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CHAPTER FIVE QUALITATIVE RESEARCH FINDINGS

5.1 Telephone interviews with teachers

5.1.1 As described in section 2.4, 36 teachers, from 17 local authorities, participated in a semi-structured telephone interview to explore opinions on the S1/S2 PSD Road Safety Education resource in more detail. The results of the interviews are presented under three key themes: the organisation of PSE and road safety education; PSE resources used and teachers' opinions of the existing resource; and ideas for a new resource.

Organisation of PSE and road safety education

5.1.2 All teachers interviewed used the term Personal and Social Education ( PSE) rather Personal and Social Development ( PSD), with two schools preferring to use Personal, Social and Health Education ( PSHE). Every school had a specific timetabled PSE lesson, which was generally around 50 minutes long. The minimum time given for a lesson was 30 minutes (one school) and the maximum was 80 minutes. Most schools provided one period per week for PSE for both S1 and S2, with a few schools giving more than one period. Two schools also offered separate lessons in Citizenship.

5.1.3 In the majority of schools PSE was taught by Guidance teachers, although some schools were also reliant on other teachers. All respondents indicated that they did not think that Curriculum for Excellence would change the way in which PSE was organised.

5.1.4 Road Safety Education tended to be taught more in S1 than S2 (see Table 5.11). The time given to road safety education in S1 was largely equivalent to that given to other topics such as sex education and drugs.

Table 5.1: Teaching of RSE by year class and number of periods per year

Base: 36 teacher interviews

5.1.5 All teachers interviewed said that they thought road safety education was relevant and important to the S1/S2 age group. The reasons given for road safety education not being taught were time commitments and the lack of appropriate resources:

"Absolutely appropriate - but we have to prioritise. We should have more cycling input, the roads are hazardous. There is a time problem - PSHE gets blocked for events and we lose time then" (Interview 2, school in remote area with high/medium free school meal entitlement ²⁰)

Appreciate it is important but every issue has its strengths. There is a perception that RS is for primary pupils. Would like to slot ROAD SAFETY EDUCATION in for S3/S4 (Interview 4, school in remote area with high/medium free school meal entitlement)

PSE resources used and opinions of the S1/S2 resource

5.1.6 Teachers were asked if there were any PSE resources that they had used that were particularly good. Resources were usually considered to be good if the learning and teaching methods were appropriate to the age group of the pupils and to PSE. In particular, teachers felt that resources should actively involve pupils and encourage them to participate in discussion and cooperative learning. Teachers were also inclined to draw on resources that made use of modern technology, as the following comments indicate:

"Any resource that uses a website and gets youngsters doing their own stuff, for example websites and presentations. It needs to be fun and not too paper based." (Interview 5, school in urban area with medium/low free school meal entitlement)

"There are absolutely loads. We use an S1 drugs package we have developed ourselves. The most effective depends on the delivery. Pupils do an evaluation of the course. Children hate writing, they like discussions and they like cooperative learning." (Interview 3, school in urban area with high/medium free school meal entitlement)

"Something that is interactive and uses the whiteboard. Children enjoy using the Internet and using ICT. We have used 'Food for Thought' and a DVD called 'Keep Well Fit'. Must be interactive and use DVDs and computers and have up to date language." (Interview 6, school in urban area with low free school meal entitlement)

"Anything that uses a variety of methods - good audio/visual resources that are interactive." (Interview 29, school in urban area with high/medium free school meal entitlement)

5.1.7 Teachers were asked which PSE resources they had found to be particularly good to use with pupils in the classroom. Teachers indicated that all of these resources were engaging and were not reliant upon worksheets. Specific examples given of good resources included:

• Keeping Myself Safe - Learning Curve
• Crash Magnets - Road Safety Scotland
• Share programme - NHS Scotland
• Careers box - Careers Scotland
• Watch over Me - Milly Dowler Fund
• Your Life - Collins Education

5.1.8 Approximately half of the teachers interviewed (n=18) used the S1/S2 PSD Road Safety Education resource. Three were aware of it but opted not to use it, and 15 had not used it. The reasons given for not using the resource varied from not being aware of its existence in school, to a positive decision not to make use of the materials because they were deemed unsuitable.

