An East Riding primary school has won a top award for its efforts in promoting safe and sustainable travel to school.
St Mary’s Primary School in Beverley won the platinum award for top school of the region at the Modeshift STARS awards ceremony in Birmingham.
Modeshift STARS is a nationally accredited scheme for schools, which promote sustainable and active travel to school, such as walking, cycling and scootering.
St Mary’s CE Primary School already achieved gold accreditation for a wide range of road safety events organised by the school’s travel champion, Wendy Copley, with the support of the headteacher Lucy Jordan and the whole-school community.
Events have included a walking school bus from Tesco in Beverley, involvement in the ‘Better by Bike’ project, which is promoted at schools across the East Riding, and many ‘Be Bright Be Seen’ activities, with local PCSO’s.
The school’s junior road safety officers and cycle champions held a road safety stall at which the PCSO’s went along to post code bikes.
Over 85 pupils also took part in a cycle skills taster day, which was so successful that it has led to the school setting up a ‘Go Ride’ club to encourage more bike use.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s road safety team has helped the school to get the sustainable travel message across, providing cycle safety and maintenance checks and transition cycle rides with the police to Longcroft School.
St Mary’s also works closely with Brake, the road safety charity.
Members of the school’s road safety team travelled to Birmingham to receive the award, which was presented by Pauline Reeves, deputy director for sustainable transport and equalities at the Department of Transport.
Mrs Jordan said:
“I am delighted that our school has been recognised at a national level for the work we do to promote safe and sustainable ways for the children to travel to school.”
“We campaign tirelessly to encourage children to travel to school either by walking, cycling or scootering.”
“Thanks must go to our parents, children and staff that have embraced this change and who make the extra effort to get up a bit earlier – not easy on dark mornings! Officers from the local authority have given us great support, as have the police.”
“Making a commitment to travel in a way which does not have a negative impact on the environment and helps children to be safe can be quite a challenge, and we are over the moon that our efforts have been rewarded.”
Cathie Friar, the council’s school travel plan advisor, said:
“It is a pleasure to work with such a proactive school, who have worked really hard to promote more sustainable and active travel to school. St Mary’s is a shining example of what can be done when parents, pupils and staff work together to a common goal.”
“They really deserve this award.”
