Walk to School Week 16th – 20th May 2022

Dudley’s road safety team support ‘Walk to School Week ‘by providing resources to every primary school in the borough. As a school, we would like to focus on this key life skill, as well as the main theme of Health and Wellbeing.

As an incentive to try and encourage active travel, we will provide a record sheet for pupils to record days that they have walked to school. We also have Green Cross Code bookmarks, so at the end of the week each pupil can take one home to remind them how to safely cross the road and encourage them to continue travelling in a safe, active way.

We would encourage you to include walking in your school journey next week and in the future.

See below for more details, benefits, and information

Walk to School

Statistics from the Department of Transport reveal that road traffic in Britain grew by 80 per cent between 1980 and 2005, and the number of children travelling to school in cars has doubled over the last 20 years.

There is concern that this trend is contributing to reduced physical activity in children and an increase in childhood obesity levels, urban congestion and air pollution.

The school-run accounts for a sizeable chunk of rush-hour traffic. It causes congestion, pollution and increases the risk of accident by or around schools, especially when rules of the highway are ignored, for that prime 'drop off' or parking spot. If more families were able to walk to school more often, then communities would experience the environmental and health benefits associated with fewer vehicles on the roads in their neighbourhood. 

Walk to School Week is celebrated annually in schools across Dudley.

Still not sure if it's a good idea to Walk to School?

Here are some of the benefits for children and parents

  • Start young - Regular walking from a young age means children grow up with this good healthy habit for life.
  • Good Physical Health - Regular exercise helps to keep children healthier and reduces risk of obesity which can lead to heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other health issues
  • Good mental health - Research shows that walking helps children sleep well and be less stressed which makes them happier
  • Social Skills and Independence - Walking to school is sociable for children and helps them become more independent.
  • Road Sense - By walking to school children develop and gain a greater 'road-sense', learning about risk and therefore how to look after themselves and be safe.
  • Ready to learn - Walking to school helps children to feel more wide awake for the start of the school day and therefore more ready to learn. Indeed, some walk to school schemes have led to improved attendance and punctuality which also leads to improved learning.
  • Pollution - Is reduced if more children walk. Air quality and particulate matter are especially relevant in and around schools and cities 
  • Congestion- By reducing the number of cars travelling to school, the roads in the area become safer for everyone, especially around the school gates.

Park and Walk

If you need to use your car, try parking further afield in a less congested area and walk for the last few hundred metres or so. Many of the advantages as noted above can still be achieved.

Useful Links

Road Safety and Travel Awareness

Thank you for your continued support.

Mrs. Cartwright

PSHE/RSE/School Council/RRSA Lead

 

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