St Malachy’s leading the way in Calderdale
- Active Calderdale
- 10 hours ago
- 2 min read
Active Calderdale is continuing to support St Malachy’s Primary School in Halifax as it strengthens its commitment to active and sustainable travel. Working in partnership with Calderdale’s Modeshift Officer, Sophie Kirkby, the school is developing its Travel Plan and encouraging more pupils and families to walk, wheel, cycle and scoot to school.
St Malachy’s achievements were recently celebrated during a WOW – Park & Stride event delivered by Living Streets, where the school marked its success at the top of the WOW leaderboard and became the first in Calderdale to achieve Modeshift STARS accreditation.
As one of Calderdale’s original Active School Trailblazers, St Malachy’s has embedded active travel and physical activity into daily school life since joining the Active Schools programme in 2021. This approach continues to have a positive impact on pupils’ wellbeing, behaviour and attainment, supported by strong leadership from Headteacher Oliver Harper and a whole-school focus on health, including their application for the Calderdale Healthy Schools Award.
Working with partners, the school has expanded opportunities for pupils to build cycling skills through Bikeability training and Healthy Holidays sessions. Additional investment, secured through partnership working with Public Health and West Yorkshire Combined Authority, has enabled the installation of new cycle and scooter storage facilities, alongside balance bikes and staff training to support early-years cycling.
St Malachy’s is also embedding a strong culture of active travel through initiatives such as the WOW Walk to School Challenge and the Modeshift STARS programme. Pupils are encouraged and rewarded for travelling actively, with WOW Ambassadors and Active Travel Inspectors helping to promote participation and track journeys across the school.
Through ongoing collaboration with Active Calderdale and key partners, St Malachy’s continues to be a leading example of how schools can support healthier lifestyles, safer journeys and more sustainable communities, helping children and families build positive habits for life.
If your school is inspired to support more active and sustainable journeys, the following are useful links to help you access guidance, resources and programmes to get you started.
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