Christ Church School
From car park to playground
Anna Fairhurst is Deputy Head Academic at Christ Church Cathedral School, a small, city centre school with a focus on music. The school has around 65 staff, most of whom are in every day, plus an unusually large number of music teachers who are there on different days and at different times. Anna explains how the school successfully reduced their staff parking spaces so their students could play there instead.
Half of our staff live outside Oxford, so we’ve always had staff parking. Around 22 cars were parked in the same playground the children used at breaktime: a problem, but one it seemed impossible to fix. Pupils complained about not having enough space to play – it really was a small space - and there was constant concern about cars being damaged.
Last year we started thinking the impossible: what if we got rid of the parking and gave the space to the children? The leadership team started to talk to staff casually about trying different approaches to driving, and we started to walk the talk ourselves, which generated lots of opportunity for conversations. For example, I come in with my son on the train, and he scoots to school while I cycle the last bit.
After a little while, we started to talk more formally about removing the parking. We emphasised the health and environmental benefits, and the fact that we wanted to take action ahead of the County Council introducing a Workplace Parking Levy, but most of all the benefits of the children having more space to play. This is, after all, the core purpose of our organisation – providing our children with the best possible experience and environment.
Staff were willing to give it a go – many tried the switch, and several said they’d just needed a push and a bit of collective ‘right, we’re doing this’ to give alternatives a go. Some people found it harder and went back to driving for a bit but then gave another method a go later. People also tested various routes: train, P&R, bus, cycling, a combination. The alternatives turned out to be easier than they’d thought, and often easier than driving - so we cut a lot of demand for parking before changing any official policies.
Then in September after listening to staff experiences, we decided to change the car park from Easter 2024: cutting 65% of spaces and extending the pupil playground. As a leadership team we were definitely concerned about this. The quality of our teachers is what makes our school what it is, and we did not want any of them to leave. We were really pleasantly surprised by the reaction. Colleagues knew why we wanted to make the change, and they were supportive of the goals. Some were worried about it, but the ones who hadn’t yet tried out alternatives were all willing to give it a go.
We asked staff who really needed to drive to apply for one of the eight remaining parking spaces outside the main school, stating when they’d need it. Again, we were really impressed. Staff took this seriously, and only a small number with very good reasons asked to park at school. One colleague has requested a space for 2 days, taking the bus on the other 3 days - when that space is used by music teachers. Another couple of distant staff now carpool, now taking up one space rather than two.
We’re really proud of our staff for showing leadership on this, and we’re now working with parents who want to travel more sustainably. We really encourage cycling and scooting in where possible, and offer Bikeability cycle training in Year 5 and a safe place where bikes can be stored, and we allow pupils to come to school in Games kit when they have afternoon PE, so they have less to carry. We also now provide a minibus service with two bus routes every weekday for students who live further away.
The parking turning to a playground has caused a huge shift in the way adults come to our site. Colleagues have worked together to take responsibility for reducing the number of cars at school for the benefit of the children and the environment. Not one member of staff has left because of this, and everyone is delighted with the results: parents, staff, prospective parents - and most of all our pupils.
Top tips for other employers:
Start! And don’t assume the worst
We were nervous about doing this and starting the conversations. We really worried about recruitment and retention, but looking back, I would say don’t let the fears become overblown in your head and actually start. Whatever problem you have with parking isn’t going to go away by itself, so pull that plaster off!
It doesn’t have to be all or nothing
Some staff will need to drive all the time, and some will need to drive some days. The ones who are prepared to partial swap or share lifts really help the whole system to work. If everyone changed from driving for one day in a working week this would mean 20% fewer cars on the roads! It would utterly transform Oxford, and everyone’s experience of getting to work.
Model from the top
Senior managers and leaders must model it. Maybe not all of them, but it will really undermine the argument and feelings around it if people hear senior staff asking them to change and not doing it themselves. It’s obvious, but essential. It’s also easier to start those early, casual conversations when you mention your bus ride, or come into a meeting with your helmet, before more formal discussions start.
Let people try the alternative
Make it clear it’s ok to go back to driving if it doesn’t work for someone. One staff member tried one way and didn’t like it, but then tried another way a month later and it worked. Do not give the impression that ‘a trial’ is in fact a permanent removal of their parking permit. Without a sense that it is a genuine trial, you’re unlikely to get many people to actually experience the alternatives for themselves, which is absolutely key.
Keep your WHY at the heart of it
Our pupils are the reason our school exists. Everyone agreed that the extra space for them to play was vital, and they could see and feel the difference immediately afterwards. People often don’t consider the land used for carparking and that it could be used for something better to do with your core purpose or to solve a business problem that you’re battling – changing from cars could mean extra office space, more storage for your goods, a more functional site – all sorts of things!
