Broughshane pupils embrace active travel on rural routes during Walk to School Week

Broughshane Primary School have taken part in Walk to School Week by encouraging pupils to get active and stay safe on their journeys as part of the Active School Travel (AST) programme, delivered by Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (WWCT) and funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA) and the Department for Infrastructure.

Walk to School Week [20–24 May] is an annual UK-wide initiative that encourages children to walk, wheel, cycle or scoot to school, helping to build healthy habits and increase daily physical activity. Taking place each May as part of National Walking Month, the five-day challenge supports pupils to become more active as part of their everyday routine.

Dr Hannah McCourt, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Manager at the Public Health Agency (PHA) said: Active Travel provides an important opportunity to support children’s health and wellbeing through everyday activities. Being physically active helps to build strong bones and muscles, a healthy heart whilst also supports the development of social skills, and encourages good mental wellbeing. Active travel not only supports children in meeting recommended daily physical activity levels, but also fosters independence and a sense of responsibility.” 

For pupils in rural, areas such as Broughshane, travelling actively can present some challenges, including longer distances, narrow roads and limited footpaths. 

Hannah added: “For pupils in areas where active travel can be more challenging, it is especially important to find practical ways to build movement into daily routines. Encouraging active journeys, even for part of the route, can help children gain confidence and develop healthy habits that last into adulthood.” 

Throughout the week, pupils at Broughshane Primary took part in a fun and engaging challenge organised by WWCT. Each time a pupil made an active journey to or from school, they stamped or coloured in a foot on their record strip. Completed strips were entered into a prize draw at the end of the week, with children encouraged to complete multiple strips for extra chances to win.

Johnny McCrystal, Project Officer with Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, who delivered a road safety-themed session in the school, said: “We support schools with the aim of giving pupils the skills and confidence to make more active journeys to school.

“It’s vital that children are given the knowledge and confidence to travel safely. Road safety education is essential where there may be fewer crossings, pavements or traffic-calming measures. By taking part, pupils learned how to stay safe on the roads, become more aware of traffic, and make safer travel choices.

“Through Walk to School Week, we were able to combine practical safety skills with positive messages about active travel, while also helping children build physical activity into their daily routine.”

Participation in Walk to School Week aims to reduce car journeys and increase walking rates. Staff at Broughshane Primary also championed the initiative, recognising its importance for their pupils and local community. 

Carol Neill, Active School Travel Champion at Broughshane Primary, said: “We were delighted to take part in Walk to School Week. It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm from pupils as they took on the challenge. As part of the Active Schools Programme, Broughshane Primary works with WWCT, who deliver walking, cycling and scooting activities for our pupils.

Carol Neill, teacher and Active School Travel Champion at Broughshane PS. 

“In a rural area like ours, active travel doesn’t always look the same as it might in towns or cities, but this week showed that every effort counts, even walking part of the journey.

“As some of our pupils travel by bus, we use a designated community centre as a ‘park and stride’ location, where children are dropped off and can still walk part of the way into school.

“Active travel helps pupils build confidence, develop essential road safety awareness, and understand how they can make healthier choices as part of their daily routine. When our pupils arrive at school, they are refreshed and energised, ready to start the day. We would really encourage other schools to get involved in active travel and see the benefits for themselves.”