PUPILS and staff at a York school are celebrating after winning the city-wide Walk to School Week Challenge.

The annual challenge aims to encourage children to walk, scoot or cycle to school, with school getting the most sustainable journeys winning the coveted Jack Archer Award. The winning school also receives £200 towards sports equipment.

Over 9,700 children in 32 schools across the city took part this year making it a record year for participation across the city.

Clifton Green Primary School topped the league with 89.6 per cent of pupils walking, cycling or scooting, with Archbishop of York's Junior School closely following in second place with 89.4 per cent and Bishopthorpe Infant's School in third place with 85.8 per cent.

Clifton Green head, Nicola Jones, said: "Clifton Green are delighted to once again win the Jack Archer Award as it fully represents the school's ongoing commitment to healthy lifestyle choices.

"This award also marks the start of a very exciting year for school as we embark on an exciting partnership with Sustrans to develop our school travel plan and consider how our local environment could be improved through engagement with the People Streets project.

"We look forward to spending the prize money on equipment to be used in PE and other physical activities in school."

Cllr Andy D'Agorne, the council's executive member for transport, said: “Congratulations to Clifton Green Primary School, and all the schools who took part in this year’s Walk to School Week.

“The week provides a great opportunity for pupils, parents and carers to focus on the way they travel to school and the benefits that walking, cycling and scooting can bring, such as pupils being more alert in the classroom.

"This year's Walk to School week also included the annual Clean Air Day and this highlights to us all the positive impact of reducing our local air pollution can have on our long-term health.”

Councillor Ian Cuthbertson, executive member for education, said: “Walk to School Week is a great way to get pupils, parents and teachers to focus on making healthy and sustainable lifestyle choices. Walking, cycling or scooting to school is often just as quick, if not quicker than taking the car, and helps to reduce congestion at school gates, whilst having a significant impact on air quality in the city.

“Encouraging sustainable travel at a young age is a great way to promote positive lifelong choices and I hope that all the children who took part in this year’s challenge will keep up the good work.”

To find out more about how to make sustainable travel choices and keep active visit https://www.itravelyork.info/