Hasting Hill pupils learn their Green Cross Code during Road Safety Day

Children at Hasting Hill Academy have been taking part in a Road Safety Day to ensure pupils know how to walk to school safely and reduce the chance of an accident.
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With levels of traffic in around the school increasing in recent years, the school called in the help of Sunderland City Council’s Go Smarter Road Safety Team to deliver practical and classroom based sessions to Year 3 students.

The team firstly looked to ascertain how many of the children already knew the Green Cross Code.

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Children then spent time learning about the Code before putting things into practice with practical sessions on the streets surrounding the school.

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Year 3 teacher Emma Scott said: “The majority of our children walk to school. The roads around the school have become much busier in the 20 years I have been at the school and so I was surprised by how little the children who were walking to school actually knew about the Green Cross Code.

"They all really enjoyed the sessions and were complimented by the team on their behaviour which was described as “impeccable”.”

Headteacher Sarah Robson added: “It’s important all our children have an awareness of road safety. It’s something we do every year with our Year 3 students as they are getting to an age where they may be starting to walk to school.

Children from Hasting Hill Academy learning to cross the road safely.Children from Hasting Hill Academy learning to cross the road safely.
Children from Hasting Hill Academy learning to cross the road safely.
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"Part of the lessons were also about passing on the message to parents about the significance of safe parking when dropping children off at school and not to park on our school entrance lines or in places where they could obscure the view for crossing the road.”

The initiative certainly seemed to have the desired effect on the children, each of whom received a Road Safety certificate.

Anthony-John Martin, eight, said: “I really enjoyed the lessons. The best bit was going outside and practising the Green Cross Code.”

Children from Hasting Hill Academy putting the Green Cross Code into practice.Children from Hasting Hill Academy putting the Green Cross Code into practice.
Children from Hasting Hill Academy putting the Green Cross Code into practice.

Lucy Rutheford, also eight, said: “It’s really important to learn about road safety so you don’t get run over. I feel a lot more confident about walking to school.”

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Explaining the key messages, classmate Clayton Cunningham, eight, added: “You must always stop, look both ways and think if it is safe to cross.”

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