Junior Travel Ambassadors

The Junior Travel Ambassadors (JTAs) are two pupils from each Year 5 and 6 class who are responsible for promoting active travel such as walking, cycling, scootering and road safety. 

They also help prepare children for more independent travel in Year 6 and when they transfer to Secondary school.

Here are our JTAs:

 

They are:

  • Year 6 Beech Class – Thomas and Hani
  • Year 6 Cedar Class – Anika and John
  • Year 5 Juniper Class – Amali and Leo E
  • Year 5 Maple Class – Rupert and Arta

The JTAs work with the school Travel Plan Champion – Mrs Thomas, to carry out assemblies, conduct surveys, give classroom talks, and help complete the school travel plan.  They plan and run competitions and special events each year.

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JTAs term of office is for two years, so our Year 5 children can learn from Year 6 and take on more responsibility in their second year of office.

signThe JTAs meet regularly to share ideas and opinions, make plans and organise events.

The Junior Travel Ambassador scheme is run by TfL (Transport for London).

Our aims:

  • To encourage our fellow pupils to walk, cycle or scooter to school as often as possible
  • To make sure the children of Holly Park are safe on the roads of London
  • To raise awareness of road safety
  • To raise awareness of safe, active and independent travel in a fun way

The School Travel Plan and the work of the JTAs links to Article 24 (Health and Health Services) of the UN Rights of the Child which says:

‘Every child has the right to the best possible health. Governments must provide good quality health care, clean water, nutritious food, and a clean environment and education on health and well-being so that children can stay healthy. Richer countries must help poorer countries achieve this.’​

To find out more about Junior Travel Ambassadors, please see the TfL website.

Autumn term

The JTAs met and learnt more about their role, about the travel plan and to have a team photo. Other meetings have focused on Walk to School Week where they discussed why we have the week and their role in it. JTAs arrived early at school and with staff supervision gave out stickers to pupils who walked to school or made the effort to park and stride. They then looked at Be Bright, Be Seen day. An assembly was planned to share the reasons for the day and ideas of what to wear. On the morning of Be Bright Be Seen Day, the JTAs were by the gate to thank children for making the effort to take part and take photos for a display and as evidence towards the award.

Walk To School Week

As part of making the children aware of being healthy and of caring for the environment and about safety in the area immediately outside the school grounds we had our Walk to School Week. Leaving the car behind at least one day a week would be something good to try OR driving part way to school and then walking the rest of the way – we call this ‘PARK and STRIDE.’ Well done to everyone who walked or wheeled to school. Keep it up!

TFL – Gold Award

The Junior Travel Ambassadors were delighted to hear they had retained their gold level accreditation for the TfL STARS (Sustainable Travel, Active, Responsible, Safe) scheme. A school travel plan aims to increase the number of journeys to/from school made using active or sustainable travel and our award reflects Holly Park’s commitment to this. Activities during the last year have included our walk to school week, Bikeability training and Be Bright Be Seen Day as well as curriculum work such as maths in Year 1 using information from a survey of the staff car park, drawing maps and route planning of journeys to school and road safety work. We are already working towards our re-accreditation for this year and amongst other things we are looking forward to Wheel to School week in March. Find out more about the STARS scheme here or go to stars.tfl.gov.uk.

Here is the latest Travel Plan 2023 to 2024

Anti Idling campaign

Mrs Pelham, Mrs Thomas and some Y6 children went out on the street outside the school between 8.30am to 9.10am with some people from Barnet council to look at the effect of cars and pollution. 

The team had an instrument to measure the air pollution and unsurprisingly the air pollution grew worse as the time went on. However the air pollution was made much worse by families sitting in their cars with the engines running – allowing pollution into the air.

Thankfully everyone who was spoken to was very polite and switched off their engines. Please can I ask you not to be selfish.

If you come to school early, please wrap up warm with a coat and a jumper and switch off your engine. Over a thousand people walk up the street close to the school and don’t want to have to walk through excess fumes. This is also very bad for children with chest conditions and asthma. So don’t be an engine idler!!!!!!!

For the health and well being of pupils, families and staff, please turn your engine off once you’ve parked safely, legally and with consideration, as pollution reduces air quality.

  • Unnecessary idling of a car engine is a traffic offence
  • Air pollution can cause serious health issues
  • If a car is left idling for more than 10 seconds it uses  more fuel  than the cost of restarting the engine
  • Excess idling can damage car engines, damage cylinders, spark plugs and exhaust systems.​