KEMPSEY Primary School has become the first school in Worcestershire to achieve silver in a national scheme which awards excellence in teaching travel safety.
The village school has won silver in the Modeshift STARS (Sustainable Travel Accreditation and Recognition for Schools) which was established for schools to demonstrate excellence in supporting cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable travel on the school journey.
Kempsey Primary School, who achieved bronze last year, have worked hard to reduce the number of cars travelling to the school through a range of projects including setting up two walking buses, using the Living Streets WOW scheme (walk once a week) as well as scooter and bikability training.
As a result the number of cars travelling to the school has reduced by 3.2 per cent between June 2015 and June 2016 while walking increased by 3 per cent and cycling increased by 0.5 per cent.
They have therefore been awarded a silver in the latest round of accreditation (summer 2016).
Headteacher Mrs Baines said: “Working towards our Silver Badge has made us all so much more conscious of the need to care for our environment and to take active steps to do our bit to help.
“Our Walk to School Wednesdays have been the best part of the Silver Badge work.
“This initiative has given us a chance to get to know the children on a different level as we march across the fields to school. It is also interesting how much more invigorated and productive we all are on Wednesdays after our morning walk.”
The STARs scheme is free for all schools in England. To register or for more information visit www.modeshiftstars.org.
