HOLY CROSS PREPARATORY SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN 2009-2010 School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 1
INTRODUCING OUR SCHOOL School Name: School Address: Email address: Website Address: Holy Cross Preparatory School George Road Kingston upon Thames KT2 7NU admissions@holycrossprep.co.uk www.holycrossprep.co.uk LEA/School DFES Reference Number: 3146001 Type of school: Holy Cross Preparatory School is an independent Catholic school. We are a happy and academically successful school for girls aged 4 to 11. We are renowned for our caring and supportive pastoral approach and our success at preparing children for a range of academically selective secondary schools. We aim to enable each pupil entrusted to us to discover her God-given gifts and talents. Location of the school: The school is located on George Road, a private road on the Coombe Estate, off Kingston Hill. Pedestrian & school entrances: The school has a semi-circular drive which gives access to the school site for both pedestrians and cars at the entrance closest to Warren Road, and egresses at the exit closest to Kingston Hill. There are separate entrances to the school for the infant and junior girls. School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 2
MAP SHOWING SCHOOL LOCATION School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 3
FACILITIES The car park Cycle storage How secure is this storage provided Description Numbers No. of staff parking spaces 40* No. of visitor spaces 10 No. of disabled spaces 1 No. of cycle parking bays for staff N/A No. of cycle parking bays for pupils N/A Storage lockers Shower facilities No. of staff storage lockers No. of pupil storage lockers Are staff shower facilities available? Are pupil shower facilities available? N/A N/A N/A N/A *Currently there is a building construction taking place for a new extension to the school. Because of this, there is reduced parking at the moment (only 25 spaces). After the buildings are finished, there will be a cycle shelter for 10 cycles. There will also be shower facilities for staff. TRANSPORT LINKS Buses: The nearest bus stop is Kingston Lodge, on Kingston Hill, which is an 8 minute walk away from the school. Buses K3 and 85 have a stop at Kingston Lodge. 57 (Kingston via Wimbledon to Streatham) This regular bus runs along Coombe Lane West allowing access to George Road from the south, via Warren Road. Trains/Tube: The nearest overground station is Norbiton which is about 25 minutes away by foot. From London centre there are trains to Wimbledon and Kingston stations which in turn affords access to Norbiton. Roads: Holy Cross Preparatory School is situated on George Road, a side road off Kingston Hill (A380) which runs from Kingston town centre towards Roehampton and the A3. The A238 towards Wimbledon is also nearby. School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 4
SCHOOL OPENING AND CLOSING TIMES Open/start School site 7:50am 6:00pm Breakfast club (if applicable) N/A N/A Pupils official school time Reception Infants School Junior School Close/finish 8:30am 8:30am 8:30am 3:05pm 3:25pm 3:45pm After school clubs (if applicable) 4:00pm 6:00pm PUPIL AND STAFF NUMBERS Numbers of pupils on role 274 Number of SEN pupils 0 Number of SEN pupils entitled to 0 transport Consideration for SEN transport 0 needs Numbers of full time staff 30 Numbers of part time staff 33 Numbers of school volunteers 0 USE OF SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL HOURS INCLUDING EXTENDED SCHOOLS ACTIVITIES Each school day there are at least three after school clubs to include football, judo, ballet, netball, hockey, art and technology. There is also a homework club from 4 pm-6pm. School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 5
INTRODUCING OUR PUPILS AND STAFF Number of pupils who attend the school: 274 Age range of Pupils: 4 11 years old. Other information about the pupils who attend our school: Holy Cross Prep is a Catholic independent school that welcomes children of all faiths. The catchment area of the school is very wide hence the reason why the majority of pupils will be driven to the school by car. Number of Staff who work at the school: 63 Other information about the people who work at our school 30 full-time staff 33 part-time staff Some of the part-time staff e.g. peripatetic teachers, teaching assistants, playground supervisors, only come into school for a few hours each day. School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 6
CATCHMENT AREA Analysis of catchment area: More than half of the pupils, 136 (51%) live further than 2 miles away from the school, which means it is too far to cycle or walk to school. 49 pupils (18%) live within half a mile of the school, which means they could walk or cycle to school. 34 pupils (13%) live between half a mile and a mile away from the school. This is a distance that could be covered by bicycle. School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 7
EXISTING SCHOOL POLICIES AND PRACTICE TO PROMOTE SAFE, HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT The school encourages car sharing. Each class has two parents who promote and organise car sharing. Each year the school gives a road safety talk to Year 2. Two members of the Facility Team supervise the drive at school drop-off and collection times. Parking on the school side of George Road (a private road) is forbidden: this is a rule of the Coombe Estate. The school strictly adheres to this. Every year the school provides facilities for the bikeability level 1 & 2 courses. Currently one pupil shares the Rokeby bus (another school on George Road). The school is encouraging more children to use this facility. The school actively promotes sustainability but does not participate in any particular programmes. The school has an after school eco-club. SCHOOL TRAVEL WORKING GROUP Is there currently a working group? When was the group set up? How often does/will the group meet? No N/A N/A Travel Plan Co-ordinator: Mr Harrison School staff: Mrs Hayes, Headteacher School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 8
