Getting to and 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!
Move on Mondays
Move on Monday encourages all students to walk, cycle or scoot to and from school each Monday. If you live further away, part-way is okay! You can use our Park and Walk locations or park a few blocks away to still join in on the challenge. Find the best walking and cycling routes to school using the Better Moves Around Schools map below. If you have any questions, email bmas@mvcc.vic.gov.au
Prizes to be won
Fill in the calendar provided to win prizes which marks how each student gets to school each day. This could be whether they walk, ride, scoot or skate to and from school. Each term send in your responses to go in the prize draw. There is one $100 Hart Sports voucher up for grabs every term!
Move on Mondays is a new initiative aiming to extend the momentum from Move in March -- our goal is to have all 28 schools in Moonee Valley participate and develop healthier travelling habits. This program will be ongoing, encouraging all schools to participate. We know that Mondays may not work for your school so you may choose a day of the week that works best for you. We know your school is busy, so Moonee Valley will arrange the promotion, schedule and materials for Move on Mondays. Simply register below and encourage students to participate!
Walk to school maps
There are lots of ways to get to school, and we've mapped out some of the best.
Council runs the Better Moves Around Schools program in collaboration with local schools to improve traffic, safety and parking management, and encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport when travelling to and from school.
Use our interactive map below to find the best way for you to walk, scoot, skate or ride to school and get active today.
- Select the search function and start typing in the name of a school.
- When the full name of the school appears click on it and you’ll be taken to where the school is on the map.
- From there you can zoom out and see the Active Paths available.
- Use the headings on the left side of screen to see the different ways to get to school including Park and Walk, Drop off/Pick up zones and Walking School Bus.
- This icon
marks a ‘School Crossing Supervisor’ site. - By clicking on your school you can download a printable map to put up at your school or home.
- By clicking on an active path you can find out more information about the journey.
Don’t stop now…. walking, cycling and scooting to and from school helps us slow down, improves our wellbeing, creates friendly neighbourhoods and overall makes us feel great, arriving at school ready to learn!
To find the quickest route to your school, enter your schools name in the search box on the online map below
Find the closest Active path to your school (there are decals along the footpath that will guide you to the school), join the Walking School Bus (see details below) if your school has one, or gather a group of friends and walk together. If you live too far away, park a few streets away and walk from there.
For more information contact bmas@mvcc.vic.gov.au
Happy walking!
The Active Paths initiative aims to make it easier for students who want to ride, walk, scoot or skate to school. We work with schools and the bicycle network 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.
Recognising that some students live too far to walk to and from school, we have identified locations that are within walking distance of the school and encourage those living more than 2km from the school to park and walk from this location.
Maps of these locations have been developed for schools and parents.
The drop off and pick up zones are easily identified by bright pink coloured signage and line markings, and they have improved traffic flow and created a safer environment for children to be dropped off and picked up at school.
We encourage drivers to follow the road rules and be watchful for children when driving near schools.
At these locations you’ll find a car park, or on street parking where you can leave the car.
The 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.
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.
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:
- Please complete the Volunteer application form.
For further information contact Lisa Bagnati, Transport Project Officer 9243 8762 or the Volunteer Coordinator at your school.
Schools with a Walking School Bus
| School | Suburb |
|---|---|
| Ascot Vale Primary | Ascot Vale |
| Essendon Primary | Essendon |
| Moonee Ponds Primary | Moonee Ponds |
| St John Boscos Primary | Niddrie |
| St Mary's Primary | Ascot Vale |
| St Monica's Primary | Moonee Ponds |
| St Peter's Primary | East Keilor |
| St Therese's Primary | Essendon |
| St Vincent's Primary | Strathmore |
| Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar | Essendon |
| Keilor Heights Primary | Commencing soon |
| Avondale Primary | Commencing soon |
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. Volunteer 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.
School crossing supervisors
We manage the placement of school crossing supervisors at sites throughout our municipality as an important component of our Better Moves Around Schools program.
To find the school crossing near your school see our Better Moves Around Schools online map above.
To use, enter your schools name in the search area 
and all the school crossing are shown as 
.
