Information for parents, carers and teachers around sustainable transport /living. Choices – it’s not all about walking or cycling the whole journey. There are many alternatives that could be considered; If distance is the issue, an alternative is to find a suitable and safe place to park away from the school that is only a 5-10min walk. This relieves the congestion around the school gate, giving child and parent a chance to talk, reduces the stress of trying to find a place to park and provides some fresh air and exercise. Children are more likely to be ready to learn when they arrive at school having exercised, and perform better in class! For some parents, time is a key factor if the school run is on the way to work. One option could be for the parent to drop off their child(ren) at a friend’s house so that they can either walk or drive in with them, allowing the parent to go on to work, again without the stress. This needn’t be every day – just once a week can still make a difference to the congestion and safety around the school gates. Consider organising a coffee morning to look at possible car sharing matches for parents. Often there can be a couple of parents/children who are both driving and would welcome the opportunity to car share and save money. It also provides a chance to chat and share ideas. Encourage children to join walk-to-school schemes, e.g. the walking bus – this is not only environmentally friendly but good exercise. It’s great fun too and a positive way to begin and end your day. Travel plan – it’s more than a paper document! By bringing together pupils, staff and parents to work together on a school travel plan, you can identify what the key issues are and possible solutions. This is great evidence for securing funding and provides a benchmark for any achievements the school community makes. Travel plans really can make a difference and they are a good way of making new friends in the school and local community. There are also lots of cross curricular opportunities. Curriculum – making the links! There are endless opportunities to link sustainable travel into the curriculum including being active, effects of pollution on the environment, local area, road safety and much more. Key subjects include PSHE, Citizenship and Geography. 21
travelling back in time to school
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