Travelling to and from school

School Travel Policy (1).pdf

We are keen to decrease the number of children travelling to school by car, it will alleviate traffic problems, help our neighbours and research shows that children arrive at school more relaxed and ready to learn following a walk (or scoot) to school. Of course we understand that some of you are under pressure of time or live too far away for smaller children to walk. We would like you to consider the ‘Park and Stride’ option of parking on wider roads e.g. near the Co-Op and walking the 5 minutes or so down to school.

Previously parents have organised a walking bus from the Bowdon Parish Centre, but unfortunately this is currently not in operation. If a group of parents are interested in organising this, please contact school so we can offer support.

If you walk your child/children to school, please bring them to the appropriate gate to go into school - the gate on the left near the staff car park entrance, just through the first main gate or the gate from the pathway between Grange Road and York Drive. In the morning children may also walk in through the 'car collection/drop off gate'. Notes and messages can be left with the members of staff on duty; for safeguarding reasons parents may not enter the school building without first signing in at the office.

Children who cycle or ride their scooter to school (most will need adult supervision because the roads around school are busy), should dismount at the site gate and carefully walk into the playground to the cycle/scooter racks. Safety helmets can be either left here or taken into class. The cycle/scooter storage in the playgrounds are within the perimeter fence and therefore locks should not be necessary. The cycle rack at the front of school is for staff use but we can usually fit the Reception cycles/scooters there too. However, this area is not within the boundary fence and locks will be necessary. Bikes and scooters are left at the owners risk and it is not advised to leave them overnight, as we cannot guarantee their safety.

Dropping off children

Y1-6 children may be dropped on the internal road from 8.25am. Please do not arrive before that unless you are dropping off at Kids' Collective. There is no parking on the school site, please do not leave your vehicle to take them to the gate, members of staff are there to supervise and ensure that the children are safe
Members of staff supervise the drop off zones and the gates from 8.25am
Reception parents need to park off site and walk children into school around the Multi Use Games Areas and in through the gate by the parent shelter
Members of staff will be in the playground to supervise children before the start of school and as they walk across the playgrounds to their classrooms
Registration takes place at 8.40am

Dropping off children at Breakfast Club. You may pull up in the drop off zone and take your child into Breakfast Club between 7.45am and 8.20am.

Please note the parking restrictions on Grange Road. No parking between 8am and 5pm. These restrictions will be enforced by Trafford Council.

Collecting Children at the end of the school day

If you are parking in the locality please consider the needs of neighbours to drive in and out of their gateways. The school gates open at 3.00 pm, parents collecting on foot should walk into the playground and wait in the main playground. Please do not enter the building unless you have an appointment with a member of staff, in which case you should go in through the front door and sign in at the office. Parents/carers are responsible for their child once they are out of class. Children who have not been collected are taken to the school office. where they can wait safely while we telephone parents. Please be punctual when collecting your children, particularly at the end of after school clubs.

Bicycles and scooters may not be ridden in the playgrounds or on the pavements within the site boundary gates.

Children may be collected from the internal road but cars must not be there for longer than a minute or two and may certainly not be parked there. Please do not arrive to collect children until after their finish time to give them time to walk to the playground gate. Junior parents should not arrive until 3.00pm to collect from the internal road. Please do not encourage your child to walk down to you, they should wait by the gate until you move forward to pick them up. If you are collecting an Infant and a Junior child, the Junior child may go to the Infant classroom to collect the younger child and bring them to the gate. Members of staff are on duty to supervise car collection.

Please leave the playground area by 3.25pm so that we can ensure safeguarding by locking the gates ready for the after school clubs.

Collecting from Clubs

Kids' Collective have their own entrance and exit at the first gate on the internal road'

The Junior children will be brought through to the playground gate onto the internal road at the end of the extra-curricular clubs. Infant children should be collected from the front door of school. Please do no encourage your child to leave without the knowledge of the supervisor. Please be punctual when collecting from clubs, the staff usually have other meetings to go on to.

Please consider our neighbours when parking around school. They must be able to enter/exit their driveways and the pavements must not be obstructed.