Travel and Parking guidelines for Parents

 

Parents can help us by following some simple travel and parking guidelines.

Our strong preference is that pupils travel to school in the following ways:

• On foot
• By bike (if they have passed their cycling proficiency test)
• Using the school bus
• Using public transport (The H28 and H91 bus services stop very near the pedestrian gates)

We would recommend that pupils in the secondary phase are not driven to school, this will help improve their independence as well as care for the environment.

We promote travel to school in the ways listed above because:

• Walking or cycling is much better for pupils’ health
• Using any means other than driving is better from an environmental perspective
• Reducing traffic in the local area improves community relations
• Using the school bus service saves some parents as much as 2 hours per day

Should you wish to sign up for the bus service, please contact the office 

If you have no option other than driving to school, our parking guidelines are very clear:

The park and stride location is from Tesco Extra car park

We ask respectfully that all parents follow these guidelines and do not park anywhere else in the vicinity of the school.

In order for us to achieve all that we hope to achieve, it is vital for staff, pupils and parents alike to uphold the Nishkam virtues, so as part of daily travel arrangements, we would ask parents to consider the following virtues:

Courtesy          Kindness          Respect           Self-discipline          Selflessness        Tact

Thank you very much in advance for taking these points on board and helping us to maintain positive relations with yourselves and the local community.

Travel to School, ‘Healthy Travel’ & Respect for our Local Community

Our Travel Charter (linked) and our School Travel Plan set out the school’s vision for transport to and from the school site. This agreement shows commitment and enthusiasm by our school community to achieve a healthier and safer environment. We ask that all parents abide by these guidelines and sign via the MS Form at the bottom of the document to confirm their acceptance.

Healthy Travel

At NSWL, we are keen to promote healthy lifestyles, and that includes methods of travel. We encourage families to make active travel a key part of their journey to and from school.

Our aims of Active Travel are to:

•  Encourage healthier lifestyles by walking, scooting and cycling;
•  Improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists, children on scooters and drivers;
•  Reduce congestion around the school;
•  Reduce carbon emissions and improve the air quality from vehicles in and around the NSWL site.

We are keen to promote and encourage our school community to adopt active travel due to a wide range of benefits, including:

• Physical activity encourages healthy growth and development and helps to maintain a healthy weight, improving muscular strength, endurance and flexibility
• Studies have shown that regular exercise can reduce anxiety and stress and help improve a child's mood.
• Being active to and from school helps to incorporate exercise into the day.
• Between 5000 and 10000 steps a day has proven health benefits, and the more you do, the better the effects.
• Daily exercise increases a child's concentration in school and in turn can improve their academic performance.
• For older students, active travel further develops independence and awareness of road safety.

How can you travel to school in a healthier way?

 

Alternative Methods of Travel

Below are some reminders about different methods for travelling to and from school. These are suggestions and it is parent’s responsibility to select the method best for them and their families.

Respecting our Community

One of the most important aspects of our travel plan is ensuring that members of our local community are given the courtesy and respect they deserve during pivotal drop off and collection times. We ask all families to be considerate and conscientious when travelling on our local roads. This includes:

• Not blocking our neighbours driveways
• Not double parking and causing a blockage on surrounding roads
• Not parking in bays which are permit holder only
• Obeying the law both when driving and parking
• Not performing U-turns on key roads which will cause delays to other road users
• Treating our neighbours and our traffic marshal with respect
• Driving in a safe manner, considerate of the young children who may be crossing the road

Ensuring your children use appropriate crossing areas such as zebra crossings or pedestrian crossings