Morland 2008-09
Morland Area C of E Primary School Travel Plan
14 th January 2009
Contents page
1. School details Page 3
2. Working party – to develop and implement the plan Page 8
3. Survey and route plotting carried out Page 8
4. Summary of transport and road safety problems Page 12
5. Working party recommendations for action Page 13
6. Targets – specific % targets for modal shift by yearly review date Page 13
7. Action plans Page 14
8. Review of targets Page 18
9. Cycle count Page 18
10. Monitoring training Page 19
11. Comments and notes Page 20
12. Signed agreement Page 21
2
1 School details
DCSF school reference number 909 3368 Type of school Voluntary Aided Primary Number on roll (including no. of SEN 58 (No statemented children – but approx. 12 children at school pupils with a brief description of action or school action plus) though this does not impact on school subsequent impact on travel) travel. Number of staff (It is highly recommended that a 13 supplementary Travel Plan for staff and other school users is developed) Age range of pupils 4 – 11 School contact details Head teacher Mrs Louise Anderton High Street Morland Address Penrith Cumbria Postcode CA10 3AT Telephone number 01931 714668 Fax same Email address [email protected] Website http://www.morlandarea.cumbria.sch.uk Working group contact Name Mrs Fiona Airey – School administrator Address Morland Area Primary, High Street, Morland, Penrith, CA10 3AT Telephone number 01931 714668 Email address [email protected] School situation and use Description of school locality/ This is a smaller than average sized school serving a rural catchment area and current community. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for free transport links (e.g. bus school meals is below average. All pupils are from White British services/cycle routes) backgrounds. The proportion of pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average. A small number of pupils are cared for outside the family. Pupils are taught in three mixed age classes and year groups are very small. Although standards fluctuate from year-to-year when children enter the Foundation Stage (Reception) standards are generally in line with what is typical for children of this age. Morland School is situated in the Eden Valley between Appleby and Penrith. The catchment area of the school falls in a sparsely populated district council area in England and Wales. The catchment villages are Cliburn, Morland, Little Strickland, Newby and Sleagill . Many of our children come from farming backgrounds. Two minibuses deliver children from the following outlying villages: Little Strickland, Hackthorpe, Newby, Cliburn, Sleagill, Shap, Kirkby Thore, Appleby and Bolton (see Appendix 1
3 for locations). These villages generally have few amenities other than a village pub. Appleby train station is 5.85 miles and Penrith 7.9 miles. There are no buses serving Morland but a link exists from Appleby to Penrith and a timetable can be found using the following link. However there is no way of accessing the Morland using a bus service. http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/elibrary/Content/Internet/544/931/1 099/3653/3981915640.pdf It would be impossible for staff to travel to school on the bus as no service is provided. The Eden Valley Circular Cycle Route runs through Morland and national cycle route number 71 runs nearby (see Appendix 2). The majority of children who walk are from Morland. However a few are dropped at friends houses by parents travelling to work and the children walk to school. There is a secure route from the nearby housing estate though the main route has only partial paving and children have to walk on the road.
