Revisiting an old connection: Delving into the advantages of rekindling past relationships
Ysgol Penrhyn-coch, a school in the heart of Ceredigion, has re-joined the Welsh Government-funded Active Journeys programme, marking a renewed commitment to promoting active travel among its pupils. This decision has been met with noteworthy enthusiasm, as the school seeks to foster a healthier, more sustainable, and environmentally-friendly school culture.
The Active Journeys programme, known for its success in encouraging children to walk, cycle, or wheel to school, has shown significant benefits in schools across the country. By re-engaging with the programme, Ysgol Penrhyn-coch is poised to experience similar advantages.
Schools involved in such programmes typically witness a significant rise in active travel trips. For instance, schools participating in related schemes have reported up to a 43% increase in active travel trips, with fewer car journeys, thereby reducing traffic and pollution around school gates [1][3].
Active travel not only encourages physical activity, benefiting children's fitness and mental wellbeing, but also fosters a supportive community where children motivate each other, enhancing social connections and physical health [1][2]. The culture of walking or cycling can also contribute to a more energetic and motivated student body.
Rejoining Active Journeys also helps schools build and sustain a culture of environmentally friendly behaviours. This includes support from staff champions and engagement of school councils to promote ongoing participation, making active travel a valued and normal part of school life [1][2].
Moreover, these programmes often collaborate with local authorities to improve infrastructure like safe routes, school zones, and streets around schools, making active travel safer and more appealing for families [3]. Ysgol Penrhyn-coch, located in a large village with 20mph speed limits, safe routes, and crossing points, is well-positioned to benefit from such improvements.
The success of the Active Journeys programme at Ysgol Penrhyn-coch is largely due to the energy and enthusiasm of the new Active Travel Champion. The school's staff champion leads a 'park and ride', cycling the last few miles to the school with her own children. This commitment to active travel sets a powerful example for the school community.
Since re-engaging with the programme in the spring of 2024, the school has seen a series of initiatives aimed at promoting active travel. These include scooter skills sessions and safer routes lessons delivered by the Active Journeys Officer to the entire school, a Dr Bike day with a local bike mechanic, cycle skills sessions at the upper school, and a Friday scooter club run by older pupils and staff.
The school's efforts have paid off. During Big Walk and Wheel 2025, the school achieved nearly 60% active travel across the two weeks of the challenge. This success is a testament to the school's renewed energy and appetite for healthier journeys to school.
As an Eco school, Ysgol Penrhyn-coch encourages its pupils to walk, cycle, or scoot to school if it's convenient. A secure place is provided to keep bicycles and scooters on the school grounds. The school's commitment to active travel is evident in its efforts to log between 40% and 60% of daily journeys to school made actively on Tali Teithio.
The school is on track to receive its Silver Active Travel School Award in June, a testament to its dedication to promoting active travel. The renewed energy and enthusiasm at Ysgol Penrhyn-coch are inspiring, setting an example for other schools to follow in promoting a healthier, more sustainable, and environmentally-friendly school culture.
[1] Active Travel Wales, (2020). Active Travel in Schools. Available at: https://gov.wales/active-travel-schools [Accessed 10 May 2023] [2] Sustrans Cymru, (2021). Active Travel in Schools. Available at: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work-in-wales/active-travel-in-schools [Accessed 10 May 2023] [3] Welsh Government, (2021). Active Travel in Schools. Available at: https://gov.wales/active-travel-schools [Accessed 10 May 2023]
The re-engagement of Ysgol Penrhyn-coch with the Active Journeys programme signifies an expansion of their commitment, not just to promoting active travel, but also to education and self-development through online learning. With a focus on lifelong learning, the school is exploring the integration of online education in its active travel initiatives, such as scooter skills sessions and safer routes lessons, to encourage digital literacy among its pupils.
As an Eco school, Ysgol Penrhyn-coch is nurturing a culture of responsibility towards the environment, not only by promoting active travel but also by integrating online education as a sustainable means of learning. This approach fosters a holistic development of pupils, aligning with the principles of education-and-self-development and lifelong learning.
