Promoting Involvement In Walk Safely to School Day

Road safety education is addressed within the Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) curriculum. Participation in the Walk Safely to School Day can complement teaching and learning that occurs within the school’s PDHPE program.

Activities undertaken for Walk Safely to School Day should reinforce key road safety messages, particularly pedestrian safety messages. Learning experiences which address these messages can be found in the teacher resource booklets for Stages 1, 2 and 3 in the Move Ahead with Street Sense resource.

Key pedestrian safety messages

Stage 1  

-          Hold a grown-up’s hand

-          Hold a grown-up’s hand when you’re on the footpath

-          Hold a grown-up’s hand when you cross the road

-          Hold a grown-up’s hand when you’re in a car park

-          Wait till the bus has gone and then use a safe place to cross

Stage 2

-          Use a safe place to cross

-          Hold an adult’s hand when you cross the road

-          Wait till the bus has gone and then use a safe place to cross

 Step 3

-           

-          Stop! Look! Listen! Think! every time you cross the road

-          Use a safe place to cross the road

-          Wait till the bus has gone, then use a safe place to cross the road

Strategies to promote involvement in Walk Safely to School Day

-          Establish a Visitors’ Registration Book including a What did you learn? section, to be completed by parents, carers and students or develop a school Walk Safely to School Day journal.

-          Hold a ‘professional’ panel (e.g. Police Youth Liaison Officer, Principal, P&C representative) where students ask pedestrian/road safety questions to panel members.

-          Display student work samples and photos of students participating in learning activities from PDHPE lessons about pedestrian safety.

-          Use the school’s announcement system to play pedestrian safety songs, e.g. Hands are for holding.

-          Invite parents, carers, older students and school community members to conduct a story reading session using reading materials, e.g. Where’s Banjo, Mum? or Hands are for holding when you’re crossing the road.

-          Develop a report including photos or images that promote the outcomes of Walk Safely to School Day for inclusion in your school newsletter or local newspaper.

-          Show video footage taken on Walk Safely to School Day to reinforce pedestrian safety messages to parents at Kindergarten Orientation Days or during Education Week activities.