St Gregory’s pupils swap the school run for a school walk

Beginning on Tuesday 4th May we are taking part in an award-winning behaviour change scheme to help more pupils walk to school.  

For the next year, St Gregory’s will be taking part in WOW – the year-round walk to school challenge from Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking.  

When running WOW, schools see an average 23 per cent increase in pupils walking to school and a corresponding drop in car use; reducing congestion outside the school gates, increasing safety and helping in the fight against air pollution – all whilst children benefit from being more active.

With WOW, pupils log their daily journeys to school each day on the WOW Travel Tracker tool. Those who walk to school at least once a week for a month earn a WOW badge, with 11 to collect across the year.

Each year, the 11 WOW badges follow a new WOW theme, all of which are designed by pupils in Living Streets’ annual badge design competition. This year’s theme is INVENTIONS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD and will take WOW pupils on a year-round journey through time and across the globe, celebrating some of the greatest inventions ever created.

 

Joe Irvin, Chief Executive, Living Streets says:

“Walking to school is an easy way for children to fit more activity into their day. More children walking to school means fewer cars around the school gates - making them safer and cleaner places.

“WOW has increased walk to school rates in over 2,000 schools across the UK. It’s simple to run and pupils love to take part. Just a few minutes of a teacher’s day is needed to make a big difference.

“We can’t wait to see what a difference it makes to the health and happiness of more pupils this year.”

Mrs Roney,  our Headteacher says, “We’re really excited about running WOW and walking to school this year. Our pupils are looking forward to collecting the badges and experiencing the natural world around them in the morning before class.

“We hope it will ease traffic outside the school gates and teach pupils vital road safety skills.”