Ferrars Academy pupils lead the way on sustainable travel

Cllr Amjid Ali, Leader of Luton Council, joined the Council’s Road Safety Team at the school’s celebration assembly on Friday 23 October to present the school with its certificate.

The accreditation recognises organisations that demonstrate a strong commitment to promoting active, safe and sustainable travel, and celebrates the work schools are doing to encourage positive travel choices among pupils, families and staff.

The Ferrars Academy has been working towards its accreditation for a number of years, with pupils playing an important role through its Travel Titans group.

The Travel Titans have helped to develop and promote sustainable travel initiatives across the school, including designing a poster encouraging car sharing and taking part in the annual five-day Big Walk challenge run by Living Streets.

Walking has also been incorporated into wider learning, with pupils taking walks to the local library and Reception children taking part in a welly walk to Lewsey Park.

The school also places a strong emphasis on road safety education. Nursery pupils have taken part in practical activities to learn about holding an adult's hand, stopping at the kerb, looking and listening for traffic, identifying safe places to cross and understanding who can help them cross safely. Pupils have then had opportunities to put these skills into practice during walks outside the school.

One of the initiatives the school is particularly proud of is a sustainable travel book created by the Travel Titans themselves.

After struggling to find a suitable child-friendly resource about sustainable travel, the pupils decided to create their own. During weekly meetings and lunchtime clubs, they researched, designed, illustrated and edited the book, which encourages children to consider walking, cycling, scooting and public transport, while also highlighting the importance of caring for the environment.

The book was shared with families through the school newsletter and printed so that every class at the school could have a copy.

Cllr Amjid Ali, Leader of Luton Council, said:
“Congratulations to everyone at The Ferrars Academy on achieving this fantastic accreditation.

“It’s particularly encouraging to see pupils taking such an active role in promoting sustainable travel. The Travel Titans creating their own sustainable travel book is a brilliant example of how children can take the initiative and encourage their peers and families to think differently about everyday journeys.

“By encouraging walking, cycling and other sustainable travel choices from an early age, schools can help support healthier lifestyles, safer journeys and a cleaner environment. The Ferrars Academy’s achievement is something the whole school community can be proud of.”

Ferrars Academy Principal, Sarah Green said:
"We are incredibly proud to have achieved the Modeshift STARS Outstanding Travel Plan accreditation. Our Travel Titans supported by Miss Neelam Rashid, have played a leading role in encouraging sustainable travel habits across our school community.

Their enthusiasm, ideas and commitment have been at the heart of our journey, and this award reflects the collective effort of our children, families and staff to make positive changes towards healthier, greener travel choices".

The Modeshift STARS accreditation provides schools with a framework to develop and demonstrate their work around sustainable and active travel.

The Council’s Road Safety Team works with schools across Luton to support safer journeys and encourage active and sustainable ways of travelling.

The Ferrars Academy’s Outstanding accreditation recognises the school community’s ongoing commitment to making positive travel choices and supporting a safer and more sustainable future for Luton.