Footsteps
Footsteps
Footsteps is a practical pedestrian training scheme aimed at children in year 1 to year 2, which develops awareness of roads and helps them live safely with traffic. Children are taken into the local area with a trained tutor to observe the traffic and discuss road safety. It forms part of the portfolio of pedestrian training programme New Journey, which includes:
- First Steps - for pre-school children
- Making Tracks - which is aimed at children moving on from primary to secondary school
Footsteps is a three stage programme which focuses on the skills needed to become safer road users. It includes:
- The Green Cross Code
- Safe places
- Vehicle lights
- Stopping, looking and listening
- Crossing - while holding an adults hand
- Fast and slow
- Near and far
- Parked cars
- Crossing
- Being seen
- Weather conditions
- People who can help
- Planning a safe route
There are three stages, green, amber and red. Each builds on the last stage, covering the basic “Green Cross Code” then adding other aspects of road safety.
Volunteers are trained as Footsteps Tutors by Bucks County Council. Once trained Tutors take the children into the local area to observe the traffic and discuss road safety, through a series of practical exercises.
Children are not told what to do but are encouraged to make their own choices and decisions about what they see and hear through questioning. As time goes on they get better at deciding what they have to do to keep safe in various traffic situations.
Footsteps could save their lives - so it’s one of the most important things a child needs to learn!
Setting up tutor training
Schools should appoint a Footsteps Co-ordinator to organise Tutor Training and arrange the children’s training sessions.
Tutors can be parents, grandparents or Learning Support Assistants, even teaching staff if they have the time. They must attend a Tutor Training course, organised by the Transport Strategy Team at Bucks County Council. The course lasts up to 1 ½ hours and takes place at two venues, County Hall, Walton Street, Aylesbury and Council Offices, King George V Road, Amersham, each term. Training is free of charge to all schools, nurseries and children’s centres.
Schools usually train children from Year One or Year Two - depending on how many Tutors are available. Each child will take part at least twice a term. Certificates can be awarded once a stage is completed. These are free of charge and can be ordered from the School Travel Planning online shop or downloaded.
Places are limited on all courses.
Course dates
Courses postponed until further notice.
How to book
To book training, please contact:
Corinne Randall
Email: crandall@buckscc.gov.uk
Telephone: 01296 383 432