Parents and carers are responsible for their child's safety on the way to and from school.

What is active travel?

Active travel means walking, cycling, scootering, skateboarding or any similar transport where physical activity is used to travel. The health benefits of active travel are well recognised, particularly as an alternative to motorised forms of transport.

Using public transport almost always includes walking to and from destinations, and therefore also can be considered as active travel.

Actively travelling with primary school-aged children

Walk, ride, scoot or skate with your child to and from school.

If you do have to drive, then park and walk. That is, park away from the school and walk with your child for the rest of the way. At day’s end meet your child at the school and walk together to your car, parked away from the school.

Use this time to talk about their day as well as how to be a safe pedestrian.

Benefits of active travel

• Physical: it gets you moving early in the day and again in the afternoon. In a world of high screen usage, physical movement is even more important for general health and wellbeing.
• Social: gives you the opportunity to spend time with your young child. Older students (age 11 and above) enjoy the opportunity to talk with their friends
• Mental: being physically active can improve concentration and self-esteem and increase independence
• Environmental: less cars means less traffic and congestion around schools which reduces pollution.

Encourage your older children to actively travel to school for these benefits, if it's safe to do so.