Travel resources for teachers in Scotland, specifically geared towards active and engaging learning experiences
Scotland is taking significant strides to promote active travel and road safety in primary schools, offering a wide range of initiatives and resources.
One such initiative is the FRideDays Bike Bus, which encourages school children to cycle to school every Friday. A downloadable toolkit is available for setting up a bike bus, and trainers who become website volunteers can enjoy automatic insurance coverage for the bike bus.
Cycling training programs are also a key part of the active travel agenda. East Ayrshire offers cycling skill development for primary pupils, including "Ready, Steady, Bike" training for Primary 5 and further cycle safety and maintenance skills training for Primary 6 pupils.
Collaboration between schools, local councils, Active Schools, Sustrans, Cycle Scotland, and transport departments plays a crucial role in enhancing walking and cycling as daily activities for children. This collaboration aims to improve health and road safety awareness, with temporary infrastructure and road safety improvements being trialed under schemes like Spaces for People.
Another initiative is the Junior Active Travel Inspectors scheme, which empowers primary school children to become "school run superheroes," promoting active travel and road safety from a peer engagement perspective.
Health and wellbeing initiatives like The Bike Bus are also in place, with Aberdeen schools running programs encouraging cycling as part of children’s active travel and wellbeing practices.
Supporting active travel infrastructure is another priority, with local transport strategies, such as Renfrewshire’s, focusing on walking, wheeling, and cycling infrastructure development to support sustainable school travel.
The #AndSheCycles campaign, while not explicitly detailed in the search results, aims to empower girls to cycle in schools. Senior school pupils can become #AndSheCycles ambassadors, receiving a pack with tips on empowering more girls to cycle in their school and setting up #AndSheCycles groups. A teacher and youth leader pack has been developed for guiding teenage girls and young women to shape and influence their own local #AndSheCycles campaign.
For more information on implementing School Streets, where certain types of vehicles are restricted to make the road outside a school a walking, wheeling, and cycling zone, or for advice and guidance on all aspects of active travel to school and road safety, contact your local authority team.
Each local authority has its own school active travel and road safety approach, which may include local initiatives and alternatives to specific activities offered by our website, Living Streets, and Cycling Scotland. The campaign @and_she_cycles on Instagram also empowers followers to share their experiences of cycling.
While a specific "School Travel Planning toolkit" was not found in the search results, East Ayrshire Council has piloted a Scottish Schools' cycling development programme, which acts as a structured approach for primary school children to develop cycling skills and safety awareness. Additionally, primary schools often integrate active travel and health initiatives that support children’s mental and physical wellbeing, such as walking and cycling promotion, which align with mental health objectives recognized by public health partners.
However, for precise resources related to these named programs, additional direct inquiry with Scottish education or transport authorities may be required. The website also works to support the network of School Travel Professionals in local authorities throughout Scotland by sharing good practice and joint planning or funding of projects.
- To foster a holistic approach to a child's growth and wellness, health-and-wellness initiatives like The Bike Bus in Aberdeen are designed to encourage cycling as part of children’s active travel and wellbeing practices.
- In addition to promoting active travel and road safety in primary schools, Scotland's education and self-development agendas also include programs such as the #AndSheCycles campaign, which empowers girls to cycle in schools and encourages teenage girls and young women to shape and influence their local campaigns.