5.1.9 Some teachers who had integrated the resource into their regular PSE programme had adapted it to suit their purpose, for example, by developing the ideas for a PowerPoint presentation that was used by all staff. Others simply photocopied relevant sections. There were several positive comments made about the resource but teachers had identified that there was room for improvement. In particular, it was recognised that the S1/S2 resource appeared to be outdated and less appropriate for what was described as 'streetwise pupils'. There were activities that some teachers identified as working well in their classroom, such as the newspaper report and the risk assessment for pupils transferring from primary to secondary school:

"The introductory lessons need updating - but it's good to have something to introduce the play so the pupils do not come to it cold. The other materials I seem to recall are too young and primary based." (Interview 5, school in urban area with medium/low free school meal entitlement)

"There is too much in the resource and it can't all be done, but it is good to select." (Interview 13, school in urban area with medium/low free school meal entitlement)

"We adapt it for our own use. It's too bulky to deliver everything. It's good to be able to take out what we need." (Interview 14, school in urban area with medium/low free school meal entitlement)

"The worksheets are all very good. Could possibly have a DVD to go with it- possibly a selection of RS adverts…The risk assessment involved in moving from primary to secondary school is very good it's effective and gets them to think. It's difficult to use the support materials as we don't know when the play is coming in." (Interview 31, school in urban area with high/medium free school meal entitlement)

"It's been good but it could be developed as it's a bit dated now. Depends on the year group how it is received, if they are streetwise then it's not so good." (Interview 18, school in urban area with medium/low free school meal entitlement)

"I think it's okay - probably could do with updating. We can pick what we want to use. The children really liked writing the newspaper article and I'm using their work to display on the notice board for parent's evening." (Interview 10, school in accessible rural area with high/medium free school meal entitlement)

5.1.10 The Roddy Hogg play was generally well received with teachers making some very positive comments.

"Roddy Hogg is excellent, the actors are very good, and it's just brilliant. Nine Lives is the most fantastic resource." (Interview 28, school in remote area with low free school meal entitlement)

"The play is absolutely great and we also did the play in school. The RSO is coming in Feb to do a talk on risk assessment. Have glanced at the resource - I have used Crash Magnets which is great for older pupils. Any resource needs to catch their attention. The RSO is also very good and does not patronise." (Interview 20, independent school in urban area)

"The Roddy Hogg play is really good at getting the basic RS messages across - they can identify with the characters as pupils are absorbed by other things. It's good for reinforcing primary Road Safety." (Interview 26, school in accessible rural area with medium/low free school meal entitlement)

5.1.11 However, some more critical comments were made, suggesting that the play needs some revision to bring it up to date:

"The Roddy Hogg play needs updating - the production is good but it needs workshops that are facilitated." (Interview 18, school in urban area with medium/low free school meal entitlement)

"I was really disappointed with Roddy Hogg. It wasn't powerful enough." (Interview 10, school in accessible rural area with high/medium free school meal entitlement)

"Roddy Hogg was quite good. Maybe because the kids are a bit streetwise it seems a bit young for S1." (Interview 36, independent school in urban area)

"Roddy Hogg is quite good but probably needs to be more sophisticated." (Interview 31, school in urban area with high/medium free school meal entitlement)

Ideas for a new resource

5.1.12 Interviewees were asked what road safety topics they considered to be important for the S1/S2 age group, from a list of sixteen suggested topics (see Annex 4). The following topics, in no order of importance, were thought to be appropriate for S1/S2:

• Distractions
• Being a responsible passenger
• The consequences of road accidents
• The effects of alcohol and drugs on road users
• Judging the speed and distance of traffic
• Identifying safe places to cross
• Seeing and being seen

5.1.13 Other topics considered relevant were looking after younger children, especially for S2 pupils. Several teachers could see the relevance of this to teaching rights and responsibilities. Those considered less relevant were: the Highway Code, planning journeys, poor driving behaviour, and becoming a driver one day.

5.1.14 While all teachers saw the merit of reinforcing the lessons learned in primary school, some commented that topics such as 'identifying safe places to cross' was more appropriate for primary children. Several teachers said that the basics should be reinforced, such as crossing the road, pedestrian behaviour and bus behaviour. It was also suggested that attitudes were just as important and topics such as peer pressure, distractions, and concentration were relevant.