Use (e.g. playground, car park, entrances, There is a large car park at the front of the school with a school crossing patrol) designated area for the two minibuses. There is space for approximately 40 cars though no designated spaces marked. There is one vehicular entrance/exit to the car park – with the gap only being large enough for a single car at a time. However, pedestrians also use this entrance though there is no designated path. There is a walking route access onto the car park from a nearby housing estate. There are two gates with access to the school. One leads from the car park, the other from the road, part of this access is paved but not all. The school day begins at 9:00am though children are on site from 8:45am when staff are on duty to supervise. However, some parents do send children earlier despite advice that children are unsupervised. School finishes at 3:15pm and children are escorted to buses/parents by a member of staff. There are procedures set out for parents to collect children at the end of the day so none are crossing a busy car park unsupervised. The school does not offer a breakfast/after school club as this has been found to be unsustainable in terms of cost. However, staff run a variety of after school clubs which include Football, Netball, gardening/cookery, sewing, Art and sports club which run at lunch times of for an hour after school until 4:30pm. The school accommodates community users such as The Choir Camp during the summer holidays. The school is asked to support community events from time to time but this is infrequent probably as the newly refurbished village hall is adjacent. The village hall lies off this car park and the school pays for use of this on occasion. The school grounds surround the building and include a tarmac netball court and grassed football pitch. The children have access to a climbing frame and wooden adventure trail. The outdoor classroom is situated in the wildlife area which also has a pond. At Morland we are encouraging children to be healthy by signing up to Walk on Wednesday. We have also gained Healthy School
4 status. We have developed a house system within school to develop in house sporting competitions which have included netball/football tournaments and a swimming gala to date. All year 4 children have passed their bikeability level 1 and all year 5/6 children have passed their cycling proficiency. The school regularly receives training from external sports coaches in, for example, hockey and rugby. Fiona Hanson came into school to train all Reception and Key Stage 1 children in road safety.
Location map/site plan
5
View from road of car park entrance. View from school entrance gate down car park to vehicular access.
View of main entrance to school from car Pedestrian access to school from housing park. estate.
View of road outside school – side View of road in other direction. entrance at top of path.
6 Aims This Travel Plan specifically aims at reducing car journeys to and from school, and reducing/preventing casualties on these journeys.
• To increase the proportion of school journeys undertaken on foot, cycle or minibus. • To equip pupils with the knowledge and skills needed to walk, cycle and use minibuses safely • To improve the safety of children, parents/carers, staff and visitors when entering and leaving the school premises. • To improve safety on the journey to and from school.
Objectives (linked to Action Plan – Section 7) The following objectives shall achieve the aims described above, and address the transport and road safety problems identified in Section 4.
1. Set up a school travel plan working party (Action plan table number 7.5). 2. Provide storage for cycles and a sheltered area for parents to wait (7.2). 3. Provide cycle training, pedestrian training and road safety training (7.1). 4. Provide stranger danger talks to pupils (7.1). 5. Make available low cost cycle helmets to the school from the BWTS website (7.4). 6. Monitor behavior on the school bus (7.5). 7. Provide reflective tabards for children to walk/cycle in to increase safety (7.5). 8. Investigate parental interest in allowing children to use a walking bus and in being a volunteer on a walking bus (7.5). 9. Promote use of the walking bus (7.5). 10. Investigate interest and the possibility of taking part in walk to school schemes (7.5). 11. Improve safety on route to and from school (7.3). 12. Signs on the school gate – please shut the gate, no vehicle access to school grounds between certain times (7.2). 13. Raise driver awareness of the school location (7.2). 14. Regularly update school community on travel plan progress (e.g. through the school council reporting minutes back at school council meeting etc) (7.4). 15. Monitor and review the school travel plan annually (7.5). 16. Ensure pupil safety and security when within the school site (7.5). 17. Publicise and make available the School Travel Plan (7.4).
7 2 Working party – to develop and implement the plan
Names of people in the working party could include: Co-ordinator (main school contact), Pupils, Staff, Governors, Parents, BWTS Capita Contact, County/Local/Parish Councillors, Police, Outside Agencies, Local bus operators, Members of the local community. Name Position Responsibility within working party
Louise Anderton Head Teacher Head teacher Fiona Airey School Administrator/parent Working Group contact Nick Hodgkinson Community Police Officer Police link Isabel Ewin School pupil Pupil link Lexie Wills School pupil Pupil link William Dinsdale School pupil Pupil link Jenny Wynne BWTS Advisor Advisor to group Marion Clark Governor/community liaison Governor
How were people consulted? (e.g. working party meetings, surveys of pupils and staff, newsletters) Appendix Name/position Subject/how the consultation took place Date no. Parents A questionnaire was sent out to parents. A summary of June 2008 4 the results is included in the appendix. Working Party A working party meeting took place at the school to 08/10/08 5 discuss the school travel plan (minutes in appendix) Pupils Online survey – both primary and children and infant 22/05/08 3a and 3b children completed the online survey via BWTS website Staff Online survey – staff completed the online survey 13/01/09 3c regarding travel to school via BWTS website Pupils Route plotting. Pupils mapped routes and modes of 22/10/08 6 travel to and from school and added comments
3 Survey and route plotting carried out Please attach survey results and analysis from BWTS website and keep a record of survey/route plotting.
