School Travel Plan
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As a successful and popular primary school our pupil numbers have risen year on year for some time. We also have an on site pre-school with breakfast/after school clubs and holiday club provision. Our rural location means that methods of travel to and from school other than by private car are limited. Various initiatives, some of which are listed below, have been put in place to help alleviate the problem of local congestion and we are constantly looking for ways to improve the situation.
Free transport is provided by the Council to children living in the school’s priority area whose address is more than 2 miles from the school measured by the shortest available walking route from the home front gate to the main school gate.
The school promotes walking or cycling by those who live close enough, but the lack of pavements, traffic speeds and general road safety concerns are some of the factors which limit this.
School Travel Plan
In March 2005 we became the first primary school on the Island to have a ‘School Travel Plan’ – something all schools will be required to have in place by 2010. The “STP” is an on-going document detailing travel to school and car usage and is monitored and reviewed annually.
School Car Park & Driveway
Use of our School Car Park is restricted and monitored to enable the best use of the limited space available and for the safety of children and other pedestrians. Full details are given in our School Travel Plan Policy which is reviewed annually or as necessary and is displayed in our Visitors’ Room (also available on request from the office or can be viewed on the School Website).
Currently a small number of parking spaces are reserved for staff members, with the remaining spaces designated for the use of parents/carers who are Car Sharing, for those with 2 or more young children (Reception age and below) and by anyone who is disabled.
All cars using the School Car Park as above must display a valid permit, available from the school office.
Spaces along the driveway are for parents/carers using the Drop off Scheme in the mornings, the Pick Up Scheme in the afternoons, or for the use of visitors at other times of the day.
Local Provision
In 2004 the speed on Station Road was reduced from 40mph to 30mph and flashing “School” warning lights were installed on Station Road and either side of the junction with the A3054 (Main Road). Parents/carers parking on Station Road are reminded of the legal requirement to keep the junction clear and to avoid causing obstruction by parking on the blind bend. We also urge everyone to exercise extreme caution at busy times and show consideration to residents by leaving driveways clear.
We are able, by kind permission of Shalfleet Parish Council, to make use of the “Bottle Bank” car park immediately adjacent to the Horse & Groom Pub car park. We are unable to use the car park of the Horse and Groom as it presents health and safely issues in the mornings as deliveries occur and is for customer use only later in the day. We ask all parents/carers and staff members to respect this. Using the Bottle Bank Car Park does entail crossing Main Road which is often busy and has limited visibility so extra care needs to be taken (we have explored, with the Council, the provision of a manned school crossing, but for a variety of reasons, including the 40mph speed limit and reduced lines of sight, this is not possible). We would strongly recommend use of the Drop Off and Pick Up Schemes which eliminate the need to cross the road.
Car Sharing Scheme
Our Car Sharing Scheme is one of the main ways of reducing the number of cars coming to school. Please register with the school if you wish to join – where possible we will put you in touch with families in your area or along your route. We would be delighted to know if you are already car sharing!
School Travel Plan Working Party
The Working Party monitors and reviews road safety/parking issues and works on new initiatives to reduce the number of cars coming to school. We are always interested in new ideas or general comments and would be delighted if any parents/carers would like to join us – Jenny Porter, the School Administrator, can put you in touch!