5.1.15 The teachers felt that the learning and teaching approach is equally as important as the content:

"Not dry and boring. Needs to be age sensitive and not primary, and involve activities that listen to what children are saying." (Interview 8, school in urban area with high free school meal entitlement)

"Needs to be relevant to their lifestyle. When you think of RS you think of it as something that is done in primary." (Interview 6, school in urban area with low free school meal entitlement)

"All have their place. Need to prioritise the list. Have something flexible where there is a choice. Resources have a short shelf life; the presentation needs to be up to date." (Interview 2, school in remote area with high/medium free school meal entitlement)

5.1.16 Every respondent said that developing children's social and personal skills was important when teaching road safety. All teachers also thought that it was important that they had resources specifically for road safety education.

"There should be a range of learning activities to suit different teachers and pupils. Games on websites are good and card or board games." (Interview 27, school in urban area with high/medium free school meal entitlement)

5.1.17 From a list presented to teachers the most favoured approaches were: discussions, multi media activities and use of the white board, group research activities, theatre in education, and guest speakers. The least favoured approaches were worksheets and asking pupils to make a pledge or commitment to behaviour change.

5.1.18 All teachers thought the development of a DVD was relevant. Teachers also thought that using real life drama rather than cartoons would be most appropriate for this age group. One teacher suggested that S1/S2 go through a phase when cartoons are not acceptable and then 'they grow into them again'. The comments below reflect the suggestions made by teachers about a DVD:

"Video clips that are short are good - not 25 minutes of film. Not sure about cartoons. A drama is a good idea." (Interview 19, school in urban area with high/medium free school meal entitlement)

" DVD must be geographically correct - shouldn't have English or American accents or strong west coast Scotland. Must be well acted. Animation may be okay for S1" (Interview 21, school in urban area with medium/low free school meal entitlement)

"Yes it's a good idea to have a DVD - but not too long, having sections to choose from would be good. Kids always ask 'Is it a true story?' - so real life stories are a good idea. Cartoons don't go out of date, but it is good to have actors and people their own age." (Interview 20, independent school in urban area)

5.1.19 Most teachers said that they learned about new PSE and road safety resources by word of mouth, information sent to the school and surfing the Internet. One teacher spoke of a Guidance conference she had attended that was useful for gaining new ideas. Another teacher mentioned that she was part of a Guidance group that consisted of PSE teachers across the authority and which provided an opportunity to share ideas.

5.1.20 With the exception of two teachers, all interviewees commented that it would be a good idea for a new road safety resource to be introduced into schools with a CPD (continued professional development) training session. However, they did acknowledge that it could be difficult for some teachers to be given the time to attend.

5.2 Focus groups with pupils

5.2.1 The key purpose of the focus groups was to get the pupils' views of the existing resource and to explore what would appeal to them if a new resource were to be developed.

Personal Travel

5.2.2 Personal travel questions were used mainly as an introduction to the activity and to encourage the pupils to talk. Pupils travelled to school using a range of modes, the most common being walking (46), followed by car (26), then by bus (18) and just one cyclist.

5.2.3 In terms of change of journey from primary to secondary school, there was a mixed response, with some pupils finding their journey easier or even closer and others, generally in schools that served a more rural catchment area, having a longer journey and change of mode from walking to travelling by bus.

5.2.5 When asked if parents had not allowed them to travel independently on any occasion, it tended to be the S2 pupils who had tried to push the boundaries. The reason for parents not agreeing to their children's request usually related to the distance, travelling in the dark, being too young or the venue being regarded as 'dodgy'.

5.2.6 Few pupils cited particular problems when using the road. In the more urban schools, pupils would suggest that the speed, the level of traffic, parked cars and particular junctions as causing difficulties as pedestrians. In one school several S2 pupils suggested that bus drivers often drive too fast. They had complained to teachers who had acted upon their comments with the bus company. Another S2 group commented on the unpleasantness of bus drivers.

5.2.7 With the exception of two girls, all the pupils saw themselves as future drivers, with a clear idea of what constituted a good driver. The characteristics of a good driver included physical ability, such as good eyesight and hand eye co-ordination; attitudes such as being considerate, patient and awareness of other road users; and obeying the rules of the road by 'not going too fast', 'not being drunk', 'looking for signs' and 'stopping at red lights'.

