A primary school in Bath is hoping to ‘chalk up a win’ with a new initiative aimed at encouraging youngsters to be more active.
Pupils at St Andrew’s Church School are taking part in a ‘Chalkstacle Course’ on their way into school. Using chalk, children and their parents can design fun games on the pavement for other children to complete.
St Andrew’s is one of five schools in the region that are running activities thanks to the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority after it secured funding from Active Travel England to encourage pupils to walk, cycle, or wheel more.
Dan Norris, the Mayor of the West of England, said: “I’m delighted that five schools in our region have signed up to be the first to take part in these new activities. The children at St Andrew’s are very excited about the Chalkstacle course which is lovely to see.
“My Mayoral Combined Authority is keen to encourage families to travel to school more sustainably where they can, which is beneficial to children as they will be healthier and happier, walking more and breathing cleaner air.”
Tamsin Stephen, Deputy Headteacher at St Andrew's, said: “The children's creativity has really been captured and from the minute they each received their chalk, they have been busy creating wonderful Chalkstacle Courses all around the local area.
“Favourite 'chalkstacles' have been drawing squiggly lines to balance or cycle along, dinosaur footprints to stomp in, bubble popping circles to burst and long jump competitions.
“We have received wonderful photographs and feedback from families sharing joyful moments of their journey to and from school. I think there will be Chalkstacle Courses all around Bath for some time to come!”
Other schools taking part include Beechen Cliff Secondary School in Bath and Westfield Primary School in Radstock which are both running ‘Walk and Talk’. This involves encouraging pupils to check in with their classmates and friends whilst walking using a prompt card with questions on.
Cathedral Primary School in Bristol and Emersons Green Primary in South Gloucestershire are running ‘Walk to School Days’ which focus on specific days where children walk to school and, as an incentive, they get free pencils and other stationery.
At the end of the initiative, each school will submit the results to assess how popular it was. The feedback will help to shape future initiatives in schools across the West of England region aimed at encouraging children to be more active.