Funding of school crossing supervisors is shared between The Department of Transport and Planning and Council. Each year we prepare an application for the VicRoads Children's Crossing Supervisor Subsidy program.
Crossings are eligible for subsidy under this VicRoads program if specific warrants are met (pdf, 27KB). If sites are ineligible for a subsidy under this Department of Transport and Planning program, we will consider the full funding of a supervisor following our guidelines.
Resources and Programs
We aim to raise awareness of available programs, resources, funding opportunities and contact points to support schools and parents with road safety information.
Provided is a list of resources and programs for the different stages of road safety learning.
Fliers available for schools to add to school newsletters, prep packs and year 7 information packs.
Hints for getting to and from school (pdf, 295KB)
Safety around schools flyer (pdf, 488KB)
How to use the pink drop off and pick up zone (pdf, 2.18MB)
Crossing safely at pedestrian crossings (pdf, 882KB)
Road safety poster (pdf, 431KB)
Early childhood program and resources
| Resources/Programs | Information |
|---|---|
| Starting Out Safely | Vic Roads 9854 2782 |
| Kidsafe Sesame, Elmo Road Safety Resources | Kidsafe Victoria 9036 2306 |
Junior primary program and resources
| Resources/Programs | Information |
|---|---|
| Road safety education Victoria | Road safety resources for teachers |
| Street Scene | RACV |
| Walking School Bus | Moonee Valley City Council
Expression of interest flyers are available for schools to distribute to parents prior to starting the walking school bus program. |
Senior primary program and resources
| Resources/Programs | Information |
|---|---|
| Road safety education Victoria | Road safety resources for teachers |
| Bicycle Safety Education Instructor Training programs | DE&T preferred provider
Wilcare Services 9854 2782 |
| Bike Ed | Vic Roads 9854 2782 We have a flyer which contains information for schools interested in conducting Bike Ed either at their school or at our Essendon Traffic School. Contact our Transport team on 9243 8888 to get copies of the flyers. |
Secondary school program and resources
| Resources/Programs | Information |
|---|---|
| Safe mates | RACV 9790 2924 |
| Journey Planner PTV | Public Transport Victoria |
| Learning to drive | TAC 1800 332 556 |
| TAC Road Safety | TAC 1800 332 556 |
| Road to zero - road safety experience at the Melbourne Museum - year 9-10 | Museums Victoria 13 11 02 |
| L2P | Supporting young people aged 16-21 to reach 120 hours of driving practise.
Moonee Valley City Council |
| Fit2Drive (Year 11 students) | Moonee Valley City Council F2D and VATSET 9885 9010Fit2Drive is a program for year 11 students that's about changing attitudes and behaviours - not teaching driving skills.The program focuses on providing opportunities to rehearse behaviours and develop problem solving strategies enabling young people to make good decisions when faced with risky driving situations, whether as a passenger or a driver.Year 11 students can take part in a half-day workshop, which includes presentations by Victoria police and the MFB/CFA.At the end of the workshop, students prepare personal plan involving strategies and things they would say and do in dangerous situations.We are also reviewing the opportunity to hold a community youth forum with the theme personal safety and getting home safely.I'd like more information on Fit2DriveFor more information visit the Fit2Drive website.I'm in year 11 - how can I get involved?Ask your school if they are running the program, and if they're not, you can ask them to.How can Council help Moonee Valley secondary schools get involved? We can help you to run this at your school by paying for some of the course and providing information on how to get involved. Secondary schools can contact the Transport Project Officer on 9243 8888 or lbagnati@mvcc.vic.gov.au to get started. |
| Good Sport - managing alcohol and sports | Good Sports aims to reduce alcohol and other drug problems, increase the viability of sporting clubs and improve the range and quality of sport options available with the community. |
| keys2drive | Provides learner drivers and their parents/supervisors a free driving lesson with a keys2drive accredited professional driving instructor. |
Kinder Bike Sessions
Are you thinking about how you are going to get your child to school next year?
Think about walking or cycling to school. To increase your child’s confidence riding to school, try Kinder Bike Sessions