5.2.8 The pupils felt that bad drivers would act in the opposite way to that of a good driver and identified teenagers and older drivers as exhibiting bad driver characteristics. The key characteristics of young drivers were 'wanting to party', 'racing', 'showing off' and 'jumping red lights'. Older drivers, on the other hand, were noted for driving slowly and often not in lane.

Road safety education

5.2.9 Most pupils said that parents and their primary school had taught them about road safety. Two S2 groups commented on road safety education in S1, one talking about an exercise in a PSE class and another commenting (negatively) about the Roddy Hogg play. S1 pupils in two schools mentioned Junior Road Safety Officers ²¹. In one school they also remembered, 'people' coming into the school with a local map that highlighted the accident hot spots.

5.2.10 When asked about the key messages they remembered being taught, most pupils talked about being taught how to cross the road, wearing bright and reflective clothing and wearing seat belts. One pupil remembered visiting a safety centre (the Child Safety Centre, Pollok, which provides a series of interactive safety scenarios). Most pupils said they had taken part in cyclist training. Parents appeared to have adopted varied approaches to teaching their children about keeping safe on the road including, discipline ("I remember my Mum smacking me for running into the road"), and entertainment ("My dad tried to make it fun").

5.2.11 Almost all S1 and S2 groups said that they thought some form of road safety education was still relevant for their age group. Several pupils commented that they needed to be reminded because they were getting more independent. For one S1 boy it was considered relevant because "we will be sitting our driving test in the future." The exception was one group of S2 boys whose comments ("We know as much as we are going to learn"; "not again" "Don't think we need reminding, we do it everyday") suggest that they feel that there is little more for them to learn.

5.2.12 Such comments highlight the importance of engaging S1/S2 pupils so that they reflect upon a wide range of road safety issues, rather than simply receiving a list of rules and commands. The suggestions that road safety should include issues such as being influenced by friends indicates that S1/S2 pupils are aware that road safety is not simply about 'how to cross the road', but that it is concerned with complex decision making. It was recognised that the type of education they wanted and needed should be different to that offered in primary school and that road safety education "should be about making you think."

Comments on the S1/S21 resource

5.2.13 Pupils were asked to comment on the activity sheets in the S1/S2 resources in terms of the ease of understanding, relevance to their age group and whether they thought the activity was interesting. They were also asked about the presentation and design of the resources. Overall, the worksheet activities were considered to be satisfactory, although not really inspiring. All would have preferred colour and graphics on the sheets. None of the pupils said that they remembered doing any of the activities in class.

Activity 1 - Accidents

5.3.14 All the groups found it easy to understand what was required of them and generally most pupils just thought it was "okay'" for their age group, although it was not considered to be particularly interesting.

Activity 2 - Travel risks

5.2.15 Some pupils considered this activity to be straight forward, easy to read and appropriate for the age group, and even prompted discussion amongst one group based on the activity. One S1 group suggested that it was appropriate for S1, but probably too young for S2. Other groups commented that it was a bit basic and perhaps even too young for primary pupils. They concluded that it was not an interesting activity.

Activity 3 - Good and bad behaviour

5.2.16 Pupils found this easy to understand, but generally "a bit boring" and largely too young for both S1 and S2.

Activity 4 - Child death newspaper report

5.2.17 Most of the groups felt that this activity was appropriate for the age group, with some suggesting it was suited to S2 pupils rather than S1. The comments were generally positive with one S2 girl saying that it was good "because you have to think" and another thinking it would be fun to do. One S2 boy was less keen because of the writing involved, although he would be happy to use the computer.

Activity 5 - Cycle helmets

5.2.18 Pupils in both S1 and S2 considered debates to be an interesting activity, with pupils commenting that it would be nice not to do a writing exercise. Interestingly, one group thought that a debate would be good, as it would be a way to hear all the arguments, while a boy in another school thought that it would not work because pupils would argue and shout. This perhaps demonstrates that such activities can only work within suitable classroom situations. Although debates were largely seen as a positive learning and teaching approach, some considered the topic to be too young for S1/S2. One S2 group were not very impressed by the activity, but then went onto have an unprompted debate on whether cycle helmets should be worn and why they might not be used, indicating that the activity can be engaging.

