A SCHOOL dedicated to promoting efficient and sustainable travel has been honoured with three regional awards.

Haydonleigh Primary School in Haydon Wick won the coveted South West School of the Year accolade at the Department of Transport’s Modeshift STARS awards.

Modeshift STARS is a national awards scheme that recognises schools that support cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable travel.

Haydonleigh also added the Top Gold and pupil involvement awards to their trophy cabinet.

The school was recognised for providing sustainable travel initiatives for their 526 pupils including a walking bus, blinged up bikes scheme and cycle training and maintenance sessions.

Senior teaching assistant Debbie Yockney said the regional recognition had delighted the school.

“It’s an absolutely fabulous achievement and an acknowledgement of the work that we do here. We think it’s so important for children to learn from a young age to be healthy, to walk when they can,” she said.

“The children are so proud of their achievements and it’s something that everybody knows about in the school.

Haydonleigh’s journey to greener travel began three years ago with their Walk On Wednesday (WOW) walking bus route.

The weekly service has since grown in popularity and regularly ferries more than 50 children to school.

“The WOW service is one of our biggest achievements," Debbie said.

"Parents know that we will get their children safely to school, they can drop them off and even get to work quicker themselves. The children are given hi-vis jackets and it’s all off-road which makes them feel safe.

“It’s great for the area to have something like this that actively promotes sustainable travel, and this is just the beginning."

Debbie said the children arrived refreshed into school after the ten minute walk.

“The children enjoy it because they can talk to their friends and when they arrive at school they are more awake and alert and more ready to learn. They get fresh air and there’s more chance they will incorporate that into their lives as they grow up,” she said.

Five minute school zones which encourages parents to drop children a short distance from school and walk in the remaining distance have also been a success.

Haydonleigh has eight tpupil ravel ambassadors who combine classwork with promoting healthier travel options in the school through presentations and specialist assemblies.

Last month three pupils made a presentation to an audience of 100 people at the Southern Region National School Travel Awards event at the Camden Centre.

More than 25 percent of pupils now cycle or scooter to school every day.

Five Swindon schools attained accreditation under the Modeshift STARS programme this year with another three retaining the accreditation they gained last year.