School Transition

In 2016 a project in Wokingham looked at how children travel to school when they start. It found that over a quarter (26.4%) of year 7 pupils want to travel to school differently. It also found that 11% of them would prefer to cycle.

To encourage less car travel during key transition times, schools can take up these actions:

Reception:

• Provide parents with a special travel info pack during open evenings to show different travel options.
• Promote car-sharing at open evenings, where parents can find others living nearby to share lifts.
• Host a road safety workshop in the autumn term to teach kids about being visible when walking.

Year 6:

• Hold assemblies that talk about the social benefits of walking, cycling, and taking the bus.
• Have a road safety workshop in the summer term. This will aim to boost confidence in walking and cycling.
• Organise a walking bus from the primary school to the secondary school. This will help children feel more confident and socialise while walking.
• Lead a cycle ride from the primary to the secondary school, guided by the My Journey team. This will boost confidence for students and parents.
• Hold a competition to see which class can walk, cycle, or scoot the most.
• Encourage sign ups for Walk to School and Cycle to School initiatives offered by My Journey.

Year 7:

• Promote car-sharing at open evenings.
• Provide personalised travel info packs.
• Offer travel maps and information.
• Use icebreakers in forms to help students find others to walk or cycle with.
• Host walkers' and cyclists' breakfast events.
• Organise a competition between classes in the autumn term.
• Arrange cycle focus days. These can include bike checks and safer cycling assemblies conducted by the My Journey team.
• Provide Level 3 Bikeability training courses organised by the My Journey team.