Activity 6 - Laws

5.2.19 The pupils responded well to the pictures on the worksheet and most groups felt that designing a poster was a 'fun' activity, mainly because it was better than writing. There were mixed views as to whether or not it was suitable for the age group, some thinking it was, and other saying that it was too young.

Activity 7 - Moving from primary to secondary school

5.2.20 Some groups felt that this activity was too young for them. One S1 group suggested it would be more appropriate for primary children, however, another S2 girl commented that it made her think how things had progressed.

Roddy Hogg activities

5.2.21 Pupils were not asked about the Roddy Hogg support activities (because they may not have been in the cohort who saw the play), however one S2 group volunteered information about the Theatre in Education production as something they vaguely remembered but were not particularly impressed by:

"We had a play thing, something about a car and nine lives. It was rubbish, kind of childish"

New resource ideas

5.2.22 The pupils were asked an open question about their views on what should be included in a new road safety resource. Their suggestions included:

• Traffic lights and checking again at pedestrian crossings
• The dangers of playing stupid games like "chicken"
• Peer pressure - but not just about safety

5.2.23 A selection of road safety topics were then provided on cards (see Annex 6), which the pupils were asked to rate according to whether it was a topic that was relevant to S1/S2, perhaps relevant or not relevant at all. A similar exercise was conducted asking the pupils to rate learning and teaching approaches. There were differences in responses between S1 and S2, but not noticeable differences between boys and girls. The topics that S1 and S2 pupils saw as relevant had areas of overlap and key differences. For example, while S1 pupils thought that seeing and being seen, and judging speed and distance were relevant topics, S2 pupils did not. At the same time, S2 felt that looking after younger children and becoming a driver were relevant topics, while S1 only felt that these were 'maybe' relevant. Table 4.13 summarises the responses of different year groups.

5.2.24 Teachers and pupils differed in the degree of importance they attached to particular road safety topics. Teachers indicated that the Highway Code and 'becoming a driver' were less relevant for S1/S2, whereas the pupils considered the Highway Code to be relevant. S2 pupils identified 'becoming a driver one day' to be pertinent, although teachers did not.

Table 5.2: Topics considered by pupils to be relevant to S1/S2

5.2.25 When asked an open question for their ideas on what learning and teaching approaches would be appropriate for their age group, the responses included:

• Quizzes and games (this was usually suggested by boys)
• Drawing
• Using the whiteboard
• Class discussions
• Experiments
• Using the library
• Something that lets us move around
• Places to visit
• Not just sitting and writing

Table 5.3 summarises the pupil responses to the learning and teaching approaches they were asked to rate.

Table 5.3: Pupil responses to learning and teaching approaches

5.2.26 Boys tended towards suggesting games and quizzes, and girls were keen on discussions and debates. The consensus from both year groups was that it should be something practical and not about copying from worksheets or filling in worksheets. They were happy to have worksheets if they provided information or if the sheet provided the stimulus for an activity. As one S2 girl commented:

'I really don't like worksheets; you just do them because you have to"

5.2.27 The pupils considered guest speakers to be acceptable, but expressed reservations about the suitability of speakers. Two groups at different schools considered a speaker they had had on railways to be particularly good, with one S2 boy commenting:

"The railway speaker who talked about his experiences was good and teachers could not have done it"

5.2.28 There was a very strong consensus from both year groups and both boys and girls that a DVD should be developed. All groups were asked to suggest some creative ideas to be included in the DVD and the following were put forward by several of the pupils. The pupils' comments were remarkably consistent on what content and format the DVD should have.

Content ideas

• It should be based on a real story
• It must be believable and not far-fetched
• People's experiences and how families are affected
• We should see things from different people's views
• It should be a story which says what happened and how it affects everyone
• It should have an accident and show what happens to everyone, not just the driver
• How it affects the other traffic
• The consequences
• It should show the scale of a car crash
• Show how you can keep away from danger

Presentation ideas

• Real actors
• Not cartoons as it needs to be serious
• Cartoons are not right for road safety
• Cartoons are babyish and 'you don't take them seriously'
• All age groups should be in it
• It must be believable and not far-fetched - like 'Watch over me' ²²
• Could re-wind to show how the ending could be changed
• Rewind the action so that the drama goes backwards
• There does not have to be blood
• Better to have emotional impact rather than lots of blood

