Education and training

• Early Years Foundation Stage
• Primary and comprehensive schools
• Sixth form / colleges
• Promoting Independent Travel

Early years foundation stage (EYFS) road safety visits

Road safety education starts with our youngest road users. Nurseries, play schools and early years foundation stage settings (EYFS) can access a free resource tool kit to help deliver road safety messages.

This multi-media resource is called "The Children's Traffic Club". It includes three DVDs and a leaders' guide. The Children's Traffic Club contains 48 weeks' worth of materials. It has been designed to follow the child's development.

Characters, stories, games and songs are used to help deliver key concepts of the course. An accompanying website hosts additional resources. The material can be used each year on a new group of children to promote road safety education.

The resource complements the foundation stage of pre-school learning objectives stated in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation and supports the five outcomes of Every Child Matters.

It also links to the three prime areas of the Early Years framework:

• Communication and language
• Physical
• Personal, social and emotional development

We also provide a free loan service of road safety role play equipment that can be used to accompany your own road safety activities.

Please contact the Road Safety Team for more information.

Primary and comprehensive schools (key stage 1, 2, 3,& 4)

Road safety education is tailored to suit the needs of each year group through presentations, activities and workshops. Young road users, at this stage, are encouraged to develop their own strategy for coping with the road environment. An emphasis is placed on the importance of making safe choices.

Topics covered include:

• pedestrian safety
• passenger safety
• cycle safety

Schools are welcome to contact us. Road safety visits can be tailored to suit particular curriculum areas. Our lesson plans are linked to the national curriculum. 

Please contact the Road Safety Team on 0191 4333107 to organise a visit.

Many of our Gateshead schools are involved in the Schools Go Smarter project, which seeks to encourage safe and active travel to school by foot, cycle and public transport. 

It also aims to ensure that motorists give consideration to the needs of all road users when they park near schools. 

Learn more about the Schools Go Smarter (opens new window) project.

If you would like to join the Schools Go Smarter project, please contact the Road Safety Team for more information.

Gateshead schools have the opportunity to visit Safety Works. Safety Works is a multi-agency interactive safety centre serving the community of Tyne and Wear.

Safety Works provides an innovative learning experience. Visitors can take part in realistic situations illustrating everyday hazards and how to prevent them. The realistic scenarios in Safety Works creates an immersive learning experience. An enhanced level of knowledge is acquired and messages are remembered for longer.

Staff from our Road Safety Team facilitate the road safety scenario at Safety Works when Gateshead schools and groups visit the Centre.

To organise a visit for your school or group please contact the Safety Works Centre Manager on 0191 4441130.

Learn more about Safety Works (opens new window).

Cycle training

The Road Safety Team in Gateshead delivers 'Bikeability' on-road cycle training. Bikeability is offered to all primary school age children aged 9-11.

Bikeability is 'cycling proficiency' for the 21st century and is designed to give young road users the skills and confidence to ride their bikes on today's roads. 

Bikeability takes place during school hours over a period of six weeks and consists of six 1½ hour sessions.

In order to complete the course and receive a certificate, each child must complete a minimum of 4 weeks out of the 6 week course.

The first session of training is conducted on the school playground, and starts with a safety check of the children's cycles and helmets.  This is followed by a check of the children's cycle control skills.  They should be able to look behind without wobbling and be able to take one hand off the handlebars in order to signal.  If during the first session it appears that a child does not have the necessary control of the bike they will not be allowed to continue on to the on-road sessions.  This will not be deemed a failure but will demonstrate to the children and parents the basic level of skill required to ride a bike safely on the road. Usually children have the opportunity to participate in Bikeability Training in year 5 or 6 at Primary School.

Please contact the Road Safety Team on 0191 4333107 to discuss Bikeability or contact your school to see when Bikeability is taking place in your school. 

Child pedestrian training

Child pedestrian training is aimed at Year 3 and Year 4 pupils in Primary School, and is delivered through the Go Smarter to Schools project. Children are encouraged to develop strategies for crossing the road safely and supervised by road safety trainers children learn to:-

• Choose Safer Places to Cross the Road
• Crossing Safely near Parked Cars
• Crossing Safely at Junctions.

To arrange for your school to take part in the training please contact the Road Safety Team on 0191 4333107. 

Walking buses

To encourage parents and children to walk to school a 'walking bus' can be set up at your primary school. Using parent volunteers groups of children can walk along a specified route to school with a 'driver' and 'conductor' for the bus.  

If you are keen to have a walking bus at your school please contact the Road Safety Team on  0191 4333107. 

Sixth form / colleges

In sixth forms and colleges, particular focus is given to pre-licence and newly qualified licence holders.

With this group of road users we aim to:

• raise awareness and understanding
• educate young drivers and passengers to the potential consequences of their actions
• positively change attitudes
• influence intended or actual behaviour
• increase knowledge and improve safety on the road

Please contact the Road Safety Team to organise a visit to work with your students.

Promoting independent travel - adults with learning disabilities

The Road Safety Team delivers independent travel training for adults with learning disabilities. Trainers work with clients to develop skills for safe travel as pedestrians, cyclists or passengers on public transport.

Training is very much tailored to suit the individual whether or not they will become independent travellers. However, independent travel training contributes to the overall safety and wellbeing of the individual in terms confidence, self-esteem and positive life improvements.

For those who can ride non-adapted cycles, courses and cycle rides are delivered throughout the year. The sessions are free and open to community base service users, parent/carers and staff. 

For more information on Independent Travel Training please contact the Safety Team on 0191 4333107.