CYCLING, scooting, and walking to school has earned green awards for a number of the Island’s primary schools.

Greenmount, Binstead, Nine Acres, Newport C of E, and St Helens recently received Sustrans bronze awards.

In order to achieve an award, schools undertake activities such as scooting skills and cycle safety training, aimed at encouraging children to cycle or walk to and from school.

The award is part of the Sustrans School Mark, a scheme delivered by Sustrans, the UK charity helping people to travel sustainably, in partnership with Island schools.

It is one of 11 projects being supported by the Isle of Wight Council through its current Sustainable Travel Transition Year programme, using external funding secured competitively from the Department for Transport.

Clare Dowling, delivery coordinator for Sustrans South, said the school run was a major source of congestion in the morning.

"Increasing levels of active travel offers a solution to this challenge and our officers play a big part in inspiring increases in walking, cycling and scooting safely within the schools they are working with," she said.

"For example, the number of young people cycling at least once a week to and from Newport C of E primary school doubled during 2015/16, from 14 per cent to 28.5 per cent, since the sustainable travel project began last year."

Nine Acres Primary School completed a programme of scooter skills, a bike to school week, a Dr Bike repair station and counted scooters and bikes brought to school.

Head teacher, Beth Dyer, said: "It’s an amazing achievement to celebrate the success of the Nine Acres community’s commitment to active travel. We have learnt so much and through doing this we have created a more sustainable model. The active crew are closely looking at our next steps to silver."

Newport C of E Primary School had a 'Whizzing Wheels Week', Bikeability training for Year 6, car-free days and also undertook a daily count of how many pupils travel to school by bike or scooter.

Head of School, Kirsty Wallace, said: "We were delighted to welcome Tom Ransom from Sustrans to our school assembly, where he presented us with our Bronze Sustrans School Mark Award. All of our pupils, especially our active crew, have worked tirelessly to achieve this award. We are very proud of the whole community."

The latest achievements follow previous Bronze School Mark Awards for St Saviours, Totland Bay, Shalfleet, Cowes and Holy Cross RC, East Cowes.