Baseline Data Survey (excluding staff survey results) How do you travel to school? Date of No. Bus Car/Van Car Share Cycling Rail Walk Other Year survey of (dd/mm) pupils No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No % No %
2008 22 May 64 32 50 18 28 1 1.5 1 1.5 0 0 12 19 0 0
How would you like to travel to school?
Date of No. Bus Car/Van Car Share Cycling Rail Walk Other Year Survey of (dd/mm) pupils No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
2008 22 May 44 6 13.6 5 11.4 1 2.3 26 59.1 2 4.5 1 2.3 3 6.8
8 Survey Notes Morland Area School Online survey summary
The online survey for primary pupils showed that pupils travel to school in the following way (detailed in Appendix 3a):
• Bus – 43.2% (19) • Car/van – 34.1% (15) • Car Share – 2.3% (1) • Cycle – 2.3% (1) • Walk – 18.2% (8)
School bus
As a large proportion of school children travel to school by bus, pupil’s comments on bus travel are particularly important. 52.6% (10) said that there is not good behavior on the school bus. All children stated that the bus driver is usually friendly and helpful and all but one pupil stated that the bus does usually arrive on time. Only two (10.5%) of pupils feel that the bus is overcrowded. Therefore the main issue arising from bus travel is pupil behavior.
Walking
The following chart depicts some issues that would encourage children to walk to school.
Existing walkers consider the route they use to be safe.
Cycling
The majority of children surveyed (95.5% - 42) own a bicycle. 19% (8) of these do not wear a cycle helmet – this is mainly due to it being uncomfortable. 52.3% (23) children would like more cycle training.
9
Car
Of the children who travel to school by car, 100% (16) travel all the way to school by car. 56.3% (9) are being dropped off on the driver’s way to another destination.
Accidents
One child has been injured in a road accident on their way to or from school – they were traveling by car/van. 19 (43.2%) children believe that they have been involved in a near miss on their journey to/from school – 12 (63.2%) were traveling by car, 6 (31.6%) were traveling by bus and one was traveling on foot.
Choice
Infant school survey (detailed in Appendix 3b)
Infant school children travel to school in the following way:
Staff survey (detailed in Appendix 3c)
Staff travel to school in the following way: car/van (75% - 9) and walk (25% - 3). Staff were also asked if they would be able to car share if possible. 5 (55.6%) said that they would and 4 (44.4%) said that they wouldn’t. 3 (25%) members of staff have been involved in a near miss on their journey to/from school – 1 was travelling on foot and two were travelling in a car/van.
10 Route Plotting Data
Route Plotting
Year Date of route plotting Year Groups No. of pupils
2008 22/10/08 Years 5 and 6 15
Route Plotting Notes (e.g. comments made by pupils / any results found) Children were very keen to bike to school and were discussing being able to use bikes at playtimes/lunchtimes as well.
Add additional local information known to the school (e.g. where pupils travel in from, particularly if traveling in by bus) / details of other surveys carried out, as well as transport needs of pupils with SEN if applicable
Notes
Parent survey analysis – took place in June 2008, full results are included in Appendix 4.
