Cranbourne South Primary School (CSPS) took part in National Ride2School Day on Friday 24 March.
“I think it’s extremely important to build their road skills and road safety,” said classroom teacher and school community captains leader Monique Bryden.
“It’s also great for mental health and exercise.”
Mrs Bryden said she has noticed a large increase in the number of CSPS students participating in Ride2School day since remote learning has stopped.
“Families are getting to know each other more because they’re outside, out of their houses,” she said.
The teachers and helpers ensure on-campus safety, monitoring students coming in through the gates.
“Once we get to the school grounds, we get off our bikes and walk in safely,” Mrs Bryden said.
Over 350,000 students across the nation rode, walked, scooted and skated to school.
National Ride2School Day is Australia’s biggest celebration of active travel and the peak of the nationwide Ride2School program which works to help children get their 60 minutes of daily exercise by riding a bike to school.
Bicycle Network chief executive officer Alison McCormack said that National Ride2School Day is a day full of fun and colour where students, teachers and parents discover the joy of riding and kick-start healthy habits for the future.
“Riding to school can help students perform better in the classroom,” she said.
“Students who actively travel to school are more awake and alert.
“Their concentration levels and understanding of content improves.”
Ms McCormack says students who are physically active are happier and healthier.
“They also become more self-sufficient and build resilience.”
National Ride2School Day in 2022 saw 911 schools participate, including 307 schools for the first time, pushing the total number to a record 370,000 students.
Bicycle Network is hoping that participation numbers in 2023 will surpass 400,000.
National Ride2School Day is a free event open to all primary and secondary schools in Australia.
Schools that register have access to a range of resources to help them celebrate the day, including posters, promotional material, stickers and count sheets to tally the number of students who ride to school.
“National Ride2School Day is a great introduction to the wider program and can be the catalyst to creating a school of healthy, self-confident, active students,” Ms McCormack said.