Format

• Pauses and talk about what could happen
• Different sections showing the affect on other people
• It should be about 10-15 minutes long and have different ideas
• Episodes like on TV
• Could have 3 different episodes - the crash / before / after

5.2.29 After pupils had been offered the opportunity to put forward ideas for the DVD, some S2 groups were shown an extract of the Timeout DVD produced in Manchester as part of the Neighbourhood Road Safety Initiative ²³. The DVD exhibits many of the ideas that were suggested by the pupils. One of the plus points of this DVD was that, on first impressions, it was not obviously about road safety.

5.3 Consultation with Road Safety Officers

5.3.1 A series of themes was explored with Road Safety Officers ( RSOs), including the role of the resource within the wider context of the delivery of road safety education and activities relevant to the S1/S2 age groups. In addition, the value of individual aspects of the resource were considered in detail, together with thoughts on improvements and new developments for the resource.

Role of the resource

5.3.2 RSOs were asked for feedback on the role of resource, to determine views on the need for an independent S1/S2 resource and whether or not the existing resource complemented the wider work carried out by the road safety community in Scotland. They were asked to reflect on how the resource fitted with other RSO work, and if it conflicted with or complemented other resources.

5.3.3 There was diverging opinions on whether the existing resource and play conflicts with other resources, or whether they complement the wider portfolio of resources for children of all ages. All groups were of the opinion that there is a definite requirement for the resource, but there needs to be continuity between Streetsense (a resource for primary school), the existing resource and Crash Magnets (a resource for S3/S4 at secondary school):

"need flow from Streetsense to this resource to Crash Magnets. It needs to fit into the puzzle" (Group A ²⁴)

5.3.4 It was commented that a resource which was related to the play, and to some extent dependent on it, was of no benefit to RSOs. It was felt that this created a situation where use of the resource independently of the play was less appealing to potential users and restricted opportunities for its wider use. The RSOs expressed concern that schools do not get to see the play every year, particularly as the presentation of the play is often the catalyst for using the resource. Given the fact that most S1 classes will not have an opportunity to see the play, this was considered to be particularly damaging to the wider use S1/S2 resource.

5.3.5 Some RSOs were of the opinion that the timetabling of the presentation of the play affects RSO work with S1. For the resource to be most effective the play should ideally be presented at the beginning of the new school year in S1. However, it is the theatre company that determines the timetabling of the play.

5.3.6 Some RSOs commented that road safety education does not feature highly in schools' PSE development plans and that some schools do not include road safety education in the curriculum. It was felt that this has a detrimental effect on the work carried out by Road Safety Officers.

5.3.7 The general feeling from all groups was that schools often misplace the resource, especially if it is only used infrequently. One RSO indicated that the resource is often forgotten about when staff change and pointed out that a lot of time is spent on chasing up this resource.

Opinions on the Resource

5.3.8 The RSOs were asked for their opinions on the different elements of the resource.

Teaching Notes

5.3.9 All groups expressed the same strong view that the teaching notes are very relevant and ensure that core areas are being covered. Concern was expressed that not all teachers are proficient in teaching road safety education and that many teachers do not have the time to prepare a lesson, which emphasised the requirement for teaching notes. The general feeling was that Teaching Notes are a very necessary part of any resource with clear suggested lesson plans that indicate the lesson duration:

"teachers need to know what the resource is about and how it should be used" (Group A)

5.3.10 All groups pointed out that the statistics provided are out-of-date and considered options to ensure that the statistics can be keep up-to-date. It was felt that this is a key problem with paper-based resources which could be overcome if they were made available on a website, where all data could be refreshed regularly.

Activity 1: Accidents

5.3.11 All groups thought that this activity is not suitable for the age group that it sets out to target. The RSOs agreed that pupils would have received this lesson whilst at primary school and that the worksheets are not challenging enough for this age group:

"boring, should be at primary school" (Group C)

5.3.12 The general feeling was that this is a relevant exercise and important for setting the scene in terms of accidents, but it should focus on road accidents rather than accidents occurring elsewhere. A number of RSOs believed that the road safety message has been diluted and that the term 'accidents' is not appropriate. It was felt that the worksheets do not focus highly enough on road accidents and that the purpose of this activity is not obvious.

