A Derbyshire village primary which launched the county’s only car-free School Street has won a top UK award for its active travel projects encouraging children to walk, scoot and cycle.
William Gilbert Endowed C of E Primary School and Nursery in Duffield, part of Derby Diocesan Academy Trust, won a national Mode Shift Month award after every child at the school and their family took part in a campaign championing greener, more active ways of getting to the classroom.
The 240-pupil school and nursery was among organisations such as London’s Luton Airport, Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and closer to home – Derbyshire County Council – in being presented with a top award at a ceremony at The Royal Society in London.
The prize comes after the school was named one of only 75 schools in the country to be given an ‘Outstanding’ rating under the Modeshift Stars scheme for its long-lasting and impactful work encouraging families out of their cars when taking children to school.
William Gilbert’s entry impressed judges with its wide range of initiatives championing active travel, all designed to inspire pupils and families to choose healthier, more active and environmentally friendly ways of reaching the school gates.
A month-long cycling challenge saw families collectively cycle 435 miles – the distance from Duffield to Paris – an achievement celebrated with a special Active Travel Breakfast for every pupil.
Scooter smart workshops, an active travel art project and an active travel trail were some of the other projects put in place with the overall aim of promoting the benefits of walking, scooting or cycling at the start and end of the day. Parents were also encouraged to sign up to a ‘parking pledge’ and pupils nominated themselves to be ‘Junior Travel Ambassadors’.
Mode Shift judges said William Gilbert’s was a “standout” entry.
They said the school had demonstrated, “ … how long-term commitment, creativity and whole community engagement can deliver truly transformational change”.
The prize for William Gilbert comes around a year after it launched Derbyshire’s first ‘School Street’ – a temporary traffic order which prohibits cars from Vicarage Lane, the narrow road on which the school is based, at drop off and pick up times.
The school has also been working with ‘Living Streets’ to promote the benefits of walking to school with ‘Park & Stride’ locations in the local area where parents can park and walk to school in groups, recognising that some families who travel out of the area cannot be completely car free.
The past four years of active campaigning by the school have reduced the percentage of pupils being driven to school from 37 per cent to three per cent.
Around a fifth of pupils now cycle or scoot to school – up from zero in 2022.
Parents at the school said they appreciated the opportunity to walk to school with other families as part of the Park & Stride initiative.
Emily Davies, who works at the school and is mum to pupils Evelyn, eight, and Vincent, four, said: “My daughter is a junior travel ambassador. She recognises the value of walking to the school not only for the environment but also for the well-being of pupils. I think it’s a valuable way to connect with your children, especially on mornings that can otherwise feel busy. Our walk to school is an enjoyable 15 minutes and both children are going in happy, calm and ready for their day.”
Head teacher Helen Britten said: “We are extremely proud to have won a national Mode Shift Month award. The whole community at William Gilbert has worked hard to try and create change around active travel and shift habits. Walking, cycling or scooting to school is not only healthier, it is greener too – helping reduce emissions in the local area. Children really care about climate change and it’s a great way of helping them feel part of the solution.
“Not just that, if you can walk your child to school it really helps set them up for a good day – it’s a period of calm in the mornings that can be very beneficial.
“We really appreciate the support of parents in winning this award and achieving Outstanding status. We know the mornings are a rush and that finding those extra 15 minutes is not easy. We are very grateful to our families for coming on board.”
Dr Sarah Clark, chief executive officer of Derby Diocesan Academy Trust, said: “William Gilbert Primary School’s work to transform travel habits of families is inspired. There are few schools in the country that have achieved Mode Shift Outstanding status and the award they have won was very well deserved. Thank you to all the families at the school who have come on board to make this possible.”
This story was written and shared on behalf of DDAT by Lucy Stephens. Can we share your news and get you in the headlines too? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
