Schools
The challenge
To promote and encourage children and parents to travel sustainably to school whilst reducing the number of collisions and casualties involving young people.
What we do
- Bikeability training for children and adults.
- Operate a School Crossing Patrol Service.
- Train volunteers from the school community to be Volunteer School Crossing Marshals.
- Help schools manage their School Travel Plan.
- Advice to schools on setting up a Walking Bus.
- Signpost to road safety resources or advice – see the sections below.
What you can do
Devon County Council is changing. Government funding for many services has been severely reduced so we are keen to empower school communities to build on their own strengths and improve things for themselves.
Promote and encourage children, parents and staff to make more sustainable journeys and reduce car use wherever possible. For example:
- Host our free Bikeability courses.
- Encourage staff to cycle. Bit wobbly on two wheels? Free cycle confidence sessions available.
- Set up a Park and Stride scheme.
- Set up a Walking Bus. See ‘What we do’ section above.
- Recruit a Volunteer School Crossing Marshal. See ‘What we do’ section above.
- WOW – the Year-round Walk to School Challenge.
- Walk to School Week.
- With the wider school community, develop a strategy to deal with inappropriate parking at school travel time. Contact a Road Safety Officer if guidance is required.
- Deliver road safety lessons to your pupils. The next section below has some websites that we recommend.
Free online road safety education resources & advice
Learn to Ride a Scooter – advice from Sustrans.
Teach your child to ride a bike without stabilisers in nine steps – advice from Sustrans.
Govt’s THINK Road Safety Education resources.
Tools for Schools from Bikeability
TWINKL – Road Safety Resources.
Top 10 tips for cycling in traffic – advice from Cycling UK.
How to cycle safely at road junctions – advice from Cycling UK.