Getting to & from school
Walking or riding to school is a great way for your child to start their day, as it stimulates the mind and improves overall health and fitness!
Better Moves to Schools map
View the interactive map and select your school. This map is designed to help you and your child/ren have an easy place to park and walk to primary school.
Here are pdf versions of each school if you wish to print out a copy:
Active Paths
Is your school an Active Paths school? The Active Paths initiative is about making it easier for students that want to ride, walk, scoot or skate to school.
Council works with the school and bicycle network through our Better Moves Around Schools Program to identify paths to school which are direct, safe and fun and based on where students live.
Footpath decals will guide students along the way. If your school has Active Paths, grab some friends and make it fun walking to and from school.
Walking School Bus
The Walking School Bus is a fun, healthy and safe way for primary school-aged children to travel to and from school.
The Walking School Bus is not a real vehicle but a group of children who walk to school accompanied by two adult leaders (one ‘driver’ and one ‘conductor’). Picking up and delivering children at ‘bus stops’ on the way to school.
It aims to increase physical activity amongst children and reduce traffic congestion around schools.
The Walking School Bus is a free program run in collaboration with VicHealth, Moonee Valley City Council, schools, traders and community groups.
Walking School Bus routes are marked on the Better Moves to Schools maps.
Many schools in Moonee Valley have a Walking School Bus, here’s a handy list of schools so your kids can walk supervised with their friends.
- Ascot Vale Primary, Ascot Vale
- Essendon Primary, Essendon
- Moonee Ponds Primary, Moonee Ponds
- St John Boscos Primary, Niddrie
- St Marys Primary, Ascot Vale
- St Monicas Primary, Moonee Ponds
- St Peters Primary, East Keilor
- St Therese’s Primary, Essendon
- St Vincents Primary, Strathmore
- Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar, Essendon
If you are interested in starting a Walking School Bus at your school or becoming a Walking School Bus Volunteer please contact our Transport Project Officer on 9243 8888, or email transport@mvcc.vic.gov.au.
Join your school’s Walking School Bus
Walking School Bus route
The Walking School Bus follows a specific route on the days selected by your school and volunteers. These routes have been carefully planned by the volunteer coordinator and have been audited by council to ensure the safety of your children.
Safety precautions include a 1:8 adult to children ratio. All volunteers are expected to undergo safety training, hold a valid Working with Children Check and registration.
Benefits for children
The Walking School Bus program delivers numerous benefits including:
- improving children's overall health
- improving children's road safety skills
- developing their physical and social skills
- building friendships
- gaining a sense of independence
- decreasing traffic congestion around school
- reducing greenhouse gas pollution
- strengthen community/council relations
Safety
Safety on the bus is of high importance with the route thoroughly checked to traffic hazards. Volunteer drivers and conductors complete an induction program that includes information on road safety, duty of care and emergency procedures.
Starting school?
This is an exciting time for you and your child, to help you find the best way to get to school we have developed several resources to encourage you and your child to walk, cycle or walk part the way to and from school.
Cycling and Walking to and from school (pdf, 5.33MB) is a flyer for parents of children who are about to walk or cycle to and from school for the very first time.
Safety around schools (pdf, 2.37MB) is another flyer with tips to keep your children safe in school zones. It also contains the penalties for not doing the right thing in a school zone.
The drop off pick up zone (pdf, 2.18MB) flyer outlines the rules for using the pink zone to drop off and pick up kids from school.
Hints on different ways to get to school (pdf, 295KB).
Find your school on the map and then work out your best walking or cycling route to your new school. If you click on the bubble on your school, there is also a PDF version of the map that you can print.
We’ve also identified some park and walk locations around Moonee Valley primary schools to help you walk to school, even if it’s too far to walk from home.
Walk to School challenge in October
Each year we support VicHealth's Walk to School initiative by challenging all school aged children to walk, cycle or scoot to and from school in October.
It’s a fun, free and easy way to get active, win awesome prizes and get to know your neighbourhood.
Find out more about Walk to School in October.
In 2017, a record number of schools across Victoria took part in the Walk to School with:
- Over 140,000 students walking, riding or scooting to and from school
- Over 750 schools on board
- More than 130 new schools signed up in 2017
In Moonee Valley we had 17 school that participated, 4696 students walking and cycling throughout October, totalling 82,206 walks.
The schools participation reduced traffic congestion, relieved parking issues, helped students connect with family and friends, provided health benefits and helped saved the environment!
1st Prize
St Vincents de Paul Primary, Strathmore – 52.21% of the school community walked to school during October
Prize: A whole of school healthy mind and body incursion from Supreme Incursions
2nd Prize
St Mary’s Primary, Ascot Vale – 42.14% of the school community walked to school during October
Prize: The delivery of three active paths and launch with a free breakfast
3rd Prize
Flemington Primary, Flemington – 41.75% of the school community walked during October
Prize: An Ascot Vale Leisure Centre family pass for each family in the school
4th Prize
St Therese’s Primary, Essendon – 40.65% of the school community walked during October
Prize: A worm farm for the school
School crossing supervisors
Council manages the placement of school crossing supervisors at sites throughout the municipality as an important component of our Better Moves Around Schools program.