St Fergus Primary School

Transcription

1 St Fergus Primary School Travel Plan 2015/2016

2 SCHOOL INFORMATION St Fergus Primary School Blackstoun Road Paisley PA3 1NB Telephone: Fax: P a g e

3 Contents 1. Why does St. Fergus need a Travel Plan 2. The aims of the updated Travel Plan 3. Information about our school 4. Survey Results 5. Walking Times 6. What the Travel Plan Committee has already done 7. Linking School Travel Plan to Curriculum for Excellence 8. Review of Travel Plan Targets 9. What the Travel Plan aims to do 10. Monitoring Process 3 P a g e

4 Why does St Fergus Primary School need a School Travel Plan? It is the policy of the Scottish Government to improve the safety as well as the health of pupils travelling to and from Scottish schools. In line with this, St Fergus PS continues to develop the work carried out in its first and second travel plans. The amount of traffic using Blackstoun Road as a route from the motorway to other parts of Paisley continues to increase annually. Even although an additional crossing patrol was installed at the junction of Bankfoot Road, Blackstoun Road and Oakridge Cresc, the increased traffic could be hazardous to pupils in the area. There is a nursery directly across the road from St Fergus PS. The parents and children of this nursery would also benefit from new traffic calming measures being put in place. Such measures would, therefore, benefit the wider community. As a holder of five green eco flags, we continue to educate our school community in traffic awareness. As a Health Promoting School, we have to highlight the benefits of walking and encourage our pupils, parents and carers to walk to school as part of a healthier lifestyle. The increased volume of traffic entering, parking and leaving the front of the school means that all school users have to be made aware of the dangers posed by careless driving and parking in inappropriate places in the St Fergus area. 4 P a g e

5 The Aims of Our Updated Travel Plan Contribute towards our Eco Schools initiative Contribute towards our maintaining our Health Promoting School status Provide a focus for CfE work e.g. citizenship, health education, environmental studies, art, geography and mathematics Help reduce congestion around the school gates Improve the local environment by reducing vehicle emission and noise pollution Improve the children s fitness by contributing to their exercise regime through walking to school Improve road safety awareness amongst pupils and parents Help pupils gain a better understanding of the health, environmental and social benefits of walking, cycling and using public transport. Assess the travel needs of school building users e.g. school staff, After School Care, Home School Link and Functional Family Therapy. To consider the increased traffic into the school, and in the light of advice from HMIE, make the car park at the front of the school safer for all users. 5 P a g e

6 SMART Objectives To increase the number of pupils walking to school. To have 100% of pupils receiving road safety education at least twice a year To have travel plan links built into the curriculum by end of 2016 To ensure that 5mph is the maximum speed used the car park at all times To ensure that taxis entering the school park in the designated spaces only To ensure that the designated disabled parking space is used only by the correct badge carriers. 6 P a g e

7 Information about our School St Fergus Primary School lies in the Ferguslie Park area of Paisley. It is one of two schools serving this distinct community. Ferguslie Park is a medium sized housing estate situated at the west end of the town of Paisley and close to the M8 Motorway. The Phoenix Retail Park is fairly close and directly across the road is St Fergus RC Church and Hillview Nursery. Glencoats Primary is a few hundred metres along the road and on the same side as St Fergus PS. Our school is situated on Blackstoun Road, which is the main road through the area. This road provides a link between the town, the M8 and Linwood. It is a very busy road in general and extremely busy at 8.45am and 2.45pm, the school s opening and closing times. Our school s postcode is: PA3 1NB. Our website address is: Since the publishing of our first Travel Plan, the school roll has fallen from 143 pupils to 128 and the number of staff has fallen from 27 to 14 members. The school has two entrances to the grounds. These are both at the front of the building on Blackstoun Road. The car park is at the front of the building and there is space for 31 cars and 1 space is allocated for disabled parking. There is also space for 4 taxis. Only authorised vehicles are allowed into the car park. All other cars have to park outside the school gates. Since our first Travel Plan, the school has housed four other Education and Leisure Service organisations. These employ approximately 20 additional staff, working flexible hours. This has greatly increased the level of traffic approaching the school and using the car parking facilities at various times during the school day and beyond. There are Crossing Patrols at the Blackstoun Road/McKenzie street junction, at the junction of Blackstoun Road, Bankfoot Road and Oakridge Cresc and further down Blackstoun Road at Glencoats Primary School. There are no speed bumps near the school. There are signs advising drivers that the school is close and advising them of the speed restriction. We have good bicycle storage at the front of the building and bicycles are safe here during the school day. Children are asked to padlock their bicycles for extra security. There is no cover over the cycle storage and we do not have showers on the premises. We have no CCTV cameras. However, Mr Anderson, the Janitor and a member of the Travel Plan Committee, lives on the school grounds and keeps a close eye on the school at night and weekends. We do not have a school bus. However, some of the children have taxi provision. These cars park in designated areas when dropping off and picking up children. 7 P a g e