In June 2008 parents completed a questionnaire regarding the journey to and from school. Factors which would increase parental happiness regarding walking to school are: • Knowing that there was an adult walking the same route to accompany some children (14 parents). • More road safety education training for children (13 parents) • More cycle training for children (13) • Vehicle speed reducing measures (10) • Knowing there was other children also walking or cycling (8) • Safe crossing facilities on busy roads (7) • More information on the health and environmental benefits of walking and cycling (3).
How would you prefer your child to travel to school? Foot (13 parents), Bus (12), Bicycle (2) and Car (1). A number of parents expressed interest in being a volunteer on a walking bus once a week.
Other comments and the main issues identified by parents are: • Crossroads at Cliburn hazardous • Blind bend over the bridge Cliburn towards the small beck • The catches on the side gate need improving and the side entrance tidied. • Lots of maneuvers in the car park • Blind corner on right when returning to school is using the pavement. • Signage regarding children playing or something similar. • Safe cycle ways between villages • Pavements • Vehicles entering and leaving the car park safely • Speed ramps before the poor visibility bends within the village • More and improved footpaths.
There are no pupils transported to school because of SEN.
11 4 Summary of transport and road safety problems
Current problems on routes to school, and reasons preventing sustainable travel to school, including how these problems have been identified and when
The following problems have been identified for the route to Morland Area C of E school. These have been collated from the parental survey, letters to the school as a result of joining the Walk on Wednesday’s initiative, minutes from the working party meeting (8/10/09) and other school questionnaires. • Maneuvering and congestion in the car park can be dangerous for pupils. Children are escorted to buses/parents by a member of staff at the end of the day. By encouraging walking and cycling it is hoped that congestion will be reduced. • Lack of signage/awareness of the school for motorists. • Blind corner on the right when returning from school if using the pavement. • Vehicles entering and leaving the car park. • Sometimes disruptive behavior on the school bus. • Some children who own bicycles do not wear cycle helmets. • Lack of footpaths/narrow footpaths. Improved school signage and pedestrian training shall improve pupil safety on school routes. • Lack of visibility of the school as cars approach over the brow of the hill. • No school sign. • Delivery vehicles entering the school premises throughout the day. • Lack of cycle storage. • Lack of sheltered waiting for parents. • Some parents commented on catches on the school gate. • Faded road markings warning of the school site.
‘What we already do’, for example curriculum activities/WOW/road safety policy
We have: • signed up to Walk on Wednesdays, • children in Reception and Key Stage 1 have had road safety training, • Y4 children have passed their Bikeability level 1, • Y5 & Y6 have passed their cycling proficiency, • The school has adopted a policy for safe collection of children at the end of the school day.
12 5 Working party recommendations for action Measures the school would like to see happen e.g. cycle storage. N.B. There are no guarantees that these recommendations will be actioned. Advice should be taken from a BWTS advisor on completing this section.
• Provide cycle storage for 15 cycles (7.2) • Promote low cost cycle helmets (7.4) • Provide age appropriate cycle training, pedestrian training and road safety training (7.1) • Ensure that stranger danger talks to pupils are embedded and occur on an annual basis (7.1) • Monitor behavior on the school bus and ensure this of a high standard (7.5) • Provide reflective tabards for children to walk/cycle in to increase safety (7.5) • Promote use of the walking bus (7.5) • Take part in walk to school schemes (7.5) • Improve the safety of children on route to and from school (7.3) • Display signs on the school gate –e.g. please shut the gate, no vehicle access to school grounds between certain times (7.2) • Raise driver awareness of the school location by placing appropriate signage on road and at entrance to the school (7.2)
6 Targets – specific % targets for modal shift by yearly review date
Year 2008
Mode of Travel Baseline Data i.e. original survey % Target percentage for following year
Bus 50% 50% Car/Van/taxi 28% 17% Car share 1.5% 1.5% Cycle 1.5% 6.5% Rail 0% 0% Walk 19% 25%
Notes
It is hoped that this can be achieved through providing further pedestrian/cycle training, more pupils may be encouraged to walk and cycle and through installing a parent waiting shelter and providing cycle storage, more parents/pupils may be inclined to cycle/walk.