5.3.13 Concern was expressed that the lesson timing of 30 minutes is not suitable for most schools, as this falls short of the average lesson time. It was suggested that this activity could be incorporated into another activity, and that the title of the activity and the lesson duration could be revised.

Activity 2: Travel Risks

5.3.14 Similar to Activity 1 on Accidents, all groups were of the opinion this activity was not challenging enough for this age group and that this subject is taught at primary level. All groups said that this activity was uninteresting:

"kids switch off" (Group A)

5.3.15 The lesson duration for this activity is 20 minutes, which was seen as a problem because it is too short for an entire lesson and without another complementary activity of similar duration would be difficult work with in the classroom. The RSOs felt this activity is relevant, but that it should be merged with another topic, as this would increase the lesson duration and broaden the subject.

Activity 3: Good and Bad Road Safety Behaviour

5.3.16 The RSOs emphasised that the language used for the activity title and the exercise is not suitable for this age group, and would do little to stimulate pupils:

"adjectives not exciting. Bad ones are!" (Group A)

"the word 'behaviour' is primary" (Group C)

5.3.17 It was felt that the activity was too simplistic and similar to Streetsense, and that pupils may associate this with activities dealt with at primary level. A number of RSOs said that there would be more discussion and interaction if the activity was focused on consequences of behaviour:

"consequences - violation, lapse, error" (Group A)

"what happened next - consequences" (Group B)

5.3.18 There was a consensus that the activity needs revitalised; but that the new resource should not copy or replace elements of Crash Magnets.

Activity 4: Child Deaths on the Road

5.3.19 All groups expressed that the title of this activity was not suitable. It was thought that pupils in S1 and S2 view themselves as teenagers or young adults. It was viewed that the title was detrimental to the activity:

"kids would baulk at the word child" (Group C)

5.3.20 There was a strong view that the activity was too reliant on the presentation of the play, which was disadvantageous as most schools do not get to see the play on an annual basis:

"difficult if pupils have not seen the play" (Group A)

"can't use if not seen Roddy Hogg, therefore resource is redundant for two years" (Group B)

5.3.21 Two groups said that it was a good activity for an English class but not suitable for a resource targeted at PSD:

"good exercise in English. What good is it doing for road safety?" (Group A)

"good if used in English but not PSD" (Group B)

5.3.22 One RSO pointed out that a letter was initially sent to schools in receipt of the resource pack indicating that that it was an activity for English lessons, but the resource pack does not stipulate this.

5.3.23 It was apparent that this activity requires a revamp. The RSOs felt that the activity should not be associated with the play, that the language should be revised and that the activity should have clear recommendations on the type of lessons that it would be most suited to.

Activity 5: Cycle Helmets

5.3.24 A strong view was expressed that cycling is an issue that needs to be addressed, but an activity related to cycle helmets alone is not ideal. The topic of cycle helmets is tackled in primary school and all groups said that whilst this was an important topic, it should be discussed in an activity that deals with cycling as a mode of transport:

"re-title 'Cycle Safety' - recreation, sport and leisure" (Group A)

Activity 6: Laws

5.3.25 All groups agreed that the law is an issue that needs to be addressed, but felt that the activity was not modern enough. The RSOs stated that the activity was out-of-date and topics such as mobile phones and seatbelt law should be explored:

"important that they should know their legal responsibilities" (Group B)

Activity 7: Moving from Primary to Secondary School

5.3.26 The discussions based on this particular activity were the most negative. There was a unanimous feeling that this topic and activity did not belong in a resource targeted at S1 and S2.

Roddy Hogg Road Safety Play

5.3.27 The majority of RSOs spoke favourably of the play and that live theatre is well received by pupils regardless of academic ability. Concern was expressed that not all schools see the play annually and that if use of the pack is related to the play then some pupils may miss out on road safety education at an important stage in their development. There was a very strong view that the play should be independent of any road safety education resource:

"Big problem, not everyone sees the play, therefore, S1/S2 pack should not include the play" (Group A)

"play should be completely independent" (Group C)

5.3.28 A number of RSOs said that male pupils enjoy the play more than female pupils, and that the sense of humour in the play is more suited to boys.

