Health

Teaching secondary-aged children about how travelling actively and sustainably to school can benefit their health is an important part of education because it helps young people understand the connection between their everyday travel choices, physical activity, mental wellbeing, and overall quality of life. As students become more independent in how they travel to school, encouraging walking, cycling, and other sustainable travel options can help establish healthy habits that continue into adulthood.

Active and sustainable travel education enables students to recognise that journeys to and from school are opportunities to incorporate physical activity into their daily routines while also making choices that benefit their communities and the environment.

Key educational benefits

• Improving physical health: Walking and cycling to school provide regular opportunities for exercise, helping students improve cardiovascular fitness, strength, coordination, and general physical health. Incorporating activity into the school journey can contribute towards recommended daily activity levels and support healthier lifestyles.

• Supporting mental wellbeing: Active travel can improve mood, reduce stress, and support emotional wellbeing. Physical activity releases endorphins and can help students feel more alert, positive, and ready to learn when they arrive at school.

• Enhancing concentration and learning: Research suggests that physical activity can improve attention, memory, and cognitive function. A walk or cycle before lessons can help students feel more focused and prepared for the school day.

• Developing lifelong healthy habits: Teaching students about the health benefits of active travel encourages them to make positive choices that can continue into adulthood, reducing the risk of health problems associated with inactive lifestyles.

• Promoting independence and confidence: Travelling actively allows young people to develop confidence, decision-making skills, and responsibility while managing their own journeys safely.

• Reducing exposure to unhealthy environments: Fewer car journeys to school can help reduce congestion and improve local air quality, creating a healthier environment for students, families, and the wider community.

• Supporting social wellbeing: Walking or cycling with friends can encourage positive social interactions, strengthen relationships, and help students feel more connected to their local area.

• Increasing awareness of personal choices: Students learn that everyday decisions, such as how they travel to school, can have a direct impact on their own health as well as wider public health and environmental outcomes.

Educational significance

Learning about active and sustainable travel supports secondary education by:

• Developing understanding of the links between physical activity, health, and wellbeing.

• Encouraging students to take responsibility for their own health choices.

• Supporting personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education.

• Developing confidence, independence, and practical life skills.

• Increasing awareness of sustainability and the impact of individual actions on communities.

• Encouraging students to become informed and responsible citizens.

Teaching secondary-aged children about the health benefits of travelling actively and sustainably to school is an important part of preparing them for a healthy and independent future. It helps students understand that everyday travel choices can improve their physical fitness, mental wellbeing, and readiness to learn, while also contributing to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable communities. By encouraging walking, cycling, and other sustainable travel methods, schools can help young people develop positive habits that support lifelong health and wellbeing.