Bagot Community’s ‘walking bus’ boosts Ludmilla Primary School’s engagement

An innovative program that invites a small Darwin community to join a ‘walking bus’ to go to school has boosted one school's engagement. Watch the video.

The sound of a ringing bell fills kids with excitement as they race down their driveways to hop aboard Bagot Community’s “walking bus” on their way to school.

The program – funded by the National Indigenous Australians Agency – sees up to 25 children rounded up each morning for a brisk walk to Ludmilla Primary School.

Walking bus educator Vanessa White patrols Bagot Community at 7am each day to herd students to Ludmilla, where they enjoy a morning meal through the school’s breakfast program.

The school’s engagement has climbed since the walking bus first hit the pavement in 2015.

Ludmilla Primary School's attendance and engagement has increased thanks to a partnership with the Bagot Community walking school bus program. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Walking Bus Educator Vanessa White and Program Manager Marita Mummery. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Program manager Marita Mummery said it was the walking bus educator’s job to call the school’s attendance support officer each morning to let them know if students do not have a uniform or would need lunch for the day – sometimes it meant marking the kids as absent if they were too sick for class.

“The relationship between the walking bus and the Ludmilla Primary School is a very strong relationship,” she said.

“There’s a lot of communication that goes through first thing in the morning, which helps the children and families throughout the day – like a ‘tick sheet’ for medical appointments if they’re not going to be at school, and the school putting them down as ‘notified’ instead of just being ‘away’.”

Ms Mummery said the walking bus educator also attended school assemblies and morning events to keep families up to date with news from the school.

Ludmilla Primary School student Gordon May gives mum Shaqkayla Bading a goodbye kiss on his way to class with the help of the Bagot Community walking school bus. Picture: Sierra Haigh

Ludmilla Primary School student Gordon May on his way to class. Picture: Sierra Haigh

But without the financial security of long-term funding commitments or the safety of a real bus, the program’s leaders worry the students’ futures are being left in limbo.

“We just get funded a year at a time now, we don’t have any security,” program manager Marita Mummery said.

“If we were able to have a bus, that would make it so much better, so much safer for the kids.

“On days when it’s raining, it’s hard to get the kids to school.”

Ms Mummery said the program’s leaders often used their own cars to ferry groups of students to school on rainy mornings.

Ludmilla Primary School student. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Ludmilla Primary School student. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Ludmilla Primary School assistant principal Danielle Ford said the walking bus had been “incredible” for the school.

“It’s enabled our attendance and engagement to increase,” she said

“It’s also supported us with our relationships with family we’re aware of things that are happening at the community.

“If children are needing that little bit of extra support or a little bit more wraparound (support), we’re able to provide that.”