The scheme works on the assumption that parents and pupils will be encouraged to walk to and from school every Wednesday in every week of the school year.

At the start of the initiative, every child who agrees to join the “WoW” scheme will receive a certificate as a way of recognising their commitment to the scheme. On a monthly basis, badges are awarded to every child who has walked to and from school every Wednesday of the month as a way of congratulating them. To maintain interest in the scheme, the colour of the badge changes every month. At the end of every year, schools who promote WoW receive a plaque for presentation in the school grounds.

Some schools may find it difficult to promote walking to and from school every Wednesday. Where this is the case, the scheme can be adapted to suit an individual school’s needs, with the regularity of the promotion changing – ie. a school may decide to promote walking to and from school one Wednesday every term, every month or every fortnight. Where this is the case, the reward system should vary too – i.e. badges could be given out at the end of every term rather than at the end of every month.

Clearly, this adaptation of the scheme means that schools may not achieve as much of an increase in the number of pupils walking to and from school regularly as they might if they chose to promote the scheme every Wednesday of the school year.