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The Walking Bus escort service

The Walking Bus is an escort service that collects children from primary school and walks to the play projects to participate in after school facilities

Walking to and from school helps children to keep fit and makes it more likely that they will stay active when they are older. Younger children who walk to and from school with a carer also have the chance to build up their road safety awareness, making them better prepared for independent journeys.

What is the walking bus?

To enable a large number of primary schools to access the after school care service during term time, we operate a walking bus service that collects and escorts children to our projects. 

The walking bus follows a set route between schools and the projects. The route is assessed in accordance with the guidelines of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA).

A number of safety checks are used in the walking bus scheme, for example;

  • Staff and children are provided with high visibilty reflective jackets
  • The route is carefully and regularly checked for safety by project managers
  • A ratio of at least one member of staff to eight children is applied with a minimum of two adults present on each journey
  • Staff ensure that children are aware of road safety guidelines
  • All staff are police checked
  • The service is covered by public liaibility insurance
  • Staff carry mobile phones and a first aid kit
  • Staff walk at the front and the rear of the walking bus
  • On longer routes a minibus service is provided. Each bus is fitted with individual seat belts.             

Which projects are pupils escorted to?

  • Pupils attending Brackenbury, Flora Gardens, St Peter's and John Betts schools are escorted to Bradmore Project
  • Pupils from Greenside, Miles Coverdale and St Stephen's to Coningham Project
  • Pupils from New Kings, *Holy Cross, Sulivan, All Saints and Peterborough to Palace Project
  • Pupils from Fulham, St Augustine's, Avonmore, St John's, Normand Croft and St. Thomas of Canterbury to Fulham Project
  • Pupils from Melcome, *Queens Manor, Larmenier and St Paul's to Distillery Project
  • Pupils from Bentworth, Canberra, Pope John and Wormholt Park to White City Project             

*These journeys are undertaken by minibus rather than on foot

School Based projects:

  • Pupils attending Lena Gardens and St Mary's are escorted to Brook Green (At Addison Primary School)
  • Pupils attending Good Shepherd are escorted to Wendell Project (at Wendell Park School)
  • Kenmont and Old Oak Primary School have project within the school, with no escort service.             

Please note where a school provides its own after school childcare we will not operate an escorting service.