Maoribank School Students Take to Their Feet

Maoribank School Students Take to Their Feet

Maoribank School’s students are celebrating putting one foot in front of the other to get where they want to go.

School Travel Plan lead teacher Jane McFarlane has coordinated a system where each class records how many children walked or cycled to school each week. At the end of week assembly the class with the best scores take possession of a Feet First trophy which they hold for the next week.

“The children love it,” Jane says, “and it keeps walking and cycling out there, so everyone knows it is happening.”

Students who live too far from school to walk the entire way are encouraged to take part too. Under Jane’s clever scheme, any distance counts. Parents from distant households drop their children off a reasonable distance from the school giving those children their chance to walk too.

Susan Hutchison-Daniel, Great Wellington Sustainable Transport Project Leader, has been involved with the School Travel Plan programme since it began. She was rapt when she heard about the on-going efforts that Maoribank School was making.

“This is a real life maths exercise, with physical activity benefits, environmental benefits, and social benefits too. Walking to school is a great way for children to develop independence and explore their world.”

The Wellington Region’s School Travel Plan supports schools to encourage walking and cycling to school.

“Children who learn to walk and cycle safely grow-up to better road users,” says Simon Kennett, Active Transport and Road Safety Coordinator for Great Wellington, “it’s great to see schools like Maoribank committed to communicating the value of active transport to their school communities”.

Maoribank School has more action on the way. A plan, supported by Upper Hutt City Council, to mark child friendly walking routes with painted footprints is in the works for later this year.

Further information: Sam Winslow, 04 382 7952.