Safely to School

Our governors and PTA regularly discuss and review the safety of our pupils on their journeys to and from school and have campaigned hard to secure:

• zig zag lines outside the school and extensions to parking restrictions to improve vision when crossing the road

• wig wags - flashing school lights at either side of the school entrance to warn traffic that children will be crossing

• visits from the local Community Support Police Officer to monitor dangerous and inconsiderate parking

• and buy in by parents and local community to our Parking Code.

Parking Code

It is essential that all adults who drop off and collect children from school follow this Parking Code to ensure the health and safety of our children and to show respect for local residents who need access to and from their homes at all times.

Keep the area around school clear of parked cars, especially along the Wheatley Road from the War Memorial to the far end of North Manor Estate and at the junction of Denton Lane. There is definitely no parking on the zig zag lines outside school. Clear vision is essential when children are crossing the road.

Approach the centre of the village and the school area slowly and with care. The pavements close to school are very narrow and the roads are difficult for parents and children to cross with vision impaired by sharp bends.

Slow down, especially up Clinkard’s Hill. Drop down a gear to keep your car happy at 30mph.

Arrive in good time to park safely away from the school and walk the last bit. The school is very grateful to the landlord of the Three Horseshoes public house who is happy for parents to use their car park. There are also many places to park in the side streets at the foot of Clinkard’s Hill and at the Recreation Ground on Denton Lane.

Please do not park in the school grounds at any time, unless with specific permission from the Headteacher. The school drive should not be used as a dropping point either, it is a pedestrian entrance used by children and must be kept clear.

Respect residents’ driveways and do not block them, not even for 5 minutes.

Why find the time to walk?

Walking to school is good for your:

• Health - Walking one mile can burn at least 100 calories; walking two miles a day, three times a week, can help reduce weight by one pound (0.5kg) every three weeks. (Department of Health)

• Mood - Short-term and even superficial exposure to natural areas through brief walks have been found to have positive effects on mood. And it’s a great opportunity in often busy schedules to find time to chat at leisure with your children.

• Wallet - Driving the average school run for a year costs over £400. Even leaving the car at home one day a week will save you pounds.

• Environment - In the UK, the school run is responsible for more than two million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, more than the total annual emissions of some small countries.

• Community - When walking you may find you see more— posters and notices, people and neighbours, wildlife and interesting buildings—and of course it reduces traffic which keeps the local community happy and safe.

Road Safety Education

This school endorses the County Council policy on road safety education, which states that it is a parent’s responsibility to train their child to cope with roads and traffic.The County provides and distributes a free training programme, ‘Footsteps’, to help parents to do this. We support this work by offering opportunities to reinforce learning both within and outside the curriculum, appropriate to the age and experience of the child. We offer:

• a Cycling Proficiency programme for Year 6 children

• curriculum work on Keeping Safe in our PSHE scheme

• visits by our Local Police Officer to talk to various classes about road safety.