Baseline data excludes staff survey results.
13 7 Action plans
7.1 Education and training planned (e.g. Primary: pedestrian skills training / Secondary: teenage cycle training)
Year Date Completed? Notes/success criteria and risks, including links to Measure Number Cost Action by group (dd.mm.yy) (month/year) objectives/targets and issues previously identified
Road Safety R/Y1/Y2 22 none 23/10/08 Louise 23/10/08 Linked to topic work children to learn about how to cross Training/Pedestrian Anderton the road safely – need parental support. (Objective 3). training Lisa Bousfield Fiona Hanson.
Bikeability Training Y4 13 None 26/9/08 Richard 26/9/08 Improve basic cycle skills and awareness so that Martin/ Mrs children are more competent when eventually cycling Anderton on the road. Motivate them to want to cycle. Teach them about helmets and safety. (Objective 3).
Cycling proficiency Y5/6 15 None 25 th to 28 th PC Nick 25 th to 28 th Cycling skills on local roads - raise awareness of November Hodgkinson + 1 November 2008 safety issues. Arrange training every other year, so 2008 other + Louise that each pupil receives training in Year 5 or Year 6. Anderton/Em (Objective 3). ma Oake Provide stranger R/Y1/Y2 22 None Summer Louise Contact community police officer Nick Hodgkinson and danger talks to 2009 Anderton organise a time to come into school. Organise for this to pupils occur annually (Objective 4).
14 7.2 School based engineering targets (e.g. cycle storage)
Date Completed? Notes/success criteria and risks, including links to Measure Cost Action by (dd.mm.yy) (month/year) objectives/targets and issues previously identified
Install cycle storage £2,500 Sept 09 L. Anderton Need to get quotes for this – have taken this figure from other for D. Nattrass (Admin) surveys (Objective 2). 15 cycles
Install parent waiting £2,500 Sept 09 L. Anderton As above (Objective 2). shelter D, Nattrass
Signs on the school £1000 Sept 09 L.Anderton To raise driver awareness of the location of the school. gate – please shut the D.Natrass (Objective 12). gate, no vehicle access to school grounds between certain times
Signs at entrance of £1000 Sept 09 L.Anderton To raise driver awareness of the location of the school. car park to say it is a D.Natrass (Objective 13). school site.
15
7.3 Long term Road engineering targets
Cost will be included if Action by Date approved Completed? Notes/success criteria and risks, including links to Measure approved by Date e.g. traffic by CCC engineer (month/year) objectives/targets and issues previously identified Capita engineer Engineer Reviewing the current positioning and replacing existing assemblies with warning signs mounted on high visibility Replace and review £1,000 Daniel backing boards will increase their conspicuity. This will position of warning Summer 2009 Evans increase driver awareness of the presence of the school, signs. reducing the risk of accidents occurring (Objectives 11 & 13).
Renew ‘SLOW’ New ‘SLOW’ markings on red textureflex adjacent to Daniel markings on red £1,000 Summer 2009 warning sign assemblies will increase driver awareness of Evans textureflex the presence of the school (Objectives 11 & 13).
16 7.4 Promotional/Publicity Targets
Measure Date Action by Notes
Make available low cost cycle Summer School council Check website and pass details to school council. helmets to the school from 09 (Objective 5). the BWTS website
Investigate interest and the Organise assembly – talk about WOW and send Autumn L. Anderton possibility of taking part in letter to parents. Order badges when necessary. 08 walk to school schemes. (Objective 10).
Summer Regularly update the school term Through, for example, the school council reporting community on travel plan school School council progress at school council meetings. (Objective 14). progress council meeting
Upload STP on to BWTS June To promote and make available the school travel plan BWTS team website/school website 2009 (Objective 17).