"boys like it more, this is maybe good" (Group B)

5.3.29 The theatre company commissioned to present the play is based in Glasgow and RSOs with responsibility for East Scotland expressed concern that the play is too reliant on 'West Coast' humour and that west coast accents could be a turn off. However, there was a divergence of opinion on this issue, as one group with responsibility for West Scotland did not think that this was an issue. One RSO thought that more research into "local" words - appropriately used - would be advantageous:

"I didn't know what a 'reddy' was until I asked" (Group B)

5.3.30 The timetabling of the play was also felt to present a problem, as a slot is allocated to each school by the theatre company. It was felt that the play should be presented to S1 at the beginning of the school year to enable the resource to be used effectively.

Roddy Hogg Script and Support Materials

5.3.31 The general feeling from all groups was that schools do not use the script. It was thought that the script should be made available to schools (for example on the Internet), but it is not particularly useful in the resource pack. There was no clear consensus on the requirement for the support materials, with some RSOs stating the play needs support materials, and others saying that they may not be required.

Ideas for improvement

5.3.32 Overall, the RSOs were of the opinion that the resource requires a complete re-vamp to ensure that it is modern and up-to-date. The title of the resource and the vocabulary used throughout was viewed negatively, with one person commenting that it had 'the worst title ever'.

5.3.33 The general feeling was that S2 are more mature than S1, and a strong opinion that S2 require a resource that is different from S1. It was stressed that the materials for use with S1 and S2 need to look different, and that the resource needs to form coherent links with Streetsense and Crash Magnets:

"S2 require something that looks different to S1 - two separate learning experiences" (Group A)

"tied back to Streetsense so that process is completed. Not an extension but a bridging agreement" (Group B)

5.3.34 A number of RSOs stated that a new resource should follow the design of modern technologies that are popular with this age group, for example social networking sites, such as Bebo and Facebook, and game consoles like PS3 or Xbox. One RSO suggested that the ' Qwizdom' ²⁵ format might be a useful reference. It was perceived that this age group responds well to this type of design and technology. Some RSOs suggested that an activity could be based on pupils amending a website (mimicking Bebo or Facebook) of someone who had died or who had been seriously injured in a road crash.

5.3.35 There was no clear consensus on whether to continue with paper based worksheets or publish the worksheets on the web or on DVDs/ CDs.

Continuation of the Resource

5.3.36 There was a strong opinion that to ensure a successful continuation of the resource, it must adhere to the guidance outlined within the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE). A new resource would ideally be designed in line with the CfE.

5.3.37 There was a view expressed that a new resource should consider and discuss topics that pupils can relate to. The introduction of new modes of transport (for example quad bikes) and topics such as peer pressure should be addressed.

5.4 Consultation with Engagement Team at Learning and Teaching Scotland

5.4.1 Following preparation of a draft research report, contact was made with the Health and Wellbeing Development Officer with Learning and Teaching Scotland ( LTS), to seek opinions on the proposed ideas for development of a new resource. The recommendations chapters were e-mailed for LTS's consideration and a telephone interview was conducted to discuss how the findings related to Curriculum for Excellence.

5.4.2 The key recommendation of developing a resource that made use of multi-media technology was fully endorsed. It was suggested that a new DVD could incorporate a dramatic element that could also include key facts; particularly that of the risk of involvement in a road traffic crash rising following the transition from primary to secondary school. It was also suggested that if a new resource and a Theatre in Education production were developed with distinct identities, they should still be linked thematically in order to reinforce the messages.

5.4.3 An important outcome of the consultation with LTS was an update of the health and wellbeing learning experiences and outcomes, which describe expectations about learning from ages 3 to 18. These will be published in mid-May 2008. There are three apposite experiences and outcomes for health and wellbeing that support road safety education and which spans the 3 to 18 age range:

• I am encouraged to and supported to travel actively and safely to and from my place of learning.
• I know and I can demonstrate how to travel safely whether on foot, on a bicycle, in a motor vehicle or on public transport
• I am learning to assess and manage risk to protect myself and others, and to reduce the potential for harm when possible.

5.4.5 LTS expressed their willingness to be involved further with the development of an updated road safety resource for the S1/S2 age group.

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