Earlier this term, the Eco Committee conducted a survey of how pupils get to school. Whilst only 10% of pupils regularly travel to school by car, we only have 24% who walk, cycle or scoot. This compares with the national average of 35%, which itself is 10% lower than the 45% who walked or cycled in 2002.
Those figures are for how pupils currently get to school, but we also asked them which means of transport they could possibly use – and we found that almost two thirds of Emanuel pupils could either walk, cycle or scoot.
We asked cyclists and scooter riders why they travel that way – and whilst many did so for the pragmatic reason that it is “the quickest way to school”, just as many did so because they enjoy it with almost as many citing health benefits. Indeed, when looking at enjoyment across all of the modes of transport pupils use, scooting and cycling were the top two, with, perhaps predictably, the train being the least enjoyable.
The first week after half term, we will be running “Clean Air Week” in which we will be encouraging pupils to come to school in as eco-friendly a way as they possibly can, and have started holding assemblies to introduce the week with pupils.
We understand of course, that for some pupils it will not be possible or practical to walk, cycle, or scoot, but for many it will, and we are hoping to encourage at least 15% more pupils to try walking, cycling or scooting. We will conduct another survey after Clean Air Week and will share the findings with pupils and parents.
Mr Hale (Eco Coordinator)
