Safe Routes Planning

Overview

Duration: 30 minutes
Class size: 3 students
Unit: Pedestrian Safety Skills (Lesson 6 of 6)
National Curriculum Focus: Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Education
Key Stage: 2 (Year 4)
Subject: Other (Road Safety and Citizenship)

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will be able to:

• Understand and apply the principles of the Green Cross Code when planning a safe walking route.
• Identify and evaluate possible hazards and safe crossing points on a route in their local area.
• Demonstrate reasoning skills by answering challenging road-safety questions and explaining their choices in complex pedestrian situations.
• Develop confidence and decision-making abilities related to real-world pedestrian challenges.

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National Curriculum Links

• PSHE Association Programme of Study for Key Stage 2:

  • Road safety: understanding risks and keeping safe on local journeys
  • Living in the Wider World: managing risks in different familiar situations, including road and pedestrian safety
  • Developing confidence and responsibility and making the most of their abilities

• Statutory Guidance for Personal, Social, Health and Economic education:

  • Pupils should be taught to recognise risky situations and how to manage them responsibly
  • To consider safety in practical ways, understanding rules and their purpose

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Resources Needed

• Large printed map or digital interactive map of local area (e.g., Google Maps with street view if possible)
• Stickers or coloured markers (for marking safe and risky points)
• Printed Green Cross Code leaflet (age-appropriate version)
• Scenario cards with challenging road safety questions
• Whiteboard or flipchart and pens

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction & Recap (5 minutes)

• Briefly revisit the Green Cross Code stages:
  Stop, Look, Listen, Think
• Discuss with the pupils why planning routes carefully matters — emphasising safety and being aware of dangers like busy roads, blind corners, or complex crossings.
• Set the lesson goal: today, they'll create a safe walking route in their local area and practise tricky decision-making questions.

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2. Activity 1: Planning a Safe Route (15 minutes)

• Present the map of the local area where the pupils live or go to school.

• The task: individually or together, pupils plan a walking route from a starting point (e.g., home) to a destination (e.g., shop or school).

• Using stickers/markers, pupils:

  • Mark safe crossing points (e.g., zebra crossings, pelican crossings, pedestrian lights) with green stickers.
  • Mark potential hazards (e.g., busy roads, parked cars obstructing view, junctions) with red stickers.

• Encourage verbal reasoning: pupils explain why they chose the route and what makes each crossing place safe or otherwise, referencing the Green Cross Code steps.

• Teacher models thinking out loud while planning a route, making safety-focused decisions clear.

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3. Activity 2: Challenging Scenario Questions (7 minutes)

• Use scenario cards simulating complex pedestrian situations, e.g.:

  • "You want to cross a road where there is no crossing nearby, but the traffic is light. What do you do?"
  • "A friend suggests crossing between parked cars to save time. Is this safe?"
  • "What should you do if a pedestrian light is red, but no cars are coming?"

• Each pupil takes turns answering and reasoning their responses aloud.

• Teacher encourages extension questions such as “What could happen if you don’t follow the Green Cross Code here?” or “How can you help friends stay safe on this route?”

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4. Plenary & Assessment (3 minutes)

• Summarise key points from the lesson. Recall the three key steps of the Green Cross Code.
• Quick-fire quiz: ask each student to name one thing they learned about planning safe journeys and one challenge they found interesting.
• Assess understanding through pupils’ explanations and responses during activities. Provide positive feedback and praise.

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Differentiation and Support

• For pupils needing extra support, encourage paired work or provide step-by-step prompts during route planning.
• For more able pupils, challenge them to identify less obvious hazards and consider pedestrian etiquette and potential distractions (e.g., mobile phones).
• Use clear, visual prompts for English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners or those with SEND.

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Extension Ideas

• Create a simple "Safety Diary" homework where pupils map and record their actual walking trips during the week, noting safe and unsafe moments.
• Invite a local road safety officer or use a virtual guest to discuss real-world pedestrian experiences.

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Teacher’s Notes

• Keep the session interactive and encourage pupils to explain their thinking—this deepens understanding and language use.
• With a small group of 3 pupils, individualised attention can ensure misconceptions are addressed immediately.
• Highlight the real importance of pedestrian safety in everyday life to make learning meaningful and memorable.

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End of plan.