Walk to School Week May 2017

May is National Walking Month and from Monday 15th-19th May it is National Walk to School Week. This year is all about the health benefits of walking during the week. We know that walking to school makes children healthier and happier, while reducing congestion and pollution outside the school gates. This year's challenge will take the children on an imaginary journey from the City to Seaside. Each day, activities and games will enable pupils to explore key features of each environment, whilst also enjoying the many benefits of a daily walk to school.

The focus for Monday was the City

The focus for Tuesday was the Countryside. It was also 'Happy Shoesday' where the children can come to school wearing any closed pair of shoes that make them the happiest.

The focus for Wednesday was the Woodlands

The focus for Thursday was the Mountains

The focus for Friday was the Seaside

On Friday 19th May, the whole of Etz Chaim embarked upon a Guinness World Record Attempt! We joined many primary schools across the country in trying to break the record for the amount of people all walking at the same time. All classes from Nursery to Year 5 along with many parents and grandparents enjoyed our walk around the local park and we even raised money to help a local charity called The Orchard Project.

This organisation has links to the school and we will hopefully be visiting and helping manage, restore and harvest an orchard in the Mill Hill.

In Nursery they talked about how they travelled to school. The children were encouraged to walk to school or park and stride. Throughout the week they walked around the playground and pretended to walk to school. The children drew pictures of what they see on their way to school.

In Reception they talked about how they travelled to school and the positive effects walking has on their bodies.

Year 1 discussed how they travelled to school each day and at the end of the week shared the children's booklets and discussed the imaginary places on their journeys.

Year 2 discussed with each other what the benefits were for walking to school. They then went on to create posters to persuade people to walk to school using Purple Mash.

Year 3 completed a Road Safety comprehension and also talked about the positive effects walking has on their bodies and the environment.

Year 4 wrote a description of the City environment, thinking about what they would see, hear, feel, taste and smell.

Year 5 considered the environment with a focus on the seaside. The children chose from a variety of seaside pictures to do a freestyle 10mins writing challenge.