Walk to School Challenge
We are taking part in an award-winning behaviour change scheme to get pupils walking to school.
For the next year, Chichester Free School will be taking part in the charity Living Streets’ WOW year-round walk to school challenge.
When running WOW, schools see an average 23% increase in pupils walking to school and a corresponding drop in car use; reducing congestion outside the school gates and increasing safety.
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.
Joe Irvin, CEO of Living Streets says: “WOW is simple to run and pupils love to take part. Just a few minutes of a teacher’s day is all it takes to make a big difference.”
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 Walk the Seasons and will take pupils on a journey from autumn to summer via puddles, fireworks, snowmen and new-born farm animals.
WOW reduces congestion outside of school gates and creates healthy habits for a lifetime. Plus children enjoy taking part and a walk before school sees them arrive fit, refreshed and ready to learn.
“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.”
