STHC Process - Spatial Analysis

Spatial analysis of client input data is carried out using using standard office spatial analysis tools and procedures - MapInfo Geographic Information System (GIS) and Microsoft Office software in conjunction with Ordnance Survey datasets.

Initially we calculate the straight line ("as-the-crow-flies") distance between the centre of each pupils home postcode unit area and both the school the actually attend and the nearest school they could attend given their National Curriculum Year (NCY). Once we know where all the pupils are coming from, how far, how often and by what means they are travelling, and where they are travelling to, we can calculate:-

• the total distance travelled to school and back by all pupils and for all modes of travel recorded in the clients school census data.
• the average distance travelled by particular modes.
• the distance within which the “majority” of pupils live from their school (rather than simply being "more than half", traffic and transport engineers strictly define the "majority" as the 85th percentile ie. the distance within which 85% of the pupils travel).
• the number of pupils that live within a "realistic" walking distance of their school..... (Note: As there is no standard definition of what a "realistic" walking distance is, we have defined the STHC Walk Threshold as 800m for Primary age pupils and 2000m (2 km) for Secondary age pupils. This is broadly based on the 85th percentile "Pupil Home - Actual School Distance" measured by analysis - however see the Calculations section for more details.)
• …as well as the number of those pupils living within this walk threshold who nonetheless still travel to school by car rather than walk or cycle.
• the minimum possible total travel distances for all pupils given the current geographic distribution of the pupil population and the schools that serve them.
• an overall travel carbon footprint for all pupil journeys to school by vehicular modes of travel, and the number of calories burned through walking and cycling journeys.