeability Cycle Training
This is currently being delivered in most primary schools in Swindon. If you're school is not already signed up, do get in touch with Life Cycle who run this: Bikeability in Swindon | Life Cycle UK
Air Quality and Active Travel Workshops:
Swindon's Public Health Practitioner for Air Quality and Active Travel delivers free active travel and air quality information sessions for primary schools. The intention is to deliver fun and engaging information session on the causes of poor air quality, the effects of air pollution and how log burning in particular is a large contributor to particulate pollution. He will also discuss how pupils can reduce their own personal emissions by travelling actively to school or taking steps to reduce their reliance on car travel. If you are interested in having an information session delivered to your pupils, please contact aabbott2@swindon.gov.uk.
Sustrans
The sustainable transport charity Sustrans has a vision of a world in which people choose to travel in ways that benefit their health and the environment. In addition to offering several teaching resources, current programmes include the Big Street Survey, which is a free curriculum resource enabling pupils to investigate the area around their school and create a manifesto on how to make their streets safer and greener. The Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel takes place in March.
Active Travel Walks
The Active Travel Walks have been designed to encourage parents to walk their children to and from school.
Walk to school project is a pupil-led initiative where children self-report how they get to school every day using an interactive tool. If they travel sustainably (walk, cycle or scoot) once a week for a month, they get rewarded with a badge. We share this with the awareness that some pupils' don't have a choice about how they get to school, but developing an active travel plan can help with this.
School Safe Environment Zones
The School Safe Environment Zones (SSEZ) programme is the Council’s approach to delivering road safety and congestion improvements for schools across Swindon. It includes a package of measures that will encourage behavioural change and improve safety outside and in the area around the schools.Has your school linked in with this yet? Further information is available on the Swindon Borough Council website.
Road Safety Teaching Resources
THINK! which is the government’s designated road safety campaign. provides teaching resources for all year groups.
Cleaner Air, Cleaner World: Schools Toolkit 2020 includes resources and tips about what you can do in your school to promote active travel.
Platform Rail runs workshops in the classroom, organises rail-travel trips so that children can experience rail travel and learn about travelling safely, and hosts a range of teaching resources for key stages 1-3.
