Road safety scheme in schools comes to the end of its first year

The Green Cross Code has been drilled in to year six students as they prepare their new journey plans for secondary school in September.

The end of this school year is the first year the new Road Safety School has been rolled out into junior and primary schools in Maidenhead and Windsor by the Royal Borough.

Imogen Leonard, a road safety officer for the borough, has been working with pupils in years three, four and six, getting them to realise the dangers of the roads and how to remain safe while walking.

This week she spoke to pupils at All Saints CE Junior School, who will be doing a mix of walking, cycling and getting public transport to their new school in September.

Imogen told children at the Westborough Road school: “Every day a child is hurt on roads going to and from school. You are responsible for your own safety and so you need to think each time how to be safe on your journey.

“Always stop, think, look and listen, before you cross.

“Girls are just as likely as boys now to be involved in an incident due to distractions such as playing music and looking at phones.”

An hour-long session with Imogen looks at how to plan a route using the safest crossing points, to avoid dangerous junctions and to stick to footpaths. She gave all the students homework of mapping out the route from home to their new secondary school before September.

After class, Imogen added practice with parents is just as important as what she tells pupils.She said: “By actively showing children what to do they will learn. Even on the school run when you pick them up after school, park just that bit further away and ask them how you can get to the car safely.”

Amelie Owen, 11, enjoyed the session with Imogen. She said: “I didn’t know about dangerous junctions before, or the Green Cross Code. I’ll go and look at my route to school now as I will be cycling.”

Each school in the borough is offered the sessions. Imogen will continue to work with the schools already signed up, next year visiting those who have moved up into year four following on from what they learn in year three, and ensuring all year six pupils are prepared to travel independently to school.