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St Matthew's CofE Primary Academy Safer Schools Initiative

We are proud to say we have joined Active Travel Norfolk and received a grant to encourage more children to walk, cycle or scoot to school and to promote safer parking around our school.

From the active travel survey that you last completed, you told us that you would like more parking and signs to encourage safer parking.

So far we have acquired permission from the parish council to use the social club car park for an alternative parking site. There are 28 spaces available there for parents to use before and after school, parking there will help relieve congestion around the school and keep our children safer. Please park there and walk the short distance to school if you can!

We ran a 'design a safer parking banner' competition. This was hotly contested, and some super designs were put forward. The governors of the school judged the competition and all the runners up received a cycle light. However, there could only be one winner, and her name was announced on dojo. Here is the winning design, which has been made into a banner displayed on the roundabout.

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We have booked 'Bikeability' training at level 1 and 2 next year to help children learn how to ride on the roads safely, and we have also booked 'fixability' to help children learn how to maintain their bikes. We have bought more balance bikes and helmets for the Reception age children to use in school.

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Bikeability in progress June 2026.

In September the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust will be visiting our school, to deliver an assembly on road safety, a work shop on puncture and brake repairs and to give a lesson to Reception class on their balance bikes.

Our school Ecomonitors will be monitoring safer parking outside our school, you may receive some thanks for your considerate parking!

Some dates for next year

• Big Walk and Wheel - 22nd March to 2nd April 2027
• Walk to School Week - 20th May -25th May 2027

Here are some useful websites

• www.norfolk.gov.uk>article>Active-travel
• www.walkwheelcycletrust.org.uk
• www.twinkl.co.uk/blog/what-are-the-benefits-of-walking-to-school