A Staffordshire school has been crowned National Primary School of the Year for their work encouraging pupils to walk and cycle to school.
Outwoods Primary School in Burton won the Modeshift Award, a not-for-profit organisation championing healthier and more sustainable travel.
The school, supported by Staffordshire County Council, was recognised for its work in encouraging more active travel options. Judges particularly highlighted the long-term commitment of the school to embed active travel into everyday school life. The Active Travel Ambassadors at the school who helped to drive the campaigns and behaviour change with parents were also praised.
The award follows the school being named ‘School of the Region’ last summer.
Joanne Cutbush, Headteacher of Outwoods Primary School, said:
“We are so thrilled as a school to win the National School Travel Award.
“This is a recognition of the work that all of us at the school, including Ryan our School Travel Adviser from the county council, have been doing to help promote safe and sustainable travel to school.
“Our aim is to now keep this work going for many more years to come and this will go a long way to fulfilling our active travel commitments”.
Andrew Mynors, Cabinet Member for Connectivity at Staffordshire County Council, said:
“A huge congratulations to Outwoods Primary School for their impressive win.
“When more children walk, wheel or cycle to school, everyone benefits. Pupils get daily exercise that boosts health and wellbeing, families save money on fuel and fewer cars at the school gates means less congestion on our roads.
“This national award is well deserved and we’ll continue to support schools to switch to healthier and more active ways of travel.”
The county council’s team of School Travel Advisors work with schools across Staffordshire to develop School Travel Plans for healthier journeys to and from school every day.
Further details on the School Travel team are available on its website.
