A NEW pilot scheme bringing the benefits of walking directly into schools is proving a hit with pupils and staff at a Midlothian secondary school.
The Walking Schools programme, developed by Walking Scotland, is being piloted in five schools across Scotland. Lasswade High School has emerged as an early success story, with the initiative already reshaping how pupils and staff view walking and active travel.
Over the past year, Walking Scotland Development Officer Gavin Fort has been embedded in Lasswade High, working closely with the school to deliver a wide range of walking-focused activities.
Backed by funding from two of Scotland’s Regional Transport Partnerships – the South East of Scotland Transport (SEStran) Partnership and Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT) – the Walking Schools programme in Midlothian has been made possible thanks to a People and Place grant, funded by the Scottish Government and administered by SEStran. Additionally, SPT is supporting similar initiatives in high schools across Glasgow and North Lanarkshire.
Activities range from curriculum-based walks in PE to lunchtime walking groups offering a more inclusive and supportive route to physical activity.
Gavin Fort, Walking Schools Development Officer at Walking Scotland said: “We offer walking as an activity within core PE and it’s quickly become a favourite. In one recent session, more than 35 pupils opted to continue the walking module, even as the weather turned colder.
“We’ve also introduced smaller walking groups and a lunchtime walk for our S1s has proved invaluable in helping them settle into secondary school life.
“Our routes include local parks, shops and green spaces before looping back to the school. The walks hit a lot of the places that pupils typically visit every day, which helps to build confidence along the way.”
The Scottish Health Survey advises that children and young people should engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day, but report that less than 7 in 10 children are meeting these guidelines. For young people aged 13 to 15, this drops to just over half.
By encouraging young people to build walking habits now, Walking Scotland are reaching those who might not otherwise engage in physical activity. The flexible model supports young people recovering from injury or those simply disinterested in mainstream sports.
This has a lasting positive not only on the individual, but also their community and Scotland as a whole. There is good evidence that walking and wheeling leads to healthier, better connected and more sustainable communities.
Crucially, the feedback from both pupils and staff has been overwhelmingly positive.
Suzanne Yule, Deputy Head at Lasswade High School said: “This has been a game-changer. It gets students moving, engages those who’d usually opt out. Everyone benefits.”
Beth Harley-Jepson, Projects Officer from SEStran, said: “Encouraging more young people to walk as part of their school day is a vital step toward creating healthier, more active communities. The work at Lasswade High shows how walking can be woven into everyday routines in a way that feels natural, inclusive and sustainable.
“We’re proud to support projects like this that promote active travel from an early age.”
Pupil surveys carried out at the start and end of each academic year help monitor the impact of the scheme, including how young people travel, their perceptions of safety, and how walking fits into their wider lifestyle.
The programme reflects Walking Scotland’s wider push to ensure walking and wheeling are prioritised in infrastructure, particularly around schools – a theme also highlighted in their recent manifesto.
Making walking and wheeling part of everyday life is at the heart of Walking Scotland’s mission. It strives to build a healthier, happier, and greener Scotland by providing accessible opportunities for all to stay active.