Scooting to school

South Farnborough Junior School recognises the many positive benefits of pupils scooting to and from school. We therefore encourage this form of travel.
Benefits of scooting to school include:

• Improving health through physical activity.
• Establishing positive active travel behaviour.
• Promoting independence and improving safety awareness.
• Reducing congestion, noise and pollution in the community.
• Reducing environmental impact of the journey to school.

For safety reasons, scooting anywhere on the school site is forbidden.  Scooters should be walked in from an entrance which can then be stored in one of the designated scooter racks.  South Farnborough Junior School is not responsible for scooters brought on to or left on school premises and is therefore not liable for pupils’ scooters being stolen or damaged by a third party.  Therefore, bringing a scooter to school is entirely at your own risk.  We strongly recommend that all scooters are locked to the racks whilst they are on site, however it may not be possible with some scooter designs.  

During the winter months, when the afternoons become darker, riders should also ensure they have high visibility clothing and if possible some scooter lights to make them more visible.  

Electric powered scooters are not permitted in school and it is illegal to ride them on public roads and pavements.  

Why scoot?

Why not?! Parents can put their children's scooters in the back of their car if they live too far away to scoot all the way to school. Then park sensibly 5-10 minutes away from the school site to avoid unnecessary congestion and danger to children around the school gates. Scooters are fairly compact so don’t take up much space at home or in the car. Even younger children can go a reasonable distance at a good pace. They are a great option if parents are short of time on the school run.

Top tips for scooting safely

• Pedestrians have priority on the pavement
• Encourage children to stay close to their parent/carer
• Be aware of other people using the pavement and be polite and considerate to them
• Take extra care when crossing vehicle entrance/exit points e.g. driveways, and remember that the person there first (car driver, cyclist, pedestrian etc.) has priority
• Keep away from the kerb
• Look all around before moving, stop moving or change direction, and look where they are going
• Wear a helmet and bright, fluorescent clothing to ensure you can be seen
• Walk with scooters when crossing the road, in crowded areas or other busy areas e.g. the school playground
• Carry things in a rucksack, not balanced on the handlebars
• The Highway Code tells us that the speed limit on pavements is 4mph.

Scooter training

There's a great leaflet on starting scooting by our partner Sustrans.

Scooter Safety Checks

We know a lot of our children enjoying scooting to school.  It is important that the scooter is checked regularly to ensure it is safe to ride especially if older children are coming to school unaccompanied by an adult.  Ideally all scooters should be named and stored in the scooter racks provided.