IDENTIFYING OUR BASELINE INFORMATION SURVEY RESULTS PUPILS d.d. 12 January 2009 Transport To School From School Would like to travel Choice Number % Number % Number % Walk 22 8 27 10 32 13 Cycle 4 2 6 2 86 35 Bus 1 0 1 0 23 9 Car/ Van 215 81 210 78 41 17 Car share 21 8 21 8 36 15 Rail 0 0 0 0 14 6 Park then walk 3 1 3 1 6 2 Others 0 0 0 0 8 3 Totals 266 100 268 100 246 100 How do pupils travel to school? School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 9
SURVEY RESULTS STAFF Date: January 2009 Transport To School From School Would like to travel Choice Number % Number % Number % Walk 7 12 8 14 18 31 Cycle 2 3 1 2 12 20 Bus 4 7 4 7 4 7 Car/ Van 42 72 41 72 17 29 Car share 1 2 1 2 0 0 Rail 2 3 2 4 6 10 Park then walk 0 0 0 0 2 3 Others 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 58 100 57 100 59 100 Notes: The total number of staff is 63. The response rate was high, around 92%. How do members of staff travel to school? Barriers to travelling by a more sustainable mode ordered by how often they were mentioned in the surveys: 1. Distance from home to work (live too far away to walk/cycle) 2. Road safety hazard if cycling or walking 3. Takes too much time to travel by another mode 4. Need better public transport links School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 10
5. Heavy bags 6. Bringing/picking up children on the way home or to work 7. Need car during the day for shopping etc 8. Weather is too bad to cycle or walk 9. There are no shower facilities 10. Lack of cycle storage 11. Public transport is unreliable 12. Cycle clothing requirement 13. Costs of public transport SURVEY RESULTS PARENTS JANUARY 2009 1. Parents of 173 children attending the school participated in the parents survey. The total number of pupils at the school is 274, which gave a response rate from parents of 63%. 2. Distance from house to school of participants: Less than 0.5 mile 29 Between 0.5 and 1 mile 16 Between 1 mile and 2 miles 21 Between 2 and 3 miles 35 More than 4 miles 32 3. What would encourage you and your children to walk, cycle or use the train/ bus? What encourages? Qty Distance too far to use other ways of getting to school/time constraints 35 A safe place to leave bicycles and helmets at school 32 Cycle training for families and adults 29 Improved lighting and security 28 Better transport links (particularly from Wimbledon area) 8 Make George Road/Coombe Lane West and Coombe Hill Road junctions 7 safer possible traffic lights? Improved public transport 5 Safety improvements made to A3 flyover 5 Separate cycle lane UP Kingston Hill with barriers 4 A crossing adjacent to bus stop Kingston Hill 4 Free travel for children/cheap travel for parents 3 Cycle way on bridge at A3 overpass with crossing opposite Toyota sales 2 Clean up verge along George Road so it can be used as a cycle lane 2 Make cycling along Kingston Hill safer 2 Request for a walking bus (possibly request parking at Kingston Lodge 2 Hotel) Crossing on Coombe Lane West close to Orchard Rise with bus stop 2 School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 11
nearby to allow people to walk through there and up The Drive to school Make George Road a safe option for cycling 2 Daughter will walk when old enough 1 Pupil/student ID passes for buses/trains supplied by the school 1 Cycle awareness training for car drivers 1 A crossing on Kingston Hill and Crescent Road 1 Move bus stop closer to Coombe Hill Infants to allow use of crossing 1 there Allow cycles on trains so more people might use Norbiton station to 1 travel to school A safe place to leave scooters at school 1 4. Main Road safety barriers for travelling in a sustainable way Main Barriers Qty Coombe Lane West/Warren Road - crossing needed 22 Request for school bus 19 George Road and Kingston Hill junction lights/crossing also George and 13 Warren Roads very dangerous George Road is very busy and road safety could be improved with 11 pavements and cycle lanes Lack of dedicated cycle paths on George Road, Warren Road and 7 Coombe Road Traps Lane, cycle awareness signs or cycle lane crossing near bus stop 57 4 also speed camera The Drive and Orchard Rise -provide connecting footpath/cycle path with 3 asphalt George Road and The Drive - speed limit of 20 mph 3 The Drive - better lighting would encourage walking down hill to Orchard 3 Rise George Road where the school is located School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 12
Traffic calming measures within grounds Wooden bollards to safeguard pupils Traffic calming measures outside of school site on George Road School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 13
EVIDENCE OF CONSULTATION AND INVOLVEMENT Pupils: Through the hands-up survey: January 2009 Governors: The school is an independent school and has no governors Parents: Through the parents survey, January 2009. Please find in appendix 1 the detailed survey template that was sent to parents. The response rate from the parents survey was very high, which shows their concerns about travel and traffic issues. Staff The staff had been informed in a staff briefing by the Head teacher before the hands-up surveys for the pupils. Staff members did their own survey in January 2009. School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 14
