A school in Westbourne is set to benefit from the Mayor of London’s School Superzone programme as Westminster City Council successfully secures £30,000 of funding from the scheme.
Superzones are areas around schools within a 5–10-minute radius helping children to play safely, breathe clean air, be active, enjoy a healthy diet and thrive.
By working in partnership with schools and local stakeholders, the council are utilising this first wave of funding to work with Edward Wilson Primary School in Westbourne Green to focus on an identified need for more active travel.
Teaching staff have raised concerns about safety including road safety but also the perception of safety in local parks. With 20% of children at Edward Wilson Primary School being driven to school by car, the school are keen to increase different ways for active travel.
The council will develop an action plan which will primarily listen to the opinions of pupils, parents, and governors. After collecting this information, the local authority will then coordinate work with the school as well as with Council and community partners.
The setup of this first School Superzone in Westminster will be in line with wider Council activities including Healthy Schools work, School Travel Plans and air quality projects.
Councillor Nafsika Butler-Thalassis, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Volunteering said:
Having healthy spaces and neighbourhoods is vital to giving children the best start in life and reducing health inequalities. We’re really looking forward to getting started with this funding from the Mayor of London and seeing the positive impact for families in Westminster.
Headteacher of Edward Wilson Primary School, Darren Guttridge said:
We are all really excited about engaging in the Superzone project with Westminster City Council, one which will help improve the quality of life for our school community. We have a fantastic opportunity here to create new, and improve upon existing, amenities within our local area which can benefit our pupils and their families for future generations.
- Find out more about School Superzones: School Superzones | London City Hall
Published: 24 July 2023