At Macosquin Primary School, we encourage pupils and parents to travel to school by
cycling, scooting and walking wherever possible. To help with this we are working with
UK charity Sustrans to make sustainable and active travel easier for everyone.
This school travel policy explains how we will be encouraging active travel to school.
We will discuss the policy with the pupils and re-visit it periodically to ensure its
relevance. For pupils unable to come by foot or bike, we encourage use of public
transport or car-share.
If you have any ideas to improve things at or around school for pedestrians and
cyclists, or questions about travelling to school, please get in touch with the school or
your Sustrans Schools Officer.
Some of the benefits of active travel:
• Improving both mental and physical health through physical activity
• Establishing positive active travel behaviour
• Promoting independence and improving safety awareness
• Reducing congestion, noise and pollution in the community
• Reducing the environmental impact of the journey to school.
To encourage pupils to cycle, scoot or walk to school frequently the school will:
• Actively promote cycling, scooting and walking as a positive way of travelling
• Celebrate the achievements of those who cycle, scoot and walk to school
• Provide a space to store bikes and scooters in the playground
• Provide high quality cycle training to all pupils who wish to participate.
To make cycling, scooting and walking to and from school a positive experience
for everybody concerned, we expect our pupils to:
• Ride and walk sensibly and safely and to follow the Highway Code and Green
Cross Code
• Check that their bicycle or scooter is roadworthy and regularly maintained
• Behave in a manner which shows them and the school in the best possible light
and to consider the needs of others when cycling or scooting
• Consider wearing a cycle helmet
• Ensure they can be seen by other road users, by using lights and wearing highvisibility clothing, as appropriate.
For the well-being of our pupils, we expect parents and carers to:
• Encourage their child to walk, cycle or scoot to school whenever possible
• Encourage their child to take up opportunities to develop their competence and
confidence in cycling or scooting
• Consider cycling, scooting and walking with their child on the school run;
possibly joining with other families as a ‘cycle train’
• Provide their child with equipment such as high-visibility clothing, lights, a lock
and cycle helmet as appropriate
• Ensure that the bicycles and scooters ridden to school are roadworthy and
regularly maintained.
Please note: The decision as to whether a child is competent to cycle, scoot or
walk safely to and from school rests with the parent(s)/carer(s). The school has
no liability for any consequences of that decision. Parents are advised to take
out appropriate insurance cover for bikes (check home insurance) as the
school’s insurance does not cover any loss or damage to bicycles and scooters.