WOW Walk to School
Challenge 2025 - 2026!
Barley Hill Primary School has chosen to be part of an exciting initiative to encourage more children and their families to walk to school. WOW – the walk to school challenge is delivered by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, to help as many children as possible experience the benefits of walking to school.
The pupil-led challenge enables children to self-report how they get to school every day. If they travel actively (walk/wheel, cycle, scoot or Park and Stride) at least once a week for a month, they get rewarded with a badge. It’s that simple! Each class will also have an elected WOW Ambassador to support the Pupil Leadership Team to lead this challenge across the school.
What are the benefits of walking to school?
- Children feel happier and healthier
- They arrive to school refreshed and ready to learn
- Helps reduce congestion and pollution at the school gates.
What if we can’t walk to school?
If driving, please use our dedicated ‘Park and Stride’ location to help your child earn their WOW badges. The dedicated Park and Stride location for Barley Hill Primary School is the Cattle Market Carpark – Please park here when driving and walk the short distance to the school gate from this location. If using public transport, hop off at least ten minutes away and walk the rest (recorded as ‘other’ on the WOW Travel Tracker). Where walking to school isn’t an option, we work with schools to establish a bespoke approach to WOW that works best for their pupils’ needs. If you have any questions on the adaptability of WOW or have suggestions of how we can improve, we would love to hear your thoughts. Please email walktoschool@livingstreets.org.uk
What is a WOW badge?
There are 11 badges to be earned from September 2025 – July 2026. Each badge has been designed by a pupil from across the UK as part of the annual WOW Badge Design Competition. A new badge can be earned every month if pupils’ walk/wheel, cycle, scoot or Park and Stride at least once a week.
WOW 2025/26 encourages pupils to Walk with Imagination, with a selection of badges ranging from a Bird's Eye View to Road Surfing up for grabs. The badges are made in Cornwall from material that was otherwise destined for landfill, including fridge trays, plastic plates and yoghurt pot off-cuts. For more information, visit: livingstreets.org.uk/recycling
In the UK, last year, around 2,300 schools and over 600,000 pupils enjoyed the benefits of walking to school with WOW. Will you join us?
Please find more information and useful videos at: livingstreets.org.uk
Let’s swap those school runs for school walks! Good luck to our pupils and we hope you enjoy being active and earning lots of badges!
Thank you for your support
The Pupil Leadership Team and Mrs Plested
We are very proud to have been awarded the GOOD TRAVEL PLAN MODESHIFT STARS ACCREDITATION!
Whether you have participated in events linked to the environment or walk, cycle or scoot to school, you have helped us achieve this!
Thank you to Kathyrn from Oxfordshire County Council for awarding our accrediation in our celebration assembly.
WOW Challenge January 2026:
Congratulations to our *NEW* EYFS, Key Stage One and
Key Stage Two Class WOW Ambassadors!
Awarded with their badge, certificate and job description. They will be distributing January badges to their class members who have travelled actively throughout the month.
WOW Walk to School Challenge November 2025:
We are thrilled to share that our school has already completed 19180 active journeys to school, earning 1421 WOW badges this term, fantastic job! Active travel rate of 89%, with 50% walking or wheeling and 31% Park and Stride! Brilliant!
WOW Walk to School Challenge Badges 2025:
Children across the school were delighted to be rewarded their February WOW Badges! Year 4 were very proud to say they have travelled sustainably (walk/wheel, cycle or scoot) once a week for a month!
School has had a 17% decrease in car journeys!
April WOW Badges 2025:
Year 5 Children were delighted to earn their April WOW Walk to School Badges!
This term, school has recorded 18048 active trips, of which 10180 were walking all the way trips! An active rate of 85%
In total, 1283 badges have been awarded this term!!!
WOW - Walk to School Week - 19th - 23rd May 2025!
Congratulations to all our Barley Hill Community for taking part in this 5 day challenge! So many of our families have been walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting to school every day this week! Thank you!
Our pupils learnt about reducing traffic, enjoying fresh air and starting the day actively!
Please see below our photos from this brilliant event!
