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
Join your school’s Walking School Bus
New Children
If you would like your child to join the Walking School Bus, please complete the forms below and forward to the Walking School Bus Volunteer at your school
New Volunteers
If you would like to join the Walking School Bus as a Volunteer.
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 for hazards. Volunteers drivers and conductors complete an induction program that includes road safety, duty of care, child safe policy and emergency procedures. Volunteers must also hold a Working with Children Check and have a Police Check.
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.
2018 results
In 2018, 147,000 kids across Victoria took part in the annual walk to school challenge.
In Moonee Valley 4443 students walked 59,100 km to and from school throughout October.
We’re very proud of all our Moonee Valley primary schools and students who contributed. A special thanks to the school champion or champions, these results were only achieved because of your involvement.
Congratulations to our prize winners
- 1st St Vincent’s de Paul, Strathmore – 44.52% of the school participated (Full day – student health day incursion delivered by Supreme Incursions)
- 2nd Strathmore Primary School, Strathmore - 37.07% of the school participated (Half day – student health day incursion delivered by Supreme Incursions)
- 3rd Our Lady of Nativity, Aberfeldie – 36.90% of the school participated (Family swim pass for each student for Ascot Vale Leisure centre)
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.