Last year Moat Farm Junior was ranked 5th nationally but has improved on even that achievement by heading up the list of schools in England taking part in the initially.

Moat Farm weren’t the only Sandwell school celebrating as Yew Tree Primary also made it into the list of the top ten schools in England this spring. Sandwell is the only local authority to have two schools in the top ten.

The schools have been awarded School Walk of Fame Achievements from Living Streets, the UK charity which champions everyday walking.

Pupils at the schools took part in the charity’s initiative WOW (Walk Once a Week) – The Walk to School Challenge.

The scheme encourages children to self-report how they travel to school every day using the interactive day WOW travel tracker.

If they travel sustainably, that is walk, wheel, cycle or scoot, once a week for a month they are rewarded with a badge.

More than a thousand schools in England took part in the challenge and the leader board is based on journeys recorded between the throughout the month of February, and so to be placed anywhere in the top ten is a huge achievement and reflects a high level of consistent active travel to school.

Councillor Simon Hackett, Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for Children and Education, said:

“To be in the top ten nationally is a great achievement and for Sandwell to have two schools in the top ten with one of them coming first is fantastic. I would like to congratulate the pupils and staff at both schools for the effort they have out into this. It’s great how the Sandwell’s children are leading the way and showing how to get healthy and help the environment as well. As adults we can definitely learn from their example.”

Head of School, Mrs Shaw, added:

“Moat Farm Junior School are totally thrilled to be top of the national WOW Leaderboard for February. The children love the Walk of Fame Challenge and it is a great way of being active and looking after our environment. Well done to our children and families – what an achievement!”