Patcham Junior School

How do the school community currently travel to school?

What we have already done to promote more sustainable and active travel.

Worked with the B&H travel team:

• Developed a walking zone map, which we have publicised and shared with parents and carers.

• Worked with “Bike it Ben” on promoting cycling as a healthy lifestyle choice, as well as to school. We have also run Dr Bike days.

• Arranged for installation of a white return line across the entrance/exit to the caretaker’s house on Ladies’ Mile Road to extend down the hill to meet the end of the school keep clears.

• Arranged for a coloured surface on Ladies’ Mile Road to cover the area where the School Crossing Patrol (lollipop) operates.

• Organised pedestrian and bikeability training for as many children as possible. Year 3 pedestrian training , bikeability level 1 for year 5 and level 2 for year 6. We encourage all children to take part and we also signpost other courses.

• Promoted the walk to school weeks and record the impact of this in order to build a picture of how children get to school.

• We have also identified the Ladies Mile Pub carpark as a suitable “park and stride” drop off point. We have been given permission by the owners and managers of the pub.

• Purchased and installed bike and scooter storage.

Description of the school

Patcham Junior School is a three form entry school situated in the suburbs of Brighton and Hove City. Patcham is well served by frequent buses to and from the city centre (5 and the 5A); but the vast majority of pupils live within walking distance of the school.

The school has two main entrances – one on Ladies Mile Road and the other on Warmdene Road. Both are open in the mornings, whilst only Ladies Mile is open after school.

The school benefits from a Crossing Patrol Officer at the Ladies Mile entrance.

Travel Issues

• There is still potential to increase the number of children walking to school and reduce the amount of traffic on the roads around the school – Patcham is a relatively small community and most pupils live within easy walking distance of the school. 

• There is a perception that walking, scooting or cycling to school is dangerous due to the roads around the school.

• There is a sharp increase in traffic around school pick up and drop off time.

School Travel Plan Working Group

This involves pupils through the school council, parents are invited to each meeting and a Governor is assigned to jointly lead the working group.