Many benefits for young people and schools

Being more active on your journey to school has so many benefits but don’t just take our word for it. A 2012 study of 20,000 Danish children showed those who walked or cycled to school had better concentration.  It is better for you and the environment. Less traffic at the school gates means better air quality for you and your children.

Resources

Resources for Schools and Teachers

What we can offer schools and colleges

Too many cars at your school gate? Pupils arriving late for school because they’re stuck in traffic? Pupils not getting enough activity into their day?

If these are familiar issues for your school, let’s work together to help make a change.

As part of the Bridgwater Way (TBW) project, we’re offering schools and the college FREE tailor-made support to encourage walking, scooting and cycling to school/college.

Your school will benefit from:

  • Specialist help and resource to help develop and deliver active travel initiatives in your school.
  • Access to training for your pupils, such as Bikeability training and cycle maintenance, and Dr Bike healthchecks.
  • Participation in a Bridgwater-wide online schools challenge with prizes available for schools.
  • Local area travel updates to keep you and your parents up to date with congestion news and any planned roadworks.

Encouraging active travel to school can help to reduce the number of cars at the school gate, build activity into everyday routines, and ensure that your pupils arrive at school on time and ready to learn.

What’s your way?

We’re excited to work with you to help make the most of this opportunity and the resources available. If your school is not yet involved and would like to be, then please contact Helen Bonner helen.bonner@steergroup.com.

Simple to do

Good habits learned young are learned well. Teaching your child to walk or cycle safely to school will stand them in good stead for the rest of their life

You could time your journey by car and then compare it to walking or cycling. Most people find that it isn’t actually time efficient to drive short journeys and agree that finding a parking space can be a real hassle.

Travel safely – you can find advice on the Somerset Road Safety website including:

Walking

  • Activity sheets that you can use with your children to help deliver important road safety messages.
  • Practical training courses for all key stages including Ghost Street, an innovative workshop designed to help teenagers make informed decisions about road safety, whilst not reducing their freedom or independence

Cycling

  • Bikeability – how to book a training course to develop basic riding skills.
  • You and your bike – information on essential equipment, setting your bike up, helmet fitting, bike security and cycling on the road.

Making it safer

School Crossing Patrols provide a great service, helping children get across busy roads on foot on their walk to school, and are hugely respected by the school and wider community, including local drivers. The children get to know their patrol person, providing another form of interaction on their way to school.

Schools recruit people to be School Crossing Patrols and then contact Somerset Road Safety who will train the Patrols and supply them with the necessary resources. You can find out more on the Somerset Road Safety website


If you think your school needs a School Crossing Patrol, please contact Somerset Road Safety on 01823 423430 or email roadsafety@somerset.gov.uk.

This may also be something your school identifies through its travel plan.