School Travel Plan
Our School Travel Plan is supported by the whole school community and demonstrates our long-term commitment to improving safety and reducing congestion on the roads. It aims to reduce car use and enable parents and children to choose walking or cycling with confidence and seeks to cut congestion at the school gate. The School Travel Plan is a whole school initiative and demonstrates commitment from children, staff, parents, governors and the wider community. It was originally drafted by a working group which included members of the Maids Moreton Conservation Group, Parish Council and Pre-School.
We have adopted a number of measures and initiatives to reduce car journeys, increase active and sustainable transport and improve safety on the school journey. We hold a Modeshift Stars Bronze Level Sustained Travel Accreditation in recognition of our School Travel Plan work.
Go for Gold
Children who walk or cycle to school as part of our Go For Gold Scheme, receive stickers which they put in a passport to reward their efforts. Upon completion of each passport the children earn rewards such as free swim at the Swan Pool in Buckingham. For parents living outside the village we operate a “park and stride” facility which enables parents to park away from the school and walk part of the journey so that all children can take part in the scheme. This also reduces congestion outside school. In February 2020, we launched our Walking Zone Map to support this initiative, encouraging as many families as possible to travel sustainably to school-see attachment below.
Footsteps, Cycle and Scooter Training
All our children receive footsteps, cycle and scooter training during their time at Maids Moreton CE School. Footsteps is a pedestrian training scheme for young children, which develops awareness of roads and aims to give them an understanding of road safety. Children are taken into the local area with a trained tutor to observe the traffic and discuss road safety. They learn about finding and using safe places to cross the road and are taught to “stop, look, listen, think.” They then move on to crossing the road, and understanding what vehicles are doing. All training is undertaken in the roads close to the school based on the principle that the best experience is offered, and the most effective learning takes place, in the real environment.
Footsteps trainers wear high-visibility tabards or waistcoats at all times, and work with the children in a one-to-one or one-to-two adult-to-child ratio, with the children holding the adult's hand at all times. During Footsteps training the children also wear high-visibility tabards. If you are interested in becoming a Footsteps trainer please contact the school office.
During their time at Maids Moreton, all children also receive cycle and scooter training from accredited instructors to ensure that they learn to use their bicycles and scooters safely.
Walk to School Weeks
The school regularly participates in Buckinghamshire Council “Walk to School Weeks” to promote walking and cycling on the school journey. In recent years, children have enjoyed dressing up in silly socks and ties, wellies and whiskers and as minibeasts [many legs for walking]. Photo galleries of our Walk to School weeks are accessible via the News and Events section of our website.
School Parking
All parents are asked to adhere to a “Parking Promise” and are encouraged to park at our park and walk facilities [the church or playing fields] at the beginning and end of the day to avoid congestion at the school gate and to show commitment to our School Travel Plan. If however you find the need to park outside the school, please do not park on the bend, on junctions, or on or opposite the yellow zig-zag lines.
The school has an excellent relationship with local residents through our work with the Parish Council and Conservation Group and we are confident that you can maintain this strong link with the local community by parking safely and considerately.