The latest Modeshift STARS Education League Tables are here, and there has been plenty of movement since the Winter rankings. Local Authorities across the country continue to support schools in promoting active and sustainable travel, with some impressive climbs and a familiar face returning to the top spot.

Latest STARS Education League Tables – Spring 2026

This was a record-breaking Spring accreditation window. A total of 276 STARS Education submissions were received – the highest ever for this period – with 217 achieving Good or above accreditation. As a result, we’re proud to celebrate a new milestone of 1,617 accredited STARS Education sites nationwide.

Below, we highlight some of the standout performances in both the small and large Local Authority categories.

Small Local Authorities (less than 100 schools)

Several smaller authorities have made significant progress this spring, demonstrating that size is no barrier to success.

• Thurrock has climbed to second place in the Small Local Authority category, reflecting strong engagement with schools and a proactive programme of campaigns and activities.
• Rutland has secured a place in the top ten – a remarkable achievement for one of the most rural unitary authorities in England, where promoting active travel can present unique challenges.
• Southampton continues to lead the way, maintaining its position at the top of the Small Local Authority rankings.

How they did it

Sukhvinder Gill, Sustainable Behaviour Change Officer at Rutland Council, said:

‘Being a small rural county poses some real challenges when it comes to promoting active and sustainable travel in Rutland. Add to this the fact that there is only one person at the council, allocating part of their time to promoting and supporting the scheme, then here at the council we have had to adopt a very targeted approach in promoting and supporting schools to achieve their accreditation. We have succeeded by focussing on those schools that are either currently engaging with the scheme or have done so in the past. These schools are going to be more receptive to the benefits of the scheme and are therefore better placed to encourage parents and pupils alike to adopt healthier and more active travel options’.

Julie Cooper, Road Safety Lead at Thurrock Council, said:

‘Our success comes down to working closely with schools, supporting them whenever they need help, and keeping them engaged through campaigns and activities. I really enjoy what I do, and it’s great to see schools embracing STARS and achieving accreditation as a result.’

Large Local Authorities (more than 100 schools)

The Large Local Authority category has seen another reshuffle this season, with South Gloucestershire reclaiming the top spot.

• South Gloucestershire has returned to first place with an impressive 33% of schools accredited.
• Bristol has broken into the top ten, climbing from eleventh to ninth place with 21.2% of schools accredited.
• The competition among the leading authorities remains strong, with more schools than ever progressing through the accreditation levels.

How they did it

Catherine McCoy, Lead Road Safety Officer – Sustainable Travel at South Gloucestershire Council, said:

‘It’s a real privilege to lead the Modeshift STARS Education League among large local authorities. This achievement reflects the dedication of our schools and the enthusiasm of their pupils, who are working together every day to make a positive difference to the environment.

We’ve developed strong relationships with our schools’ Active Travel Champions, supporting them not only through the accreditation process but in creating meaningful, tailored changes that make a real difference for their pupils. We are also fortunate to receive funding support from our climate emergency colleagues, which helps us reduce barriers to active travel by providing infrastructure such as bike and scooter storage and waiting shelters—enabling schools to build on and sustain improvements in travel behaviour.  Together, this work helps reduce short car journeys at peak times, protecting our environment while encouraging healthier, more active lifestyles for children, easing congestion around schools, and improving local air quality’.

Bryony Brooks, Principal School Active Travel Officer at Bristol City Council, said:

‘The School’s Active Travel Team at Bristol City Council are delighted to be in the Modeshift top ten for the percentage of accredited schools and for 39 of these accreditations being the ‘Good’ level or above! Over the past year, we have grown our reach across Bristol recruiting many new schools to our free behaviour change programme. We are proud to offer schools bespoke guidance, support and a whole host of free council led assemblies, workshops and events which promote active and sustainable travel. We have focussed on developing strong relationships with our school champions and tailoring our offers to suit the needs of each individual school. We have also introduced a new reward system to encourage schools to achieve their Modeshift STARS award and to move up through the levels of accreditation whilst overcoming barrier such as grants for a lack of cycle storage. We pride ourselves in providing schools with a ‘one stop shop’ approach, signposting them to relevant teams within the council, sending opportunities to contribute to co-design of transport related projects and keeping them up to date with local changes. We hope to continue to increase our number of accredited schools and hope to see more of our schools moving up to the higher levels of accreditation.’

 A huge well done to all!

Congratulations to all the Local Authorities, schools, and teams working tirelessly to deliver positive change. We can’t wait to see what the next update brings.

The next accreditation window closes on 31 July . You don’t need to wait for the deadline to make your submission!