The whole school community is concerned about the safety of the roads surrounding the school.  We have just under 300 pupils in school and many of them walk to and from school.  The children's safety is our top priority.  As a response, a questionnaire was sent to parents asking them to share their concerns.  The results of the questionnaire were then shared with the local Police who have agreed to work with us and to monitor the roads near the school. 

We have also spent time in lessons teaching children how to cross the roads safely, not to assume that drivers will do the right thing and stop on crossings etc. but we also need the adults who are driving near our school to not only obey the law and drive at or below the speed limit, but to also care and help us to protect our children.

Our Junior Road Safety Officers (JRSOs) are working with PC Ian Shaw.  PC Shaw taught the JRSOs how ot use the speed radars.  One was a laser gun which they had to point at the car bonnet to inform them of the speed of the car.  They also used a radar gun which tracked the speed of cars.  This was used when there was only one car on the road.

When drivers were stopped for speeding they JRSOs spoke to them and asked why they were speeding:

'I didn't know a school was there.' (39 MPH)

'I didn't know 37 was bad.  I apologise' (37 MPH)

'I thought I was doing 30, I'm not sure.' (32 MPH)

They created a graph showing the average speed of the different vehicles on the road and shared their findings with the school and school community. 

Throughout the year they will hold assemblies, lead competitions and other activities to regularly remind and teach children how to be safe when near roads.