Redbridge School dedicated to making school journeys safer and greener wins TfL Excellence Award

A Redbridge school has been recognised as the most dedicated in London for getting pupils to make active and greener school journeys.

South Woodford based Churchfields Junior School beat off competition from around London to win the coveted ‘Long Term Excellence’ title at Transport for London’s Travel for Life Top Schools Award.

Held at the Kia Oval, the awards celebrated the work schools across the capital have done to get their community moving and create a safer, active, and greener London.

The Long Term Excellence award was one of the most prestigious wins of the day and recognised the school’s outstanding commitment and work towards lowering car use on the school run for over a decade.

On the day, thrilled pupils and teaching staff from Churchfields Junior School collected their award from Team GB and Olympic medallist, Victoria Ohuruogu.

Speaking proudly, Deputy Head of Churchfields Junior School, James Easter, said: “Having worked hard over many years to promote active travel and discourage car drop-offs by the school, we were delighted to receive the award from TfL. We also thank Redbridge Council for supporting the school’s initiatives and families for helping to make Churchfields a safer place to walk, scoot and cycle.” 

The school’s recognition for ‘Long Term Excellence’ came from demonstrating a consistent and successful delivery of travel initiatives to achieve a shift away from unnecessary car use within their school community.

TfL's Travel for Life accreditation scheme is part of a wider set of initiatives Redbridge Council support schools with to encourage safe, active and responsible travel behaviour across the borough. Through actively working in partnership, Churchfields became a Gold standard accredited school under the scheme, and have maintained their status since 2016, making the school a prime candidate for the award.

Churchfields also engaged local parents and the Council to address road safety around the school leading to the implementation of a Council Highways scheme to stop cars parking and U-turning outside the school gates, and the introduction of enforcement cameras.

Junior Travel Ambassadors  -  students from the school who promote safer, active, and independent travel to and from school – also regularly chat to school parents to raise awareness about road safety and active travel.

The school has also consistently maintained high levels of active travel for the last three years, and in 2023-2024 had 98% of their pupils travelling to and from school actively (such as walking and cycling) - one of the highest in the borough. 

Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability Cllr Jo Blackman said: “This is a well-deserved award for Churchfields Junior School, and a shining example how active and sustainable travel initiatives can lead to real change. It’s fantastic that so many of their students are now walking, cycling or scooting to and from school. This helps make the roads safer and improve air quality by the school gates, as well as being more sociable and contributing to a healthy lifestyle.”

Andrew Casson, Redbridge Council’s Team Lead for Active and Sustainable Travel, has worked closely with Churchfields for several years, and put the school forward for TfL’s Top Schools Award. He said: “I was proud to be with the school as they received their well-deserved ‘Top School Award’ recognising their hard work and successes. Redbridge Council works closely with many schools across the borough to promote active and sustainable school journeys, and Churchfields School is testament to what can be achieved when we work together as community.”