Last week, pupils at Dame Bradbury’s Junior School, part of Stephen Perse Cambridge, a family of independent schools for children aged one to 18 years old, celebrated their third annual walking bus event. The environmental initiative, which saw more than 50 pupils, parents, staff members, and dogs meet at a collective point and walk to the school together, was born from the Saffron Walden school’s Integrated Learning Week, a cross-curricular initiative where pupils across all age groups engage in collaborative, thematic projects on broader topics, such as the environment.
After launching in 2023, the event proved so popular that it has become a much-anticipated annual event. Not only does it contribute to the school’s commitment to promote active travel habits but it also reinforces the positive benefits of exercise and connecting with others to support pupils’ wellbeing.
Equipping its pupils with the skills and knowledge they need to become global citizens informs the school’s environmental initiatives, which have been recognised by the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award, an internationally recognised accreditation that celebrates student-led environmental action and sustainability education in educational settings. These include the school’s pupil Eco-Committee, tree planting, litter picking, and managing food waste alongside the walking bus.
Claire Matthews, Deputy Head of Dame Bradbury’s Junior School, said: “While the walking bus event was conceived three years ago as part of our Eco-Schools Green Flag commitment, it has evolved into a much-loved event for our pupils and their families. Not only does it help to connect their learning with concepts, such as sustainability, in a practical way, but it is also an enjoyable way to bring our community together. I would like to thank the staff and parent volunteers who joined us for the occasion.”
