All of the children in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 participate in the NSPCC’s ‘Speak Out, Stay Safe’ class assemblies. The programme, which is delivered in an age-appropriate way, helps children understand:

• abuse in all its forms and how to recognise signs of abuse
• that abuse is never a child’s fault and that they have the right to be safe
• where to get help and the sources of help available to them, including via ChildLine

The assemblies, which feature Ant and Dec, support children to feel empowered - knowing how they can speak out and stay safe and include access to supporting classroom resources.

With the help of the NSPCC’s mascot, Buddy the speech bubble, children were taught that they have the right to:

• speak out and be heard
• be safe
• get help when they need it

It is important that parents and carers support their children in their journey to becoming safer, independent pedestrians and road users. The good news for schools and families is that Oxfordshire County Council have a child pedestrian Road Safety scheme called Footsteps, aimed at parents and carers.

When children are at primary school, they are normally walked to school by their parents who ensure they cross the road safely by telling them where and when it is safe to cross. This does not prepare children for the time when they start to walk to school without an adult.

The Footsteps programme is simple for parents to use as it can be carried out in normal everyday situations such as walking to school or to the local shops. Rather than telling children what to do, parents are encouraged to ask lots of open questions to make the children think about the decisions they are making. Making these decisions safely while in the company of a supporting adult will mean they will be better prepared for dealing with roads and traffic once they begin going out on their own.

For more information, please see the Footsteps guide here: Walking with children | 365Alive.