WOW - the year-round walk to school challenge
Watch our WOW video and find out all you need to know about our flagship walk to school challenge.
To find out more get in touch
Call us on 020 7377 4921
AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT WOW
WOW is our year-round walk to school challenge and its aim is to keep everyone’s health and wellbeing strong through walking to school every day. With the announcement that schools are to close, the health and wellbeing of all pupils and school staff remains at the core of our values.
If your school is taking part in WOW
Due to the risks associated with dispatching the WOW summer resources during this time, coupled with the uncertainty of how long schools will be closed, we’ve made the decision to postpone the WOW summer term and badges until the autumn term.
There will be no WOW badges delivered for the summer months; these will be kept at our warehouse and we’ll get them out to you for the start of the autumn term. We hope you understand the reason for our decision.
While WOW remains suspended, we’ll be sharing updates and activities with you to help keep families and pupils engaged. For the time being, why not encourage families to turn their daily walk with children into a fun scavenger hunt using our handy downloadable checklist? If taking part, please make sure you follow the Government’s rule to only leave the house once a day for exercise, keep at least two metres away from others and wash your hands when you get home.
WALK TO SCHOOL AND CREATE LASTING IMPACT
WOW is a pupil-led initiative where children self-report how they get to school every day using the interactive WOW Travel Tracker. If they travel sustainably (walk, cycle or scoot) once a week for a month, they get rewarded with a badge. It's that easy!
It's simple to run and children love talking part. Each year, the 11 WOW badges follow a new WOW theme, all of which are designed by pupils in our annual badge design competition. On average, WOW schools see a 30% reduction in car journeys taken to the school gate and a 23% increase in walking rates.
NEW FOR 2019 - WOW is now available in Welsh
Buy WOW
To run WOW you only need two things: WOW Badges and WOW Travel Tracker.
You can use your PE & Sport Premium to buy WOW.
All about our WOW badges
Find out all you need to know about the WOW badges, where they come from and how to recycle them.
three simple steps to WOW
WOW Travel Tracker
With the interactive WOW Travel Tracker you can gain insights into travel habits and find out which pupils have walked enough to earn a badge each month.
Recommend WOW to your local school!
Use our simple online form and encourage a local school to get WOW.
The power of WOW - read about some of the ways WOW has made a difference to schools
Why Oxfordshire Council runs WOW
How running our walk to school challenge has boosted active travel across one UK county.
12.02.2018
Sunnyside Primary has the WOW factor
Alloa pupils impress judges in a creative competition, as all Clackmannanshire schools start WOW.
31.10.2017
Abbotswood Primary, South Glos
How one school 's commitment to walking to school with us culminated in a huge rise in walking rates.
17.07.2017
Badge competition winners
View this year's winning designs on the theme:
INVENTIONS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD.
Why WOW?
Searching for more reasons to take on the challenge? Look no further!
Reduces congestion
1 in 4 cars on the road each morning is on the school run.
Increases walking rates
Children at participating schools increase by 23% in the first five weeks. WOW Travel Tracker helps you keep track of your schools modes of travel.
Ofsted
Helps you achieve your outstanding schools rating.
Accreditation
Participating in WOW helps schools achieve Modeshift STARS and Healthy Schools status.
little classroom time
Less than 10 minutes of a teacher’s day! The most important part of WOW happens before the school day even starts.
600,000
Pupils encouraged to walk to school last year in 2,200 schools.
Great cost
WOW is £2 per pupil; just a fraction of your £10 PE and Sport Premium per child.
Instils life long healthy habits
Encourages pupils and families to swap the school ride for a school stride. Promotes healthy mental wellbeing by improving behaviour and concentration levels in class.
Improves road safety at the school gates
Thanks to the drop in car usage around the school.
