Buster the Bug explores the county with the help of your class
Walking Bug is our mid way scheme for classes and differs from WOW in two ways:
- Families are expected to walk to school most days of the week.
- There is curriculum involvement with classes typically using golden time to make use of these weekly class-time rewards.
This school led scheme is the same as WOW in that families are not expected to collaborate and no organised walks to school are created.
Children are rewarded with a special sticker each walk. This sticker is displayed on a cartoon-themed card. Once all the spaces are filled with stickers the child receives a treat provided by the walk to schol partnership.
Each class has a cartoon-themed display poster for the wall depicting a series of attractions and landmarks. Four footsteps link each attraction creating a route around the map. For every 20 walks to school a class achieves one footstep is coloured in. In practice this means each week every class will reach a different landmark or attraction on the chart and earn the right to use their golden time to take on a fun class activity based on the landmark or attraction. The walk to schol partnership provides Key Stage 1 and 2 curriculum materials for all the locations to ensue this is a pleasurable experience for the teacher!
Three times each year a challenge day is held with the class achieving the highest number of walks on the challenge day receiving a special trophy and prizes for the children, plus publicity in the local KM Group newspaper.
Data capture to track progress is achieved each Wednesday morning with a simple hands-up survey in participating classes. This is usually undertaken by Year 6 pupils but can be looked after by staff at registration. The slips of paper detailing the date, class name and figure for the number of children who walked to school that day is taken to the school office where a member of the admin team has a log-in to type the figures directly into the www.kmwalktoschool.co.uk website's admin area.
The system for data capure is simple to use, engages the children in a positive way and provides a wealth of information enabling you, the charity and the council to track which classes are doing best in terms of walking to school and how many schol run vehicle trips the school is removing from local roads.
There is a cost for using the Walking Bug resources which is heavily subsidised by commercial sponsors and the council. Currently the cost is: £50 per school towards the admin and support charge provided by the charity KM Walk to School; £25 per class for the class resources, stickers and end of term rewards. Optional banners for the school gates are also available at £50 each. Extended School Managers at the council occasionally provide a subsidy for Walking Bug.
To find out more click the yellow BUG button above or get in touch with a Walking Bug Project Oficer through the contact section of this website.