School Travel
At Great Ouse Primary Academy we encourage pupils and parents to travel to school by cycling, scooting and walking wherever possible.
The School Travel Plan is included below and will be updated once the school opens. We will discuss the policy with the pupils and re-visit it periodically to ensure its relevance and effectiveness.
For pupils unable to come by foot or bike, we like to encourage use of public transport or car-share.
If you have any ideas to improve things at or around school for pedestrians and cyclists, or questions about travelling to school, please get in touch with the school.
Some of the benefits of active travel:
- Improving both mental and physical health through physical activity
- Establishing positive active travel behaviour
- Promoting independence and improving safety awareness
- Reducing congestion, noise and pollution in the community
- Reducing the environmental impact of the journey to school.
To encourage pupils to cycle, scoot or walk to school frequently the school will:
- Actively promote cycling, scooting and walking as a positive way of travelling
- Celebrate the achievements of those who cycle, scoot and walk to school
- Provide cycle and scooter storage on the school site
- Provide high quality cycle training to all pupils who wish to participate when age appropriate.
To make cycling, scooting and walking to and from school a positive experience for everybody concerned, we expect our pupils to:
- Wear a cycle helmet
- Ride and walk sensibly and safely and to follow the Highway Code and Green Cross Code using patrol personnel, zebra crossings etc when available
- Check that their bicycle or scooter is roadworthy and regularly maintained
- Behave in a manner which shows them and the school in the best possible light and to consider the needs of others when cycling or scooting
- Ensure they can be seen by other road users, by using lights and wearing high-visibility clothing, as appropriate.
For the well-being of our pupils, we expect parents and carers to:
- Encourage their child to walk, cycle or scoot to school whenever possible
- Encourage their child to take up opportunities to develop their competence and confidence in cycling or scooting
- Consider cycling, scooting and walking with their child on the school run; possibly joining with other families as a ‘cycle train’
- Provide their child with equipment such as high-visibility clothing, lights, a lock and essentially a cycle helmet as appropriate
- Ensure that the bicycles and scooters ridden to school are roadworthy and regularly maintained.
Please note: The decision as to whether a child is competent to cycle, scoot or walk safely to and from school rests with the parent(s)/carer(s). The school has no liability for any consequences of that decision. Parents are advised to take out appropriate insurance cover for bikes (check home insurance) as the school’s insurance does not cover any loss or damage to bicycles and scooters.
