Travelling to School

The Mark Way School Park and Stride Map

Statement of Intent

The Mark Way works in collaboration with Hampshire County Council to minimise traffic to and from the school site. Young people travel from a wide geographical area to attend the school and this is unavoidable. Wherever possible the school does encourage parents/carers to consider their local special school that can meet the needs of their young person. This does mean, on occasion there are young people traveling significant distances from home as this is the closest suitable setting for them.

Where young people are local to the school we would encourage them to walk, cycle, scoot or use public transport for their school journey, either independently, with school friends or with the support of their parent or carer. Reducing our school traffic means our students have a safer and healthier environment in which to learn, as well as supporting our young people in developing life skills that are fundamental to future life chances.

Our Travel Plan aims to:

• Assist in decreasing congestion and business at the beginning and end of the day as well as decreasing the risk of the associated safety issues
• Assist with decreasing traffic on the residential road on which we are based
• Improve the health and wellbeing or students, parents/carers and staff
• Improve independence and life skills of our young people for public transport and road safety awareness
• Improve relations within our local community e.g. residents and parking
• Promote and increase walking, cycling and scooting as a way of getting to and from school where possible
• Improve student knowledge, skills and understanding to access public transport to promote independence as well as support college transition
• Have a positive impact on the local environment
• Assist in the easing of traffic congestion in the local area/around the 4-school campus.

Travel to School Film

Please watch this video for suggestions on what how you and your family can do to support us in meeting these aims  https://vimeo.com/112792303

This link supports you in being able to plan your journey to school and also any area of Hampshire

https://myjourneyhampshire.com/

Parkwise Promise

To keep the area outside of our school safe at the beginning and end of the school day we ask our parents/carers to participate in The Parkwise Promise’. This is a council-led initiative that targets dangerous and inconsiderate parking near our school. We ask that you make sure you do not park or stop on the ‘School Keep Clear’ zig zags and that our entrance and exits remain clear at all times. This supports us in ensuring the safety of our young people. We would like to remind you of the following areas of the Highway Code:

 Rule 243: Do not stop or park:

• Near a school entrance
• Anywhere you would prevent access for Emergency Services
• Opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space
• In front of an entrance to a property
• On a bend

Rule 224: Parking on the pavement can obstruct and seriously inconvenience pedestrians, people in wheelchairs or with visual impairments and people with prams or pushchairs.

 Park and Stride

We know many families need to drive their young people to school but we do also like to encourage you to take part in some challenges, such as ‘Park and Stride’, this is where you park a little further from the school and walk into the school from that location. It is great for getting your steps up. Please note you are able to use Town Park Car Park most of the time for drop off and pick ups and this would allow you to take part in Park and Stride too.

 Travelling to school on public transport

The local bus routes to the school P20 and 76:

Please find the link to the local bus routes here:

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/routes/south/p20/andover-picket-twenty/xpap020.o

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/routes/south/76/andover-basingstoke/xpbo076.i

Code of Conduct for all travel to/from school and during school time

Please find the schools Code of Conduct for travel:

• We treat others with respect
• We wear our seat belt
• We remain seated
• We keep our voices quiet
• We keep our hands to ourselves
• We arrive at our bus stop on time
• We talk to an a member of school staff, an escort, or our parent/carer if we are worried about our journey to school

We ask that you support your young person by talking to them about the good behaviour expectations for travel to and from school.

School Opening Times

Bike and Scooter Storage

We do have children who cycle to school and some who scoot to school. We ask that they always wear a helmet and that they are only permitted to do so if they have a good understanding of how to keep safe on their bikes/scooters. Our bicycle racks were replaced in 2023. 

The school does hold Bikeability events to support students in developing this life skill and independence.

The school has 12 cycle/scooter traps. If your young person is travelling to school they must bring a lock with them to ensure it is secure.

Travel Competitions

Watch this space for some upcoming events for those young people who can take part, it may be for some you cannot walk to school because you are on transport but you may be able to get your steps up elsewhere, this counts too.