Local councillor Clare Sutton has been encouragin me for a while to visit the new walking bus that is so successful at Holy Trinity school.  I met thre three governors that have done so much to set it up and Chapelhay Gardens and at 8.30am we set off.

Dressed in our reflective jackets, and joined by the local Police Community Support Officer, we walked in an orderly crocodile to the school.  As we turned into Cross Road we were joined by another bus walking up from Wyke.  The atmosphere was great - almost like a carnival procession. 

I'm told children arrive more ready to learn becuase they've burned off a bit of energy and chatted to their mates en route.  Obviously it also makes the roads around the school safer, with fewer cars, and its great for the environment.

When I'd handed back my jacket I then was shown around the new school by the headteacher Mark Cheesley.

Holy Trinity is one of the largest primaries in Dorset with just under 700 pupils.  But the new school still feels light and spacious and all the children seemed really happy and learning well.  The design is clever and when the old school has been demolished there will be huge amounts of space for everyone to run around.

While I was there I ran in to Finbarr one of the Echo photographers.  He taking the class photos so I snuck in behind and took one myself:

The only problem is the old one of traffic around it - time to get on that walking bus, it is free!