|
Welcome to our Schools Newsletter! We hope you enjoy reading about what schools all over Northern Ireland have been doing to encourage active and sustainable travel over the last term. Feel free to get in touch at: schoolsNI@sustrans.org.uk
|
|
|
|
|
Big Walk and Wheel 2023
Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel was a huge success! An incredible 2.6 million journeys were logged over the 2 weeks in the UK. A record number of 225 schools in Northern Ireland signed up to the challenge this year! We were overwhelmed with stories and photographs from your schools, showing how you made such a big effort. Thank you all so much, and let's hope it has helped to encourage active travel in the long term. Well done everyone!
|
|
|
Gold Ambassador Schools
We were delighted to award five primary schools with Gold Ambassador status last term. We visited St Ronan's Primary in Lisnaskea, Doagh Primary, Bocombra Primary in Portadown, Currie Primary in Belfast (pictured above) and Fairview Primary, Ballycare to award them with their Gold Ambassador certificates.
The award is a recognition that their school is inspirational, and that they have continued to embed active travel culture since receiving their Sustrans Gold award. We are sure they will all be excellent role models for other schools in Northern Ireland!
|
|
|
|
Wellbeing Workshops
During Children’s Mental Health Week, Our Lady and St Patrick's Primary School in Downpatrick hosted a series of workshops based around getting active outside linking the 5 Ways to Wellbeing with an active journey to school. Over 450 pupils took part, which saw pupils work together to achieve a task, followed by a sensory exercise and an opportunity to take note of what they are grateful for.
Here’s what the school had to say:
“The Sustrans well-being workshops have been fantastic. Iain has worked so well to engage the children, encouraging them to take an active role in bettering their mental and physical health. We availed of the well-being workshops for both Foundation Stage/Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 during Children’s Mental Health Week. These workshops gave the children the opportunity to develop their team building skills and ability to communicate with each other; a vital skill they can carry through to adulthood.” – Miss Anna Lonergan, Primary 7 teacher at Our Lady and St Patricks PS Downpatrick.
“I really enjoyed the workshops. We got to learn about how we can ‘Take 5’ to improve our mental health. It was all about keeping our minds and bodies healthy. We loved getting outside to play team building games and learn to work well with each other.” – A P7 pupil of Our Lady and St Patricks PS Downpatrick.
We were even able to adapt the worksheet into Irish for the Brunscoil unit – Go raibh maith agat!
Iain Sneddon, Active Travel Officer, South Central Region
|
|
|
Bike Spring Clean
Schools in the South West area have been getting their hands dirty this latter part of second term, by sprucing up their bicycles for the incoming Spring season.
We have been running Bike Spring Clean sessions with KS2 pupils, which includes a basic washdown and fix-up of bicycles.
Lots of families are taking their bikes and scooters back out of the garage again at this time of year, where they may have been in hibernation over the Winter months.
Pupils are delighted to roll up their sleeves and get stuck into a bucket of warm soapy water, plus learn how to make sure bikes are roadworthy before cycling to school; pumping tyres, straightening handlebars, oiling squeaky brakes – these kids have certainly earned their healthy snacks at breaktime!
Ann-Marie McManus, Active Travel Officer, South West Region
|
|
Bring Your Wheels Book Swop
Mill Strand Integrated Primary in Portrush brought an ‘active travel twist’ to their plans for World Book Day on Thursday 2nd March, hosting a ‘Bring Your Wheels Book Swop!’
Around 100 pupils, parents and teachers met up at the West Strand beach to walk and wheel to school together.
Participating pupils brought along a pre-loved book in their backpack for the journey and once at school the books were added to the ‘Swop Shop’ with pupils each receiving a token to exchange for a book of their choice.
Schools Officer for the North East, Johnny, who joined the school for assembly and the swop shop said, "Well done to the whole school community for getting behind the idea. It was super to see everyone embrace opportunities to be sustainable in both their travel choices and by reusing and bringing new life to the pre-loved books. The pupils were delighted with their new pick-ups!"
Check out their brilliant video here.
Johnny McCrystal, Active Travel Officer, North East Region
|
|
|
Collaborative Active Travel School Story
In the run up to World Book Day, schools on the Active School Travel Programme across the North West took part in a collaborative creative writing project.
20 schools took part in the project, with schools required to work together to create an active travel themed story by building upon materials created by previous schools. The story developed as their Active Travel Officer, Steven, carried the story – in a Sustrans water bottle – from one school to another, by bike, train and bus.
Over 600 children took part across the two-week project, with reading, writing and speaking skills all included in the activity as children familiarised themselves with the existing material, developed their proposal for the next part of the story and then presented their ideas to the class. The story travelled 236 miles by bicycle, with schools receiving daily updates on the progress of the story and Steven’s travels.
Who knows, maybe one day you will see our Active Travel School Story in book stores!
Steven Ward, Active Travel Officer, North West Region
|
|
|
Milepost Design Competition
Primary seven pupils from Olderfleet Primary School in Larne took part in a competition to create a new design for one of the mileposts on the National Cycle Network. Once the winning design was chosen, four pupils then took on repainting the milepost.
Above are the before and after pictures, and I’m sure you will agree the new design is fantastic! If you are in Larne, take a walk or cycle along the Promenade and the striking new design will definitely catch your eye!
Beverley Gaston, Active Travel Officer, North Central Region
|
|
|
Pupils hop on board the school walking buses
Two daily walking buses provided by Portadown Integrated Primary are proving how popular and fun active travel to school can be when surrounded by safe infrastructure.
Dave Wiggins, Sustrans Active Travel Officer for the school, said, “It is amazing that after eight years, PIPS is still running its two staffed walking buses every morning, giving its pupils the best opportunity to actively travel to school. I commend the school for their on-going commitment to the walking buses and for their promotion of active travel in general."
For the full story click here.
Dave Wiggins, Active Travel Officer, South East Region
|
|
|
FRideDAys Bike Bus
Thinking about setting up a bike bus for your school? Sustrans has created a toolkit with everything you need to know about the FRideDays Bike Bus.
A bike bus is a group of people who ride to school together. It's a fun way to make the benefits of cycling a regular part of the week. For children, there’s nothing like cycling with friends by their side to get the day off to the best start.
|
|
School Mark Awards
Our School Mark award scheme recognises schools that are beacons of best practice in encouraging a culture of active school travel.
A massive congratulations to the following schools who have achieved Bronze and Silver School Mark awards so far this year:
|
|
Bronze:
Portglenone Primary School
St Coleman's Primary School, Lambeg
Killyhommon Primary School, Boho
Silver:
Glengormley Integrated Primary School
St Joseph's Primary School, Drumquin |
|
|
|
About the Active School Travel Programme
The Active School Travel Programme is an exciting initiative for schools who wish to see more of their pupils choosing an active and healthy journey to school. The aim of the programme is to increase the number of pupils walking, cycling and scooting to school. Sustrans is being funded by the Public Health Agency and the Department for Infrastructure to deliver the Active School Travel Programme across Northern Ireland.
|
|
|
|
|
