The Educational Context

The new curriculum framework for Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and citizenship provides opportunities for safety awareness to be incorporated into the wider personal and social development of pupils. Initial guidance has been produced by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and this will be followed by more specific guidance on safety issues. (See www.qca.org.uk.)

In its policy statement, Revitalising Health and Safety (June 2000), the Health and Safety Executive also highlighted the importance of better education in risk concepts and health and safety skills at every level.

The QCA and HSE have published a new General Teaching Requirement for Health and Safety (applicable in England only). (See www.hse.gov.uk/index.htm).

The National Healthy Schools Standard (NHSS) is part of the Healthy Schools programme, led by the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Health. The overall aim of this work is to help schools to become healthier places through supporting the development and improvement of local programmes.

Based in education and health partnerships, the programmes can provide support to schools, including working with external agencies in a range of contexts, such as PSHE and citizenship.

This link National Curriculum and Teachers Resources directs you to the National community safety centre toolbox for curriculum support and resources. Teachers may also find the firekills.co.uk website useful.

Teachers road safety resources can be found at: http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk.

Schools Programme

In September 2002 Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service commenced a structured rolling programme of school visits, employing four dedicated educators (Tony Parsons, Brenda Seaton, Clive Mawby and Pete Cotgreave) to deliver 45 – 60 minute presentations. Our aim is to visit each child in our service area. We offer annual visits to all state and independent schools, Key Stage 1 to 3. No charge is made for these presentations. There are three levels of fire safety sessions, one for Key Stage One children (year one), and the others for Key Stage Two (year five) and Key Stage Three (year seven or eight*). Our aim is to develop the children’s knowledge and understanding of fire safety and to provide them with survival skills in the event of a fire. We emphasize to pupils the need to pass on what they have learned to their families. Also at years five and seven* we try to teach children the possible consequences of deliberate fire setting and making hoax 999 calls. From September 2007 some road safety points will be incorporated into all presentations and workbooks. The sessions are designed to be interactive and use a variety of resources and visual aids. Pupil books linked to the National Curriculum are left with staff at the end of the visit to enable follow-up work and reinforce the teaching points.

YEAR 1 SESSION

• Good and bad fires
• Don’t play with matches
• Stop, drop and roll
• Crawling low in smoke
• Cartoon dvd
• Road safety (booster seats and safety near roads)
• Workbook:Fire fighters People Who Help Us
• ‘Frances the Firefly’ booklet.

YEAR 5 SESSION

• Escape plans, smoke alarms
• 999 calls / hoax calls
• Storyboard – deliberate fire setting
• Two dvd excerpts:
• Freddie and Filbert's Fire Plan, Bedroom Fire
• Road safety:Cycle helmets, walking to school
• Workbook:Fire Safety Booklet
• ‘Get out, Stay Out’ leaflet

* YEAR 7 / 8 SESSION

• Fire safety revision
• 999 / hoax calls
• Deliberate fire setting
• Dvd: 'Heat of the Moment'
• Road safety: Cycle helmets, planning safe routes.
• Workbook: Fire! ‘Get out, Stay Out’ leaflet
• *Please note: in the academic year 2006 – 7 Y7 presentations were temporarily suspended. They will be resumed in a revised format commencing September 2007, when they will henceforth be targeted at Y8 pupils.

We try to be flexible as possible, times and group sizes are arranged at the convenience of the school and the content of the presentations can be varied if the group has special needs or specific cultural / religious requirements. In some circumstances we are willing to give presentations to other year groups if time allows. Every academic year our educators visit around 440 schools and 40,000 children. We have had a fantastic reception from staff and students and we know that the children are spreading the message and teaching the adults.

NURSERY

As the operational crews have many demands on their time, availability for visits to nurseries and pre-school groups may be limited. ‘Nursery Resource Boxes’ are available for nurseries and playgroups to borrow free of charge. Each of these contains small uniforms, helmets and kit, jigsaws, fire safety posters, books and toys. It is accompanied by a teachers’ resource book containing songs and ideas for activities, as well as photocopiable colouring-in sheets.

Each full time fire station has a resource box. Others have been allocated to Syston, Market Harborough, Melton, and Lutterworth. Groups borrowing the resource should be made aware that losses or breakages need to be replaced; however it is expected that items are subject to normal wear and tear.

If your organisations would like to apply for use of any of our faculties please download our booking form