8 The school enjoys good relations with the Local Community Police Officers and the Neighbourhood Wardens based at the Tannahill Centre, patrol the area around the school in the evenings and at the weekends. Road Safety Education Road safety education is part of our Health Education from P1 to P7. In the upper stages, the children learn about the Difficulty drivers face due to driving blind spots and stopping distances. They are also introduced to Arrive Alive which is the Highway Code transcribed for young road users. The aim of this is to further enhance pupil s knowledge of road safety through the use of I.C.T. Eco School St Fergus is an Eco School which has been awarded five green flags in recognition of the valuable work carried out by the children in response to today s environmental challenges. Traffic is one of the ten topics studied as part of the Eco School initiative and the issues surrounding traffic are therefore examined on a regular basis. Health Promoting School We are also a designated Health Promoting School and continually work to fulfil all that this demands. We regularly direct the children s studies towards what makes us healthy. Smoke and carbon dioxide inhalation is one area we examine under this topic. The school opens at in order to provide a warm breakfast in the Breakfast Club. This club runs until The school opens officially at However, when the weather is inclement, children enter the premises, through the front door, at The official closing time is in order to accommodate the other building users. A number of clubs use the building several times a week and this necessitates the school being opened until 9 p.m. Walking Times As part of our first Travel Plan, we conducted a survey to find out how long on average, it took children to walk to school from their homes. The following is an updated version which includes new streets. Starting Point Average Journey Time (min.) Blackstoun Oval (top) 12 Blackstoun Oval (bottom) 5 Blackstoun Road 7 Brown Street 15 Candren Road 10 8 P a g e

9 Dalskeith Crescent 15 Dalskeith Avenue 7 Dalskeith Crescent 10 Ferguslie Park Ave (start) 5 Ferguslie Park Ave (middle) 10 Ferguslie Park Ave (end) 15 Glencoats Drive 10 Oakbridge Crescent 4 Tannahill Terrace 8 Broomlands Court 25 Well Street 10 Westpark Gardens 7 Westwood Gardens 8 Woodvale Drive 7 Fulbar Road 30 Whitesbridge Avenue 25 Barochan Crescent 20 Killoch Avenue 10 9 P a g e

10 What the Travel Plan Group has already done Meetings have been held with: Mrs McDonald, Head Teacher Members of the Pupil Council Mr Anderson School Janitor After School Care members We have: Agreed the STP should begin again. (February 2016) Informed parents and school users that the STP would begin (February 2016) A School Travel Plan Information Board mounted at entrance doorway Pupil Traffic Census carried out (2016) Eco assemblies include Road Traffic Awareness element (January 2016) Arranged for posters created to publicise 5 mph speed limit in playground (April 2016) 10 P a g e

11 Linking the Travel Plan to the Curriculum for Excellence SUCCESSFUL LEARNERS We learned something new when we - CONFIDENT INDIVIDUALS We tried something new when we Learned that carbon emissions from cars are hazardous to health Agreed to become part of the Travel Plan Committee Learned the reasons why parents drive their children to school Designed questionnaires and surveys relating to means of transport. Learned that drivers can help make communities safer by slowing down around schools, homes and shops Sought Council agreement for the establishing of flashing speed limits close to our school Had meetings with outside agencies to discuss our Travel Plan Created PowerPoint presentations for the whole school assembly. RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS We made good choices when we - EFFECTIVE CONTRIBUTORS We worked well with others when we - Chose to walk to school during Walk to School week Organised ourselves as the Travel Plan Committee Helped protect the environment and gained our Fifth Green Flag Gathered all the information we needed Made decisions about what should be included in our third Travel Plan Published our findings 11 P a g e

