Matthew Leadbitter and Sophie Nickson, from Broadford School, with the Sustainable Travel Plan award from the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson and Transport for London.

A Harold Hill school is awarded by Mayor of London for encouraging children to walk and cycle to school

Safira Ali, Senior reporter Wednesday, February 13, 2013
1:38 PM

A school has been awarded a prestigious school travel award by the Mayor of London and Transport for London.

Broadford Primary School was recognised for introducing a sustainable school travel plan, for reducing its carbon footprint and for working with the community.

The pupils at the school, in Faringdon Avenue, Harold Hill, have been walking to school every day and are being rewarded with walk to school badges which they can wear on their uniforms. They also have a Walk on Wednesday (Wow) award to encourage pupils to walk to school.

Lois Nicholls, deputy headteacher at the school and the travel plan co-ordinator, said: “Walking to school promotes healthy living and keeping fit and it also demonstrates that Broadford is committed to making the roads around the school safer by reducing congestion and also doing their bit to help the environment in reducing pollution.”

Pupils at the school also took part in bikeability training last term and the school has planned to install more bike and scooter storage to encourage more pupils to cycle to school and to use their new skills.

The school has also had visits from travelling theatre companies for talks about road safety, talks from Transport for London and will be electing junior road safety officers to take responsibility for the organisation of these schemes.

Matthew Leadbitter, seven, said: “When I watched the play it taught me to be safe on the roads.”

And Sophie Nickson, eight, added: “I love walking to school because it’s really good exercise.”

Headteacher Malcolm Drakes said: “This enterprise is providing quality curriculum enrichment and exciting the pupils in school.

“Since Mrs Nicholls relaunched the School Travel Plan the level of interest from both pupils and parents has been fantastic.

“A vast number of our pupils are highly decorated with their Wow badges and are very excited about collecting stickers. The plan has already had a big impact on encouraging families to walk in to school’