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| Scottish schools will be
taking lessons in road safety, thanks to a national strategy |
The Scottish Road Safety Campaign (SRSC) has developed a national
strategy for road safety education (RSE) for all schools in Scotland,
covering pre-school, primary, secondary and special educational
needs. The strategy is a structured and long-term approach to RSE,
which aims to ensure that all children and young people in Scotland
receive a minimum amount of RSE at school.
The national strategy for RSE is based on research into RSE in Scottish
schools. The research put forward a list of recommendations, which
now form the basis of the strategy:
• RSE guidelines should be developed so that there is a consistent
approach to RSE in schools throughout Scotland. RSE should be incremental
and progressive.
• All children and young people should receive a minimum amount
of RSE, covering various topics at certain times.
• RSE should link to national educational guidelines, in particular
to the Health Education 5-14 National Guidelines and Citizenship.
• RSE should be taught in Personal and Social Development
(PSD) within “personal safety”. It should focus on a
wider programme of “survival skills”.
• Main responsibility for RSE should be the class teacher
in primary school and the teacher, responsible for PSD, in secondary
school.
• RSE materials should be teacher- and pupil-friendly. They
should be available from the SRSC website and as hard copies.
• Road safety officers should adopt a more facilitative role,
providing support to schools and teachers in teaching RSE and influencing
local authority education departments and headteachers to teach
and sustain RSE.
• Additional support should be given to target groups, for
example young teenage boys in Social Inclusion Partnerships.
• The “image” of road safety should be addressed.
• The strategy should be endorsed at the highest level, for
example by the Scottish Minister for Education.
A RSE Strategy Steering Group has been established to take the recommendations
forward. Representatives from education, road safety and health
sit on this steering group. The aim of the group is to develop the
strategy, working in partnership with other relevant organisations
and professionals. An Education Officer has been appointed to oversee
the implementation of the strategy, under the guidance of the steering
group. The SRSC has produced a range of educational resources that
are free of charge to all schools in Scotland. All new resources
are also online at: www.srsc.org.uk
Pre-school
The Children’s Traffic Club in Scotland (CTCS) Nursery and
Playgroup Pack includes a nursery and playgroup guide, curricular
links to “A Curriculum Framework for Children Aged Three to
Five”, posters and additional materials. Gym Cards link to
themes in the CTCS Nursery and Playgroup Pack and there are curricular
links, focusing in particular on Physical Development and Movement
in “A Curriculum Framework for Children Aged Three to Five”.
Primary
The Scottish Cycle Training Scheme (SCTS) covers the basics of cycling
and other associated issues, such as risks and responsibilities.
It links to the Health Education 5-14 National Guidelines. The Primary
6 Play The Journey is forum theatre and invites audience participation
throughout the play. A support pack for the play, which links to
Expressive Arts – Drama 5-14 National Guidelines, will be
produced in Autumn 2003.
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| “The SRSC strategy is a
structured and long-term approach to road safety education” |
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The Junior Road Safety Officer (JRSO) Scheme encourages peer education
by empowering pupils to address local road safety issues around
their school. It links to Citizenship and is aimed at pupils in
Primary 6 or 7. Streetwise Guys website (www.streetwiseguys.co.uk)
is aimed at 8 to 14 year olds. The website uses interactive games
to educate young people about road safety. There are curricular
links to Information and Communications Technology and Health Education
5-14 National Guidelines. Streetsense is a new primary resource
for Primary 1 to Primary 7, covering Levels A to E. It will be launched
in September 2003. Streetsense includes Teachers’ Notes, Suggested
Lesson Plans and Pupil Activities.
Secondary
S1/S2 PSD Road Safety Education is a lower secondary resource with
Teachers’ Notes, Suggested Lesson Plans and Pupil Activities.
There are curricular links to the Health Education 5-14 National
Guidelines. It also includes support materials for the S1 road safety
play The Nine Lives of Roddy Hogg.
For more information, contact the
Scottish Road Safety Campaign (SRSC)
Heriot Watt Research Park (North)
Riccarton,Edinburgh EH14 4AP
Tel: 0131 472 9200 Fax: 0131
472 9201
E-mail: enquiries@srsc.org.uk
Website: www.srsc.org.uk |
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