Scarborough school earns gold in sustainable travel awards

“We are delighted that schools, colleges and universities are joining the national effort to increase levels of sustainable and active travel"

St Augustine's School in Sandybed Lane has become the only school in North Yorkshire to earn the gold Modeshift STARS schools’ award for its commitment to sustainable and active travel.

The school is one of a number in the county recognised by the national awards scheme that promotes cycling, walking, scooting and other forms of environmentally friendly methods of transport to and from school.

Head Paul Griffin, from St Augustine's, said the school was delighted to have reached gold status from a programme which benefitted all pupils, and help them learn the right travel habits for the future.

St Augustine's youth travel ambassadors with Mr Goode and Mrs Scott

“Our aim in taking part in the scheme was to encourage a more sustainable approach to travel and to encourage our children to lead a healthier and more active lifestyle, whilst also improving congestion and air quality outside school.

“Since 2018 we have seen a reduction in the number of children travelling to school by car with more now cycling or walking. There has also been a significant increase in the number of children who ‘park and stride’ – these are children who tend to live further away, they get dropped off some distance from school and complete the last part of the journey on foot.

“This has involved the whole school community working together and taking part in a wide range of initiatives to encourage and support these changes in behaviour, and we are absolutely delighted that our hard work and commitment has been recognised with a gold award from Modeshift STARS.

“St Augustine’s School is part of the St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Academy Trust and this fantastic achievement is helping the Trust’s work to do more to care for the environment.

STARS offer ways to reduce car use and increase active and sustainable travel, making the school environment cleaner, safer and healthier

“The school community is fully committed to continue to work together to make a difference locally and to have happy, healthy and safe pupils.”

Benefits of the scheme include:

- Healthier students – by encouraging active, healthy lifestyles for young people through more walking and cycling

- Safer students – identifying issues and improving the quality of the environment around the school

- Changing behaviour – STARS offer ways to reduce car use and increase active and sustainable travel, making the school environment cleaner, safer and healthier

- Involving the whole school community – students, parents and teachers working together to make a difference.

Malton Community Primary School, the Skipton Academy and Harrogate College have also played their part in improving the health and well-being of children and young people by creating a travel plan that aims to achieve a shift to more sustainable modes of transport.

The Skipton Academy, which earned the bronze award, worked closely with North Yorkshire Council’s sustainable travel team and ModeShift STARS to develop a student-friendly travel map to encourage students to travel to school in the most sustainable way possible.

Malton Community Primary School also earned its bronze accolade – and has continued to work towards the silver award during lockdown.

Mandy Carpenter, teaching assistant and lead for ModeShift at Malton Community Primary School, said: “Gaining Silver has been such a wonderful achievement for us; especially when we have faced the challenges of a national lockdown. Despite postponing many of our plans, we remained driven to fulfil the key aspects of the award and are so pleased we have.

“The road on which our school is situated is one of the main routes to the A64 out of Malton and can be extremely busy with cars and HGVs. Focusing on Modeshift has created a community effort in reducing traffic and emphasising safety to pupils and adults. The safety of our community is so important to us.”

Mandy Pepworth, from the Sustainable Travel team at North Yorkshire County Council, said: “We are delighted that schools, colleges and universities are joining the national effort to increase levels of sustainable and active travel.

“By people opting to walk, cycle, scoot, or by using a park and stride approach, they all have a positive impact on the environment and people’s health, whilst easing traffic congestion outside schools and colleges.

“In spite of the pandemic, the commitment and determination shown by the schools and colleges on achieving their Modeshift STARS awards has been an inspiration to us all.”

Other schools are welcome to take part – to find out more about how sustainable travel can help your whole school community, email [email protected] or visit www.modeshiftstars.org