OUR TRAVEL/TRANSPORT PROBLEMS 2009 1 Details of the issue/concern How and when was issue identified? Possible solutions? Who will need to help? Coombe Lane West and Warren Road need Parents survey Zebra crossings Kingston Council more crossings as it is unsafe now for pedestrians to cross these streets 2 There is no school bus running Parents survey Try the option for a school bus again. Schools in the area Parents 3 George Road and Kingston Hill junction lights/crossing also George & Warren Roads are very dangerous. Parents survey Feasibility study of both locations required. Kingston Council 4 5 6 72% of the staff and 81% of the pupils come to school by car. These percentages are huge for a school with pupils this age. George Road is very busy and road safety could be improved with pavements and cycle lanes. Furthermore there is no signage on the road, neither about speed limits nor about the presence of three schools on this road. Lack of dedicated cycle paths at George Road, Warren Road and Coombe Road Hands up surveys parents/ pupils Raise more travel awareness. Kingston Council Parents survey Create cycle lanes and pavements Private owner of George Road and Kingston Council Parents survey Create cycle lanes Kingston Council School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 15
OUR OBJECTIVES We are a Catholic school under the trusteeship of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, providing a Christian education in which the worship of God, gospel values and an awareness of other faiths and care for others, are central to school life. In the spirit of Saint Francis, our caring community strives to enable each person to realise their full potential. In doing this we welcome all faiths to work in partnership with parents, teachers and children to develop the God-given gifts of each person. This is the basic for the objectives in our travel plan: To support sustainable transport wherever reasonable; To make the local environment less polluted for our pupils and staff; To equip the girls with more road safety awareness; To encourage the girls to walk or cycle wherever possible for their own health. TARGETS 2009 Target 1 We will increase walking to school by pupils from 8% in January 2009 to10% by January 2010. Target 2 We will increase the cycling to school by pupils from 1% in January 2009 to 5% in January 2010. School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 16
OUR ACTION PLAN 2009 Steps/actions needed Who is responsible? Must be named person or group Target date Must be specific date/month NOT ongoing 2009 Update & Review To work with the council to seek ways to increase the road safety at crossing places at Coombe Lane West and Warren Road. School: Mr Harrison First contact with council before June 2009 Try to restart the school bus again. School tried to do this before but stopped because of lack of interest. Try to combine the school bus with the other two schools on George Road. To support walking to school by participating in the Walking Once a Week (WOW) campaign at least once every term. School: Mr Harrison School: Mrs Hayes Before the start of the new school year, September 2009 Contact Council to participate before start new school year, September 2009 Nominate two Junior Road Safety Officers Nominate a member of staff who can provide support to promote the work of the Junior Road Safety Officers more effectively. Pupils will design (a part of) the front page of the School Travel Plan and organise an assembly for the nomination of the winner of this competition. School: Mrs Hayes School: Mrs Hayes School: Mrs Hayes Within the first month after the start of the new school year, September 2009 Within the first month after the start of the new school year, September 2009 June 2009 School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 17
Steps/actions needed Who is responsible? Must be named person or group) Target date Must be specific date/month NOT ongoing 2009 Update & Review To continue to promote travel awareness and road safety in assemblies at least three times each year To continue the road safety lessons by Mr Harrison at Year 2 To apply for the Transport for London bronze sustainable accreditation To install a bicycle shelter for 10 bicycles To increase the signage at George Road to benefit the safety of all school communities To work with the council towards a solution for the Kingston Hill/ George Road junction. School: Mr Harrison School: Mr Harrison School: Mr Harrison School: Mr Harrison School: Mr Harrison School: Mr Harrison Three times before February 2010 Before February 2010 June 2009 September 2009 First meeting with the council before July 2009 First meeting with the council before July 2009 School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 18
MONITORING & REVIEWING OUR PLAN Our next hands up surveys be on: January 2010 Our Annual Progress review will be completed in: February 2010 Our full review of the School Travel Plan will completed in: February 2012 The persons responsible for ensuring that the annual review will be actioned: Mr Harrison When reviewing our School Travel Plan we will take into consideration any issues arising from new developments in education and transport since the original STP was completed. School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 19
SIGN-OFF AND FORMAL APPROVAL - SCHOOL SIGNATURES The following signatures confirm the school management have read and approve the contents of this document. By signing this document the school is committing itself to make every effort to resolve problems identified within the enclosed document and implement the actions identified. The school further acknowledges that they have committed to achieving all targets highlighted in their action plan and to the annual review and monitoring of the plan. Head Teacher Date: The following signatures confirm that the document has been Quality and Assessment checked by representatives from the relevant Education and Transportation departments at the Council School Travel Plan Officer Date Senior Officer/Assistant Director Department of Learning and Children s Services Date Senior Officer/Assistant Director Department of Environmental Services Date School Travel Plan Holy Cross Preparatory School 20