6 good reasons to walk to school! | Woodlands Primary School

Travelling to School

Now the winter months are coming, you may be quick to jump in the car for your journey to school, especially if the weather is cold or wet!

BUT

The Eco committee would like you to stop and think before you use the car to get to school!

With over 300 pupils at the school, if we were all driven to school there would be a LOT of cars outside in the morning and evening. We are aiming to reduce that number and ease parking problems outside of school. We can do this by:

· Walking to school

· Cycling to school

· Driving part of the way to school and walking part of the way

Here are 6 great reasons to walk to school:

Walk to School to Improve Academic Achievement

A study recently undertaken by the California Department of Education shows a direct link between academic achievement and the physical fitness of school pupils. Nine in ten teachers in a recent Department for Transport survey consider that the walk to school makes children brighter, more alert and ready for the first class of the day

Walk to School for Experience

Young people starting secondary school are less likely to be involved in road accidents if they have previous experience of walking to school, says a report from the AA. Many eleven and twelve year olds are reluctant to let their parents take them to their new school despite usually having to travel further and cross unfamiliar roads. Previous experience of walking to school with parents, or even a group of friends, provides invaluable experience enabling children to cope with being on the roads by themselves.

Walk to School to Combat Obesity and Improve Fitness

In a study by Roger L Mackett of the Centre for Transport Studies, University College London it was seen that, on average, children use more calories travelling to and from school than they would from two hours of PE. The younger children who walk use about 75% of the number of calories travelling to and from school that they would from two hours of PE. The older children use over one third more in walking than they do in two hours of PE, especially the boys. The children who travel by car use about half the calories travelling to and from school than they would in two hours of PE.

Walk to School because it’s What Children Want

Nearly half (48%) of children would like to walk or bike to school even more if they could, says a new survey carried out by a specialist child research agency, ChildWise.

Professor Stuart Biddle, Professor of Exercise & Sport Psychology, Loughborough University said:

"Building exercise into your day is all-important, especially for children. Even leaving the car at home and walking half an hour a day is going to benefit them greatly and prepare them well for adulthood. Parents should listen to what their kids want and try to encourage this wherever possible".

A similar study by Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity, found that 51% of children driven to school would prefer to walk or cycle with friends.

Walk to School for Financial and Social Benefits

The school run can mean significant cost implications, with families spending over £300 annually on the drive to school in petrol costs and wear and tear to the average car. Children who walk to school learn more about their local environment - they find out who their neighbours are and make friends as they chat to other children on the way to school.