Walk to School week is traditionally the penultimate full week in May. I am a big fan of Walk to School week (I used to run it) but the timing has always bothered me. Here are five good reasons why it should be earlier in the year.
- Next week is half term. This means many schools finish on Thursday (teacher training day on the Friday), and anyone who has got into the walking habit over the week immediately forgets about it when they go on half term.
- The SATS ended last week. Now this might not be an issue next year (if the strikes go ahead) but Walk to School Week is directly after one of the most stressful times (for pupils and teachers) in the school calendar. I know of schools that have chosen not to run it because the SATS mean they don’t have time to organise it. It would also be more use as stress relief for the pupils if they started walking before the SATS!
- It is nearly half way through the summer term (hence the “half term” the following week!). If pupils start walking as a result of walk to school week, they only get six weeks (or so) benefit before the summer break. If it was earlier in the year it could encourage them to walk all summer long!
- In some areas (Scotland in particular), walk to school week is the half term itself – so they end up holding their festivities a week earlier or later (and therefore don’t get the benefit of the national press coverage).
- Elections are often held in early June. For six weeks before the election there are strict rules about promoting political views – a system known informally as purdah. This makes it a lot harder for local authorities to promote Walk to School week with a view from a prominent local politician (or even the local mayor). The current walk to school week dates tend to fall within this period of purdah.
So. When do I suggest? I reckon on about a month earlier – get Easter out of the way, then hold it two (or so) weeks later. Unfortunately the dates I would suggest coincide with Bike to School week – but I think the two could be held concurrently…
Any thoughts? When would you hold it? Or would you keep it the same? Let me know in the comments section below.