Last year Modeshift established  a STARS Education Focus Group made up of Modeshift staff  and experienced representatives from local authorities, and schools that participate in the STARS scheme, some of which have achieved high levels of accreditation, including National STARS Schools of the Year.

The group is led by Modeshift STARS Programme Manager, Cheryl Ford Lyddon 

Cheryl told us;  “The key ambition of the Focus Group is to improve and grow STARS for all users,  share best practice with the objective to recruit more schools and sign them up to STARS with effective accredited Travel Plans.  It is essential that we listen to our member’s  feedback to meet our shared objectives. This is one of the reasons we established the Focus Group, to listen to ideas, consider how we share best practice, resources  and what training is required  to ensure we provide an exceptional service to all our Members regardless of their accreditation status.”

Focus Group Objectives

• Making STARS bigger
• Making STARS achieve results
• Making STARS better for you and other users
• Sharing best practice and experiences

Here are some hints and top tips shared by our Modeshift Board STARS Education Executive, Sue O’Brien

• A School Travel Plan is a good addition for your Ofsted requirements.
• A School Travel Plan Co Ordinator can use the Travel Plan towards their Personal Development Plan.  They are also given extra time within school to work on this.
• New registered schools should be encouraged to conduct pupil surveys before carrying out initiatives. They should then see the reduction in single occupancy car use over time.
• When using the STARS system for the first time, save information as you go along to check that you are entering data correctly.
• Ensure you have all the information you require to hand before you begin entering on the database so you do not get a  “timed out” notification.

Here are some hints and top tips shared by Mandi Slater, Senior Travel Demand Management Officer Birmingham City Council

•  When starting your Travel Plan, set up a shared folder on your schools IT system to drop in any evidence of activities that your school is engages with.  That way everyone can contribute to the Travel Plan and it makes the Travel Plan Coordinator’s job much easier.
• In secondary schools, find out of there is someone in pastoral care who can support the Travel Plan Champion.  They can be a great source of information and usually know everyone around the school.  They can help signpost people in the right direction and let you know who to speak to.
• Get your local authority  on board! A proactive local authority can make all the difference to support the development of Travel Plans.
• Take a copy of the Education Initiative guide to your first STARS meeting, during the meeting highlight those things that the school has already done.  That way they can see how close they are to achieving a ‘Good’ level Travel Plan from the start. This is great motivation!

If you have any questions or ideas to share, please do not hesitate to get in contact with the team by emailing info@modeshift.org.uk