12 Dear Parents, Carers, Staff and Colleagues, It is now time to look again at the Travel Plan for St Fergus Primary School. To this end, a new Travel Plan Committee has been agreed and the names of those involved are, Sean Howell, Paul Prentice and Mirin Thomson. The members of staff who will help the student Committee are Mrs Murray and Mrs McGarvey and Mr Anderson. There are a number of reasons why this Plan needs to be undertaken. The Government requires it to be carried out The transport needs of all those involved in the life of St Fergus have to be assessed and recorded Journeys and travel times to and from school recorded Alternative methods of transport need to be examined Children have to learn about the problems caused by high levels of traffic around the school Road Safety awareness amongst pupils, parents and staff has to be raised The possibility of installing extra safety measures examined e.g. flashing maximum speed lights at the school or speed bumps The parking arrangements at the front of the school need to be re-examined to assess danger to children using the building In order for our children to carry out this project, they will need to collect information from all school users about their journeys to and from St Fergus. The children will use a number of ways to do this. They will seek face to face consultations with a cross section of school users, send out questionnaires, carry out traffic surveys and take part in a day of action. 12 P a g e

13 SAINT FERGUS PRIMARY SCHOOL HANDS UP SURVEY Tuesday 9 th February Mode of P1 P2/3 P3/4 P4/5 P6 P7 Transport Car Bus Taxi Walk Cycle Example of data collection format See Appendix 1 & 2 for examples of data collection given to all stakeholders. Appendix 1: The school Travel Group would be very grateful if you would help us record the traffic in and around our school. On the specified date, would you please record your mode of transport to and from the school. Bus Car Walk Taxi Bicycle Time In Time In Time In Time In Time In Time Out Time Out Time Out Time Out Time Out Agency Name Agency Name Agency Name Agency Name Agency Name 13 P a g e

14 Appendix 2: SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN PARENT/CARERS SURVEY TRANSPORT What do you use in order to get your child to St Fergus Primary School Type of Transport Car Taxi Bus Walk Please tick If you bring your child to school by car, please indicate where you park. I park at... Please give the reasons for parking there In your opinion, where is the most dangerous or problematic area around the school P a g e

15 ACTION PLAN WHEN WHAT WHO COMMENTS January 2016 Agreed with HT to begin STP Mrs McDonald/Mrs McGarvey STPC will send HT template. January 2016 Committee chosen and meet Mrs McGarvey/Pupils/Mr Anderson/Mrs Murray Photographs of members to be published. February 2016 STP publicised in newsletter and website. STP info will be included monthly. STP noticeboard updated in entrance hallway Mrs McGarvey/pupils STP Information will be on prominent display in the entrance hallway for all school users to see. Mid February 2016 Pupil Traffic Census Paul Prentice Survey carried out am/pm to monitor traffic outside school entrance. March 2016 Pupil Council Meeting Pupil Council members/mrs McDougall Discuss ideas to help increase numbers of children walking to school. March 2016 Pupil/Carers/Staff survey STP Committee to carry out, collect and collate information. Information will be published in letter, web and info board March 2016 CfE Plans examined to establish where Traffic Awareness lessons will Mrs McGarvey to look at curricular areas under CfE. Integrated lessons will include elements of road safety, traffic 15 P a g e

16 April 2016 introduced. A block of Eco Assemblies will include Road Traffic lessons including PowerPoints. SCP members with members of Eco Committee. awareness and environmental health. Children will present four road safety awareness assemblies to whole school. April 2016 Up date posters and leaflets to remind speed limit in school grounds. STP Committee Posters displayed in entrance of school. Colourful leaflets issued and put on school website. Reminder in monthly newsletters. August 2016 STP Committee Write to council with a view to have flashing lights installed at crossing outside school. Letter to be written outlining the problems that exist due to traffic just outside the school. September 2016 Hands Up Scotland survey Whole School Government statistics gathering October 2016 Evaluation Exercise Whole School Question and answer exercise from P1 to P7 to evaluate success of STP. 16 P a g e

17 MONITORING PROCESS We will monitor and review our School Travel Plan in the following ways: We will continue to hold School Travel Plan Committee meetings at regular intervals We will continue to survey pupils and parents each session to evaluate the impact of the Travel Plan We will continue to take part in the Great School Travel Tally each September We will regularly update pupils and parents of any new initiatives Parents will be kept up to date through Monthly Newsletters School Travel Plan will be reviewed and updated annually A Revised Travel Plan will be submitted to Local Planning and Transport Department at Renfrewshire Council. Our School Travel Plan has been approved by the Head Teacher, Travel Plan Committee, Pupil Council and Parent Council. SIGNED... (Head Teacher) NAME... SIGNED... (Travel Plan Committee) SIGNED... Travel Plan Co-ordinator NAME P a g e