The journey to learn: Perspectives on active school travel from exemplar schools in New Zealand

Abstract

IntroductionIn New Zealand, as elsewhere, active school travel has declined over recent decades. The emergence of physical inactivity as a global health concern has heightened the need for strategies to reverse this decline. In this paper we question whether ‘exemplar schools’ - those with comparatively high active school travel rates – offer lessons for other schools. We report on a qualitative investigation in these schools to understand school-level enablers and interactions across socio-ecological domains. MethodNine schools (three primary, four middle, and two secondary) were identified through local government contacts across New Zealand – reported estimates of active school travel rates were between 43% and 61%, compared to the New Zealand national rate of 31%. Semi-structured interviews with school representatives explored: school values, policies, and practices; local culture and norms; and perceptions of the street environment. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded, and analysed thematically. ResultsInterview data suggest an interaction between: local community culture and values; school culture and practices; and the physical environment, whereby these elements positively reinforce each other to contribute to active school travel rates above the norm. This interaction was common across all schools; however, context-specific variation in active school travel enablers was evident. Schools supported active travel because physical activity is believed to aid student learning, and this support was conditional on a traffic safety threshold being met. ConclusionThis qualitative inquiry complements other quantitative research by providing narrative around the complex socio-ecological interactions underpinning active school travel. Findings suggest that a thorough understanding of school values and priorities, and community culture are needed to design a context-specific mix of interventions to increase active school travel. Several other implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed.