« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
SAFELY TO SCHOOL: A STUDY OF SAFER ROUTES TO SCHOOL IN THE CLASSROOM
CHAPTER THREE The challenge facing Scottish schools
Introduction
3.1 This chapter presents the evidence from interviews with key informants, which were conducted in order to inform the research team about the extent to which Safer Routes to School is being implemented in Scotland, and the major challenges that it faces. The main themes to emerge are presented below.
Management of SRTS at local authority level
3.2 Key informants believed that Safer Routes to School developments were limited because of a general lack of communication between relevant organisations and failure to integrate related initiatives. However, they were optimistic that Road Safety Officers and the newly appointed travel co-ordinators would play an increasingly important role. Some were concerned that the 'current lack of visibility' of these co-ordinators might reduce their effectiveness and that steps should be taken to promote their work and develop partnerships. Nevertheless, it was hoped that as travel co-ordinators become established, communication and joint working will increase.
3.3 All agreed that:
Management of SRTS and its related activities varied in emphasis and priority across local authorities. They suggested that ideally SRTS should have a consistent strategic framework yet remain flexible enough to meet local needs.
Most local authorities and schools provide some guidance on safety for pupils concerning school trips and school bus travel. However, there is a dearth of curriculum-based initiatives and resources for SRTS across Scotland.
Limited funding has been available for road safety, and this has impacted on its development in the school curriculum. Some fear that the recently agreed contract of employment for teachers (McCrone Report) has implications for staffing SRTS projects.
There should be clearer links between road safety and the curriculum. Two informants stressed that road safety could be more systematically featured in the Health Education 5-14 Guidelines..
Others advocated that a 'whole school approach' should be adopted to the implementation of road safety in the curriculum in order to avoid fragmentation of delivery.
Informants pointed out that there have been 'too many players', which has resulted in inconsistency and repetition in SRTS. They proposed more co-operation and communication across key national bodies, such as the Scottish Executive, Health Scotland, sportscotland, SUSTRANS, SRSC. Some believed that the Active Primary School Programme could be a 'key vehicle for SRTS' given that part of its focus is active travel to school.
Informants thought that although rural areas are just as affected by road safety issues, they are often overlooked by policy makers and planners. One informant believes that planners perceive rural areas to be 'quiet' compared to urban localities. However, schools in rural areas often lack pavements, road lighting and other measures that promote safety.
Some thought that small schools, located predominantly in rural areas, face additional problems because they rarely have separate car parking for staff and visitors. One informant cited some 'close-calls' where accidents have almost occurred because the school play ground was used as a car park.
Amendments to The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (2001) require councils, schools and bus companies to review their provision for access by April 2004. (This has implications for safety, curb heights, steps onto buses/chair lifts, etc.)
Issues of funding
3.4 Informants believed that most of the funds available for Safer Routes to Schools had been spent on the engineering aspects of road safety, eg traffic-calming arrangements around schools. Typically these initiatives were funded and overseen by local authority transport departments and were generally more expensive than curriculum development. However, informants pointed out that both were equally important to the successful implementation of SRTS. There was general agreement that progress of SRTS was hindered by local authorities' failure to integrate education and engineering measures. In addition, some informants pointed out that as a consequence of devolved budgets, the allocation of funding at school level was dependent upon headteachers' priorities.
SRTS in schools and interesting curriculum developments
3.5 There was consensus that examples of good practice for Safer Routes to School could be identified, but that these were not widespread throughout schools and local authorities in Scotland. Development was influenced by the priorities of key individuals, such as Directors of Education and headteachers. One informant believed that recommendations for road safety linked to 5-14 Guidelines were required. Most characterised the development of SRTS in the curriculum as 'piecemeal', lacking in coherence, and not necessarily geared to the age or stage of the pupil. Resources varied in quality, and in the extent to which schools and local authorities used them, as did available training for teaching. One person suggested that SRTS was best provided by teachers, with support from external agencies. It was, however, agreed that more appropriate resources and curriculum input were beginning to develop.
Examples of Safer Routes in the curriculum
3.6 Informants identified a number of examples which illustrate ways in which SRTS has been embedded in the curriculum in some schools. These include:
The development of SRSC resources for secondary schools which can be used by teachers preparing pupils for 5-14 Levels D and E in the lower secondary. Examples of work at Level D require pupils to identify ways in which the local environment can affect their health; whereas Level E examples develop decision-making skills based upon whether to wear a cycle helmet. These resources were accompanied by complementary guidelines that linked to existing 5-14 education guidelines and targets.
The SRSC has produced Streetsense as a resource for use in all Scottish primary schools. It was developed with assistance from two seconded primary school teachers and all activities link to road safety attainment targets within the Health Education 5-14 National Guidelines. The pack includes teachers' notes, lesson plans and pupil activities. Two secondary school teachers have been seconded to the SRSC to modify the content of the resource for use in secondary schools.
The SRSC resources also include activities and information for parents and carers concerning walking with children. All resources will be accessible via a website and on a CD-ROM so that local authorities and teachers may adapt them to local circumstances. All are accompanied by notes for teachers with guidance on how to link them to the 5-14 Guidelines. The website has addresses for further support and there are extra activities for extension work.
The Scottish School Board Association believed that a safe school travel educational resource produced by the former Strathclyde Region and the SSBA was a rare example of a quality curriculum resource ( Safe School Travel is Cool Travel, SSBA and Strathclyde Region, 1995).
The West Lothian example
3.7 A number of informants identified developments in West Lothian as examples of good practice. During the past 5 years the local authority has been developing support for SRTS for schools and children. Combined funding from both the Education and Transport Departments has been used to appoint a specialist co-ordinator. This person has a teaching background but is based with the local police force. This 'sharing' of the post and responsibilities has, it is claimed, greatly improved joint working, communication and effective practice. More importantly, SRTS is accorded priority status at a strategic level, since its overall management resides with the Head of the Council's Development and Regulatory Services.
3.8 The co-ordinator has embarked upon a Safer Routes to School Charter funded by West Lothian Council and supported by Standard Life. Currently 44 of the council's schools subscribe to the Charter. Schools may be awarded the Charter at Gold, Silver or Bronze levels after completing a choice of tasks which demonstrate commitment to safer routes (eg the production of travel-to-school plans). The Award lasts for three years after which time schools have to re-apply in order to show that they are maintaining their activities to promote safer routes work. The school provides evidence that they have met targets by submitting lesson plans, policies, and portfolios of project work. Training is an essential part of the process and schools have to work with parents and School Boards, and also provide staff and parents with training. The initiative is designed to fit within wider healthy living approaches and reflect current local road safety issues. Other West Lothian developments included:
All primary schools now have 20 mph zones during school hours. This development is linked to the P6 work for the Charter Award which addresses traffic trails.
There has been a growth in the number of cycle projects, and cycle training is provided by SRSC for teachers. As a result of a review of the SRSC Scottish Cycle Training Scheme in 1998 1, a new cycle training scheme was developed. The revised scheme took account of developments that had taken place in the primary school curriculum and in the area of sustainable transport. The scheme has been made available to schools through local authority Road Safety Units.
In addition, the Active Primary School Programme co-ordinators liaise with those involved and facilitate after-school activities, such as off-road cycle path training. Other developments concerning the promotion of safety for cycling have been linked to the Scottish Cycle Development Council which provides family weekend cycle courses. Over 1,500 children have been trained. The council is also supporting such developments with a 'Pedal and Park' initiative and the installation of chains for cycles on walls and railings, following a suggestion from pupils. This provided a low cost effective alternative to racks and shelters. The supporting pack includes reflective stickers, cycle maintenance booklets, postcode security labelling kit, and guidance on cycle safety, the use of helmets, high-visibility clothing, and discussing routes with parents. The council will also provide a helmet free of charge to families who cannot afford to purchase one.
A project for secondary schools is currently being developed by seconded teachers and resourced by Lothian and Borders police and Standard Life. It will include the integration of schools' policies, local bus policies, and a pack for use with S1 and S2 pupils, driving courses for S6, and eventually 20mph zones around secondary schools.
