Pupils are encouraged to travel actively to school recording how they got in on the interactive, award-winning WOW Travel Tracker.
WOW - the walk to school challenge
WOW is here for 2023/24
Resources are available on our shop now!
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/wheel, 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 taking part. Each year, the collectable WOW badges 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. WOW is also available in Welsh
OUR 2023/24 THEME IS: THE BRITISH NATURE WALK
Every year, WOW and its badges follow a different, fun and educational theme. Next year’s theme, ‘THE BRITISH NATURE WALK’ aims to bring pupils closer to the nature found across Britain! As pupils walk to school through the year they will learn and collect badges depicting urban and rural British landscape and animals.
Join us on this exciting journey!
three simple steps to WOW
THE WOW TRAVEL TRACKER
Our award-winning Travel Tracker allows pupils to log how they get to school everyday.
RUN WOW FOR FREE
Depending on area and availability, your school may be eligible for free WOW.
BENEFITS OF WOW
Reduces congestion
1 in 4 cars on the road each morning are on the school run - but WOW can turn that around!
Increases walking rates
Walking rates at participating schools increase by 23% in the first five weeks. WOW Travel Tracker helps you keep track of your schools modes of travel.
Accreditation
Helps you achieve your outstanding OFSTED schools rating and 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.
Low cost
WOW is around £2 per pupil; just a fraction of your PE and Sport Premium per child.
Instils healthy habits
Promotes healthy mental wellbeing by improving behaviour and concentration levels in class.
Adaptable
We understand that walking to school isn’t an option for everyone and so aim to adapt WOW – our walk to school challenge – in these situations, so that all pupils have a chance to be awarded a WOW badge.
Our schools team can work with school staff, including SENCO, to establish a bespoke approach to WOW that works for them and their school community’s needs. Here are some examples of ways we’ve done this in the past.
If you have any questions on the adaptability of WOW in SEND schools or have suggestions of how we can improve, please email walktoschool@livingstreets.org.uk
OUR WOW BADGE DESIGN COMPETITION 2023 WINNERS
Our WOW challenge rewards children who travel actively to school with collectable badges. The badges are unique and designed by the pupils themselves.
The theme this year is:
THE BRITISH NATURE WALK
