Half of London’s schools branded as ‘STARS’ for promoting road safety

4 Nov 2015 11:42 AM

Almost half of London schools are accredited to TfL's STARS programme to encourage safer travel and more cycling, scooting and walking.

Transport for London (TfL) has recently celebrated the achievements of almost 1,500 London schools in promoting active and safer travel, as part of its STARS (Sustainable Travel: Active, Responsible, Safe) schools programme.

The achievements of the highest performing schools in reducing car use, increasing walking and cycling and using public transport more responsibly were celebrated at an annual event at City Hall. Awards were presented for the best primary and secondary school in North, South, East and West London and schools of excellence (in different travel areas).

STARS is a TfL accreditation programme for schools that encourages children, parents and teachers to adopt more sustainable and safer ways of travelling to school. Since 2007, accreditation to STARS has grown from 180 schools to 1,475 in 2015. Schools are judged on the number of initiatives delivered and their success in changing travel behaviour with Bronze, Silver and Gold accreditation levels.

Leon Daniels, Managing Director of TfL Surface Transport, said: `It is fantastic that more schools are joining our STARS programme each year. What children learn now will have a lasting effect on the future of our environment and that's why we want to encourage more schools to sign up and emulate the inspirational work of STARS top performing schools.'
The overall best primary and secondary schools in the regions include;

• Oakleigh Primary School, Barnet (North London)
• Chace Community Secondary School, Enfield (North London)
• Highlands Primary School, Redbridge (East London)
• Tawhid Boys Secondary School, Hackney (East London)
• Wormholt Park Primary School, Hammersmith & Fulham (West London)
• The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls, Ealing (West London)
• Hitherfield Primary School, Lambeth (South London)
• The Glebe Secondary School, Bromley (South London)

New for 2015, TfL has introduced a Bike It Plus Exemplar award, which recognises schools that go above and beyond to promote cycling. The award went to three schools:

• Salisbury Primary School, Brent
• Cumberland Secondary School, Newham
• Mayflower Primary School, Tower Hamlets

STARS allow schools to capture all of their activity through an easy-to-use online portal which is part of the TfL website.

At seven regional events held across London last month, all STARS accredited schools received Bronze, Silver and Gold grading for their initiatives. They also pledged to increase their activities and 11 regional school travel plan champions were recognised for outstanding individual results.

For further details on the STARS Accreditation Scheme and the full range of programmes TfL offers to schools and young people, visit tfl.gov.uk/stars or tfl.gov.uk/younglondon

1. STARS Accreditation Scheme: in conjunction with the London boroughs, TfL supports primary and secondary schools (with over 45 per cent currently participating) with school travel plan activities that help young people and the whole school community adopt safer and more active travel behaviour. The scheme has three levels;

• Bronze
• Silver
• Gold

The more initiatives a school delivers and the greater the changes in behaviour, the higher the STARS Accreditation award.

2. Twenty-four schools attended the 2015 City Hall event.
3. Awards that were presented at the City Hall event include

• School of the Region - The 33 London boroughs are divided into four regions - North, South, East, and West. In each region, one primary school and one secondary school were awarded School of the Region as they have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to active, safer and responsible school travel.
• School of Excellence - This award recognises schools that have demonstrated innovative and outstanding achievements in one of seven travel areas: walking, scootering, cycling, road safety, public transport, pupil led projects and partnership working. Pupil-led projects are those campaigns that have been initiated and delivered by pupils, demonstrating the best in peer-to-peer leadership. The Partnership Working award recognises the best efforts in bringing internal and external parties together to achieve change for the school community.
• Bike It Plus Exemplar award - new for 2015 which recognises schools that go above and beyond to promote cycling and run a number of cycling activities.
• School Travel Plan Champion of the Region - This award recognises an individual's dedication to engrain an active and safer travel ethos within their school and the wider community.