7.5 Additional targets/actions taken by the school
Measure Date Action by Notes
Set up and maintain a school Louise Invite members of local community, parents, police, 8.10.08 travel plan working party Anderton school council and engineers (Objective 1)
Monitor and review the September Louise Contact working party members to review plan school travel plan annually 09 Anderton (Objective 15).
Monitor behavior on the Louise Regularly go and check behaviour standards with school bus. Monthly Anderton drivers. (Objective 6).
Provide reflective tabards for children to walk/cycle in Louise Discuss with school council – ready for Autumn Term. Autumn 09 to increase safety Anderton (Objective 7).
Investigate parental interest in allowing children to use a Summer Parent – Use information from parent survey. (Objective 8). walking bus and in being a Term 09 Fiona Airey volunteer on a walking bus.
Promote use of the walking September Fiona Airey/ Ensure parents are aware – encourage children. bus 09 Parent (Objective 9).
Stop all vehicles entering Louise To ensure the safety of children when within the school premises during Oct. 08 Anderton school site (Objective 12 and 16). school time
Maintain security by ensuring Louise catches are secure on all Spring 08 Contact joiner to complete work (Objective 16). Anderton gates.
17 8 Review of targets This Travel Plan will be a working document and will be reviewed and updated annually every September by Louise Anderton and the working group. Any review shall be planned to commence before the action plan has run its course to guard against inactivity. The next review will be in September 2009. The school will complete the survey annually in September to assess any modal shift which may have occurred. Integration of the STP into the school development/improvement plan is the most effective way to ensure the plan is sustained (attach relevant section of SDP/SIP if applicable).
Survey Results
How do you travel to and from school?
Bus Car/Van Car Share Cycling Rail Walk Total Date of no. of survey pupils No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
Baseline:2008 22 May 64 32 50 18 28 1 1.5 1 1.5 0 0 12 19
Yearly Target % 50 17 1.5 6.5 0 25 Baseline:2009
Yearly Target %
Baseline:2010 Yearly Target %
Comments
9 Cycle count The school is to take a cycle count before and after any improvements to cycle facilities are made. It is also recommended that a cycle count is taken before and after provision of any other measures such as training to show effects.
Cycle Count
Date of count Measure Cycle count Date of count after Cycle count before Implemented
10.2.09 0
18 10 Monitoring training All activities/training/improvements will be recorded and monitored and notes will be added to the Travel Plan each time something is done.
Year 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Year Year Year Year Year Activity Number Number Number Number Number Group Group Group Group Group
Road Safety Training R/Y1/Y2 22
Bikeability Training Y4 13
Cycling Proficiency Y5/6 15
19 11 Comments and notes
Please include any photographic or informal records of activities, and achievements; and include details of any publicity gained and additional appendices. Add details of relevant national awards given to / working towards.
Appendices:
1. Location map including school catchment towns and villages. 2. Cycle routes map. 3. Detailed online survey results completed by staff and pupils. a. Primary Survey b. Infant Survey c. Staff Survey 4. Summary of parent questionnaire. 5. Working party meeting minutes. 6. Route plotting maps showing key routes to and from school. 7. photographs of cycle training.
20 12 Signed agreement
Morland Area School agrees to this School Travel Plan, to undertake its objectives, and to review the Travel Plan on an annual basis. Any review shall be planned to commence before the action plan has run its course to guard against inactivity. This review will also consider pupil travel needs arising from new developments in education and transport provision, and the STP will be revised as necessary to take these in to account.
Signatures
Head - teacher Name: Louise Anderton
Signed:
Date:
Chair of Governors Name: Shirley Austin
Signed:
Date:
Area Engineer Name: Keith Masser Cumbria County Council
Signed:
Date:
BWTS Coordinator Name: Jenny Wynne
Signed:
Date:
Thank you for completing this School Travel Plan
Please give details of the nominated person who will be responsible for the annual review of the School Travel Plan:
____Louise Anderton______
21