Mead Vale Primary School Tops North Somerset in Big Walk and Wheel 2026 Challenge
By Schools Correspondent
Pupils at Mead Vale Community Primary School in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, are celebrating after finishing first in North Somerset in the UK’s biggest inter-school active travel challenge, the Big Walk and Wheel 2026.
Organised by Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (formerly Sustrans), the national event ran from 16–27 March 2026, encouraging children and families to walk, wheel, cycle or scoot to school to improve health, reduce congestion and cut air pollution.
Mead Vale, the second most improved school in the county, delivered an exceptional performance.
Over the course of the challenge, pupils completed an incredible 1,702 journeys,
demonstrating a strong commitment to healthier, more sustainable school travel.
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Abbie Edbrooke, Sustainable Travel and Road Safety Officer, North Somerset Council congratulated the school, saying:
“I’d like to extend my congratulations to you and the whole Mead
Vale Community Primary School on achieving 1st place in North Somerset in the National Big Walk and Wheel Challenge 2026.
"Reaching an outstanding 86.73% of journeys made by active travel is an exceptional achievement. Pupils completed an incredible 1,702 journeys during the challenge - an effort that clearly demonstrates your school's
commitment to active, healthy and sustainable travel.”
The success at Mead Vale contributed to a wider achievement across the area.
Alongside 32 other schools, North Somerset pupils recorded 47,848 active journeys, meaning the same number of short car trips were avoided outside school gates—helping to create cleaner, safer and calmer neighbourhoods in just ten school days.
Headteacher Jo Jaloszynski said:
“We are incredibly proud of our pupils for this amazing achievement. Not only have they secured first place, but they’ve shown real dedication to making healthier and more sustainable choices.
It’s fantastic to see the positive impact this has had on their wellbeing and our school community. The children are wearing their achievement badges
with such pride.”
For many children, the journey to and from school is their most consistent opportunity for daily physical activity.
Initiatives like the Big Walk and Wheel support pupils in arriving at school feeling
more energised, focused and ready to learn, with benefits that extend far beyond the challenge itself.
With their first-place finish, Mead Vale Community Primary School has set a powerful example of what can be achieved when a whole school community comes together.
We’d also like to celebrate the achievements of Milton Park Primary School who topped the table for ‘Most Improved’ with an exceptional turnaround and the largest year-on-year increase recorded.
Banwell and Oldmixon placed 5 and 6 respectively in the most improved schools for 2025-2026.