Examples of other initiatives
3.9 Informants provided examples of other initiatives taken in various local authorities. These include:
- A Junior Road Safety Officer 2 programme in primary schools, in which two pupils were elected from P6-P7 to promote road safety in their school using peer education;
- A Director of Transport is involved with the Scottish School Travel Advisory Group (SSTAG) Commission which looked at guidance for safer routes;
- A local authority education department which has produced clear literature and guidance for parents on Safer Routes to School;
- A local authority education department which has been active in improving safer transport to school in rural areas; and
- A local authority education department which is committed to promoting Safer Routes to School.
Evidence of 'identifiable impact' for SRTS
3.10 Informants reported a lack of robust evidence to show the impact of SRTS work. However, they quoted anecdotal reports that these programmes were welcome and helpful.
Barriers and facilitators
3.11 Most believed that a lack of communication and focus were the two main barriers to effective SRTS work. These prevented good practice from being extended across schools. Further problems were caused by the number of people and organisations involved in safer routes and active travel and the lack of shared aims and approaches. Informants suggested that 'what works and how best to implement it' should be disseminated more widely.
3.12 Another informant stressed the importance of having a key person in each school who can 'drive the initiative and bed it into the school and curriculum'. Experience had shown that in the absence of such people resources 'would be used briefly and then sit on the shelf'.
3.13 Some reported that engineering measures can be problematic in that drivers attempt to steer around speed bumps bringing them very close to the kerb. They also ignore zigzag markings outside schools because there is no legislation to enforce their use.
Definitions of 'good practice' and views on promoting SRTS
3.14 Key informants suggest that SRTS good practice is characterised by:
Consistency across schools and local authorities, but with flexibility to suit local needs;
Initiatives and measures that are feasible, realistic, user-friendly, and promote a sense of ownership among teachers and pupils;
Links with the wider curriculum. Ideally, SRTS content should feature in a spiral curriculum from primary school through to secondary schools using a cross-curriculum approach. One informant stressed that 'teachers need to be able to see the links otherwise they will not use it';
Adequate resources to sustain the initiative over time;
Involvement of pupils by taking account of their needs and ideas for road safety, and their ability to act as peer educators;
Good, clear communication amongst partners, in order to prevent teachers becoming frustrated by apparent confusion and overlap;
A sharing of good practice, ideas and programmes;
Involvement of the local community and parents. Informants stressed that 'they [parents] are the key to all of this', and that all SRTS work needed to stress the wider benefits of safer/active routes to school, particularly the health benefits;
Monitoring of initiatives and feedback to key organisations to assist the development of programmes and demonstrate impact. Currently, informants believe that there is too little monitoring and evaluation;
Joined up programmes with key partners including teachers, pupils, parents, police, road safety officers and other health agencies; and
Local policies and initiatives involving a person, or a small number of co-ordinators, who have a strategic overview of education, transport and police developments and resources.
Conclusions
3.15 Information from key informants reveals that:
There are a growing number of initiatives at local and national level that address safer travel to school and related issues, either directly or as part of a wider remit.
There is a general lack of awareness about such initiatives which leads to duplication of effort and potential confusion. Schools in particular are seen to be puzzled by the plethora of initiatives with a similar focus and aims.
There is a dearth of robust evaluations of the effectiveness of SRTS, which also take into account the complex issues involved.
There is a common view on what constitutes good practice in SRTS and informants were able to identify some examples.
There is a need for greater communication amongst key organisations involved with safer, active and sustainable travel, and a need for a key co-ordinator at local level who has an overview of education, transport and police developments and resources.
There is a need to integrate Safer Routes to School within the curriculum using a cross-curriculum approach, with teachers who are committed and appropriately trained.
There is some concern about the sustainability of various Safer Routes to School work. To make an impact and maintain the interest of teachers, informants believe that there needs to be a longer-term investment of time and resources.
Finally, key informants stressed that greater pupil involvement in the design of local SRTS programmes is essential in order for such provision to reflect their needs. There is also scope for young people to act as peer educators. The involvement of the local community and parents was also seen as fundamental.
« Previous | Contents | Next »