Challenge HomeActive Wow!
Schools can register now for our award-winning* walk to school campaign for the 2021/22 academic year.
Active Wow helps children to establish a healthier lifestyle from an early age and cuts the number of cars on the road. This fun and engaging programme reduces risks associated with childhood obesity, air pollution, and traffic congestion at the school gate in one stroke.
How does it work?
It’s so easy! Families are encouraged to walk to school at least once a week. Usually this is on a Wednesday, but you can choose whichever day works for your school. Any form of green travel counts whether it’s walking, scootering, cycling, or ‘park and stride’. The number of green journeys is counted with a ‘hands up’ survey in class and the data entered via computer onto our portal.
Make sure you champion Active Wow in every school newsletter and announce your school’s Green Class of the Week in assembly – this generates a huge buzz among the children. We can even provide a trophy for your head teacher to present to the top or most improved class each week.
What do I get?
All of the resources you need including tried and tested incentives for children and self-evaluation evidence for Ofsted. The initiative is heavily subsidised and schools can use their Primary School Sport Premium grant to fund the nominal remaining cost.
District and countywide walk to school challenges are run throughout the year to drum up excitement and reward the classes with the biggest, or most improved, number of green journeys. Prizes include free entry vouchers to attractions, and story time visits by celebrities such as Phil Gallagher, the presenter of CBeebies’ Mister Maker.
Two additional programmes can be accessed by Active Wow schools: Road Safety Skills Tests and Green Champion – that’s three schemes for the price of one! Road Safety Skills Tests help children to become safer and more aware pedestrians. They are awarded colourful certificates for successfully passing the multiple-choice online tests at bronze, silver or gold level.
Green Champion, which links to Ofsted’s Pupil Voice requirements, enlists groups of pupils to take on a variety of activities – such as creating newsletters or giving presentations – to promote walking to school.
What are the benefits?
Typically, we have around 40,000 families participating in Active Wow each week. The children enjoy quality time with their parents, learn road safety, and arrive at school refreshed, alert, and ready to learn.
We sent a survey to our Active Wow schools in 2019 and of the responses received:
* All said pupils were walking to school more because of Active Wow.
* Two-thirds believed Active Wow was responsible for reducing congestion at their school gates.
* Almost half said Active Wow had improved pupils’ concentration and activity levels – as well as parents’ involvement with the school community.
Costs
This programme is subsidised by up to 50% of the delivery costs and in some cases additional funding is sourced. However, on average the cost of delivery is £1 per pupil per year (dependant on class and school size).
Optional extras available for purchase include a banner for the school gate and a Green Class of the Week Trophy.
Timetable
Schools ideally should sign up before the summer holidays with a target start date of October, which is Walk to School Month. However, schools can join the walk to school scheme at any point throughout the year.
Next steps
Contact Walk to School Coordinator Kathy Beel at kbeel@thekmgroup.co.uk or fill in the form below for more details:
