The Scottish Government

« Previous | Contents | Next »

Listen

CHILDREN'S ATTITUDES TO SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

APPENDIX ONE FORMAL EDUCATION GUIDANCE ON SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

INTRODUCTION

A1. The desk-based review of links and opportunities in formal education in Scotland relating to sustainable development in general and sustainable transport in particular has considered six main areas of guidance and activity, described below. The aim of this review has been to identify the opportunities within the formal education system for teaching concepts relating to sustainable transport, and enabling children to develop informed attitudes. The areas reviewed are summarised below:

• 5-14 National Guidelines
• 5-14 National Guidelines - Guides for Teachers and Managers - Practical exemplification to accompany the Guidelines
• Other guidance/Exemplar material from Learning & Teaching Scotland
• Standard Grade syllabi in four subject areas
• Relevant whole school initiatives
• Relevant Scottish Executive policy areas

5-14 NATIONAL GUIDELINES

A2. In 1991, the 5-14 curriculum was introduced in Scotland. Since then Scottish schools have been steadily undertaking its implementation. The content and management of the curriculum in Scotland are not prescribed by statute but are the responsibility of education authorities and individual head teachers. National guidelines give teachers advice on what each of these areas is about rather than instructions on the range of skills, knowledge and understanding that have to be taught to every pupil in every school. They also describe how progress should be measured using targets that most children should be able to reach by particular ages.

A3. In 1998 Scottish CCC - now Learning and Teaching Scotland - began an extensive consultation exercise to review the 5-14 guidelines for Environmental Studies, following a ministerial request. ICT and Health Education, which formerly appeared as components of environmental studies, now have separate guidelines to reflect their importance across the 5-14 curriculum.

A4. The review of opportunities for teaching and learning about sustainable development and transport in the 5-14 National Guidelines includes the following areas:

Table A1 The main opportunities for delivering concepts relating to sustainable transport

Note: Opportunity areas are italicised

The Structure and Balance of the Curriculum 5-14 National Guidelines

A5. Schools, parents and society care that young people succeed in terms of attaining the knowledge and skills required for a personally rewarding life and active citizenship. Equally they care that young people develop into healthy, fair-minded, considerate and responsible human beings ².

A6. Aims of the 5-14 curriculum include helping each pupil to acquire and develop the capacity to take a responsibility for their health and safe living and the capacity to treat others and the world around them with care and respect. ³ The 5-14 curriculum should also look to foster young people who are positively disposed to a sense of social responsibility. ⁴

A7. Developing an understanding of the issues related to, and understanding the importance of sustainable development is at the heart of the 5-14 curriculum. References to such an understanding appear in the curriculum rationale within the Nature and Purpose, the Aims, the Dispositions developed, and the Acquisition of knowledge and the development of understanding.

Curriculum areas

A8. In many schools the concepts related to sustainable transport (healthy lifestyles, impact on the community and environment, safety) will be addressed through individual subjects. The examples provided show how these concepts can be delivered through the curriculum, but are not by any means the only opportunities.

A9. The main areas of the 5-14 curriculum that link with the journey to school are:

• Health education, in particular the physical and social health strands
• Environmental studies, in particular the social subjects - people in the past, people and place and people in society; there are also opportunities within science and technology
• Personal and social development.
• There are also opportunities in language, mathematics, ICT and physical education as well as education for citizenship.

These areas are described in turn:

Health Education

A10. There is one attainment outcome for health education - taking responsibility for health. ⁵ This provides an opportunity for young people to develop decision-making skills in making healthy transport choices for themselves and the wider community.

A11. The main links are with the physical and social health strands of health education. Examples of opportunities: ⁶

• Strand: physical health.
  • Attainment target level A: pupils are able to show an awareness of ways of keeping healthy through exercise.
  • Attainment target level B: pupils are able to identify a range of keeping safe e.g. safe road use; pupils show their knowledge of what individuals need to be healthy, e.g. regular exercise
  • Attainment target level E: pupils are able to show their knowledge and understanding of the impact health choices can have on the quality of life; pupils are able to use decision-making skills to demonstrate their ability to make positive health choices, e.g. wearing cycle helmets, personal safety.
• Strand: social health
  • Attainment target level A: pupils are able to show simple ways of keeping the environment clean, safe and health; pupils show simple ways of avoiding incidents, e.g. crossing the road safely.
  • Attainment target level D: pupils are able to identify ways in which the wider community takes action to protect health, e.g. traffic and pollution
  • Attainment target level E: pupils are able to identify global environmental issues that affect health, e.g. pollution; pupils identify some of the ways in which laws impact on health and safety, e.g. speed limits.

Environmental Studies

A12. The curriculum area Environmental Studies brings together the main ways in which pupils learn about the world. [Through their learning] pupils will be able to take better-informed decisions and to act in ways that are sensitive to environmental issues and consistent with the idea of sustainable development. Similarly, environmental studies provides important opportunities for pupils to develop an understanding at local and global levels of their rights and responsibilities, the importance of active citizenship and the central concept of equity in a democratic, fair and caring multicultural society. ⁷

A13. The aims of Environmental Studies link closely with the concepts related to sustainable transport. These include: the development of an understanding by pupils of their environment, their place within it, and the factors, past and present, that have shaped it; the acquisition by pupils of the knowledge and skills that will enable them to interact effectively with the environment in the contexts of home, school and their later working life, the development by pupils of informed attitudes and values relating to the care and conservation of the environment; the gaining of an understanding of issues relating to the use of resources and sustainable global development; the development of an awareness of the importance of active citizenship in a democratic society.

A14. Environmental Studies is concerned with developing informed attitudes as pupils gain wider knowledge, experience and understanding of the world in which they live. Ideas central to developing informed attitudes include:

• Responsible citizenship
• Sustainable development and interdependence
• Social equity and diversity
• Conflicts of interest in the social, physical and natural environment
• Moral and ethical considerations arising from scientific, social and technological change

Environmental Studies - Social Subjects

A15. People in the past - knowledge and understanding

• Strand: Change and continuity, cause and effect. Examples of opportunities: ⁸
  • Attainment target level A: pupils are able to give some examples of changes that have affected their own and other people's lives and the life of their community (before/after, past/present)
  • Attainment target level D: pupils are able to identify important features of a development that have changed over an extended period of time, e.g. transport
  • Attainment target level E: pupils are able to apply knowledge and understanding of the process of cause and effect to provide a detailed explanation as to why a particular development/event took place and give a balanced assessment as to the significance of its consequences.

A16. People and place - knowledge and understanding. Examples of opportunities: ⁹

• Strand: The human environment
  • Attainment target level A: pupils are able to describe the main features of their local settlement, such as significant buildings, services, open space, transport
  • Attainment target level D: pupils are able to for a developed area or country, describe main features of economic life and how they are changing, e.g. transport
• Strand: Human-physical interactions
  • Attainment target level A: pupils are able to discuss ways in which they can care for resources and their environment at home and in school.
  • Attainment target level E: pupils are able to, for an economic development, e.g. new road, industry retail park, describe the main social and environmental impact on the local area.

There are also links with the mapping strand. ¹⁰

A17. People in society - knowledge and understanding. Examples of opportunities ¹¹

• Strand: People and needs in society
  • Attainment target level E: Pupils are able to give examples of revenue raising and expenditure that provide local and national services, e.g. libraries, transport
• Strand: Rules, rights and responsibilities in society
  • Attainment target level C: Pupils are able to describe different rules that apply in different contexts, e.g. formal/informal, rules for personal safety etc
  • Attainment target level D: pupils are able to suggest some of the rights and responsibilities of a citizen in a democracy

Environmental Studies - Science

A18. There also links with the Science aspect of Environmental Studies. Examples of opportunities: ¹²

• Strand: Earth and Space - changing materials.
  • Attainment target level D pupils are able to describe the effect of burning fossil fuels
• Strand: Living things and the processes of life - interaction of living things with their environment
  • Attainment target level D, pupils are able to describe examples of human impact on the environment that have brought about beneficial changes, and examples that have detrimental effects.
• Strand: Developing informed attitudes through science - social and environmental responsibility

Environmental Studies - Technology

A19. There are some links with the Technology aspect of Environmental Studies. On example of opportunities is found within " Developing informed attitudes through technology - social and environmental responsibility". ¹³

Personal and Social Development

A20. Personal and Social Development (PSD) is concerned with the development of life skills. The aims are to help pupils to: ¹⁴

• Develop life skills to enable them to participate effectively and safely in society
• Take increasing responsibility for their own lives.

A21. There are two main outcomes within PSD: ¹⁵

• Personal development, which is made up of self-awareness and self-esteem
• Social development, which is made up of inter-personal relationships and independence and interdependence.

A22. The links between the sustainable transport and PSD are with the latter outcome - social development. Within the statement for this element of the 5-14 curriculum, the following is included: ¹⁶

It is necessary not only to provide children with, or to help them to acquire, relevant information, but also to give them the opportunity to make the decisions about personal, social and environmental responsibilities which will affect their own and others' present and future lifestyles.

5-14 NATIONAL GUIDELINES, GUIDES FOR TEACHERS AND MANAGERS

A23. The Guides for Teachers and Managers have been written to provide practical advice and exemplification to accompany the National Guidelines. They are not prescriptive, nor do they provide definitive answers to all the issues raised in implementing the Guidelines.

Nature and Purpose of the curriculum

A24. The revised guidelines for Structure and Balance of the Curriculum 5-14 set out the five key principles of breadth, balance, continuity, coherence and progression that form the framework of the 5-14 curriculum. The Guide for Teachers and Managers offers further advice about and exemplification of the implementation of these principles in different Scottish schools.

A25. As this guide is about planning the curriculum, rather than the content to be delivered, references to teaching about sustainable transport are very general and relate to aspects of planning which support the teaching of a topic which links with different subject areas and also with a range of whole-school initiatives.

A26. Within exemplar material provided in the Successful Practice section, there are examples of the importance of involving parents in their children's learning as part of raising achievement. The importance of involving parents with the learning that their children are experiencing will be discussed later as an important issue when ensuring that children receive consistent, rather than conflicting messages.

A27. Within the section on Balance, the important of a flexible approach is discussed. Examples given of when a curriculum area may need an enhanced allocation include:

• the development of new topics, e.g. introducing topics on drugs within a health education programme
• introduce new approaches to teaching and learning, e.g. direct interactive teaching, an investigative approach in science, group research as part of enquiry skills in social subjects
• incorporate cross-curricular aspects, e.g. education for work activities in environmental studies

A28. This flexibility in time allocation should provide schools with the opportunity to develop 'new' topics, such as those relating to Safe Routes to School, at the most appropriate time.

Health Education

A29. Throughout the planning guidance exemplars are given to show a variety of different ways in which the curriculum can be planned to ensure full coverage. The two examples below demonstrate ways in which sustainable transport can be taught through two of the exemplars.

Implications for managers

A30. Exemplar guidance is given on safety education relating to attainment targets. The examples that are given are road safety and risk assessment, e.g. helmet wearing. In conclusion, guidance is provided on delivering aspects of health education where sustainable transport could be taught about, but there is very little reference to transport.

A31. The strongest reference is in the example Programme of Study on p.50-1. Key phrases include: being a considerate road user, exploring the impacts of car pollution, and identifying ways of contributing to protection of the local community and environment.

Environmental Studies: Social subjects

A32. Throughout the planning guidance exemplars are given to show a variety of different ways in which the curriculum can be planned to ensure full coverage. The two examples below demonstrate ways in which school journey concepts can be delivered through two of the exemplars.

Assessment guidance

A33. Within the assessment guidance exemplars are given to show a variety of different ways in which the curriculum can be assessed. The example below demonstrates ways in which school journey concepts can be delivered through one of the exemplars.

• Topic - A World of Dangers. This topic is delivered through Environmental studies, health education and PSD.
• The relevant learning outcomes are 1 - common dangers; 4 - pollution; 5 - dangers associated with lack of exercise

Strands and Targets guidance

A34. The purpose of this section is to set the attainment targets in the context of everyday teaching and learning situations. Although there is no specific mention of sustainable and active transport, there are references where links could be made.

Specific issues in social subjects - Learning beyond the classroom

A35. An important aspect of learning in social subjects is the use of the environment in its widest sense to enrich learning. Amongst the list of examples of projects that can be taught within the immediate vicinity of the school is a traffic survey and walking a neighbourhood trail, which could be linked with planning a walking bus, for example.

Science

Planning Guidance

A36. Example are provided of a small school's environmental programme - opportunities for teaching about sustainable transport:

P1/2 Topics - Me and Myself; Where we live; 1 ^st Nature
P3/4 Topics - Ourselves and Others
P5/7 Topics - Oil

Strands and Targets

A37. Examples are provided of learning activities which link with sustainable transport:

• Changing materials strand - effect of burning fossil fuels
• Interaction of living things with their environment strand - explore personal responsibility for environmental protection and suggest ways in which families and the school can change to lessen their impact on the environment.

Specific issues - Learning beyond the classroom

A38. Examples are given of learning within the vicinity of the school which relate to sustainable transport, e.g. carrying out local surveys and studying traffic patterns.

Technology

Planning Guidance

A39. Using the same nine year plan for all of social subjects as an exemplar, links are made with technology and traffic calming as part of a P3 local area study and also with a P2 transport and road safety topic. Other than this, six planning examples are provided but no references to sustainable transport are made.

OTHER GUIDANCE AND RESOURCES

A40. This Learning and Teaching Scotland climate change website has been produced on behalf of the Scottish Executive by Learning and Teaching Scotland. Whilst of interest to everyone, it is aimed at young people aged between 9 and 14 (levels C/D/E of the Scottish curriculum) to inform and raise awareness of some of the key issues surrounding climate change and the effect on Scotland. The site complements the Scottish Executive's 'do a little - change a lot' campaign, which shows how even the smallest of actions, taken by everyone, can make a big difference for the environment, not only in Scotland, but for the whole world.

The site divides into three sections:

• Resources
• Games
• Links

The resources section divides into four areas:

• Energy
• Household
• Biodiversity
• Transport

A41. The introduction section explains what climate change is and what its effects are. Within transport, there is information on the link between transport and climate change, how humans can reduce the amount of fossil fuel energy they use in relation to transportation which includes the use of sustainable transport, especially for shorter journeys as well as more efficient use of cars and alternative fuels. There is also information about public transport and a direct link is provided to the Eco Schools school travel survey.

A42. Within the games section, there is information about sustainable transport and a journey planner which takes into account the number of people travelled with, time taken and emissions produced by the journey.

A43. This resource provides an interesting and interactive way for pupils to start to think about the impact of the way they travel on the environment as well as how to reduce that impact.

A44. Other climate change websites include those produced by the BBC, Department for Transport, ARIC Manchester Metropolitan University for DEFRA, and WWF. A wide range of other resources are produced and disseminated by the voluntary and charitable sector. These are discussed further in a later Section.

A45. The National Grid for Learning (NGfL) produces a range of planning and classroom material. Within the cluster planning section there is a exemplar for an outline of a cluster approach to the strand "using maps". Within this plan there is a reference to discussing and mapping routes to school in P1. There is also a reference to mapping new secondary schools in P7 in preparation for S1. This could be linked back with work done in P1 and pupils could be encouraged to map their route to their forthcoming secondary school. Within other planning sections, there are examples of approaches to delivering the environmental studies curriculum which include references to transport and the journey to school.

A46. Within the Online Classroom Material there is material for teachers and for pupils. There is scope for information to be included in this section relating to the teaching and learning of sustainable transport.

STANDARD GRADE SYLLABI

A47. The scope of the curriculum review has been broadened beyond the 5-14 National Guidelines to include the Standard Grade syllabi relating to the following four subject areas: Geography, Science, Technological Studies and Business Management. These subjects were chosen as they provided continuity with the main opportunities identified in the 5-14 National Guidelines.

A48. The initial findings are that Geography, Science, and Business Management offer considerable opportunities within the syllabus and within the overarching key concepts and objectives of the subjects. In Technological Studies one of the nine course objectives is that pupils, on completing the course, should understand the impact of technology on society and the environment.

A49. As in the 5-14 National Guidelines review, it was found that although a number of subjects offer opportunities for teaching about sustainable development and sustainable transport, the extent to which the relevant topics are covered can and will vary, from school to school and even from teacher to teacher.

A50. The school inspectorate process can identify examples of good practice where attitudes relating to sustainable development are developed. For example, good geography courses (HM Inspectorate of Education, 2002) included:

• opportunities for pupils to develop active and responsible citizenship through an awareness of their social and environmental responsibilities and consideration of the needs for sustainable development for the future health and well-being of communities and the environment locally, nationally and globally, and
• the best S1/S2 courses gave good consideration to developing pupils' responsibility as "corporate citizens" contributing to the future well-being of the environment.

WHOLE SCHOOL INITIATIVES

A51. Many schools in Scotland are involved in one or more whole-school initiatives with links to sustainable transport. There are links with sustainable development and transport within the following initiatives, which are described further in a later Section:

• Eco Schools
• Sustainable secondary schools project
• Active primary schools

A52. Other influences on attitudes are likely to arise from school-based activities such as external speakers/events and outside activities - visits, field trips etc. For example, there has been considerable use of in-school drama, music and other media to address messages such as substance misuse, sexual health and road safety, amongst others.

OTHER RELATED POLICY AREAS

A53. Encouraging more travel by sustainable means links with a range of other government policy agendas. These links are reviewed in order to identify the relevant initiatives that aim to influence children's attitudes to sustainable transport. The policy areas which are being reviewed include:

A54. As well as the policy agendas with transport of doubling cycling by 2012 from 2002 figures, there are strong links between young people's attitudes towards sustainable transport/ encouraging cycling, walking and use of transport and other Scottish Executive policy areas, especially health, education and the environment. The relevant links are outlined as this report will aim to demonstrate that it is important to make the links with existing priority policies.

Health

A55. Let's Make Scotland More Active - a strategy for physical activity (consultation) The vision of this strategy is that, People in Scotland will enjoy the benefits of having a physically active life (Scottish Executive, 2002)

• Adults should accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week
• Children should accumulate at least one hour on most days of the work.
• The priority is to be active on most days
• 27% of boys and 40% of girls are not active enough to meet the guidelines.

A56. The targets in the draft strategy are to achieve 80% of all children aged 16 and under meeting the minimum of recommended levels of physical activity by 2022. The main view coming through the consultation process is that this figure is too low.

A57. The Task Force has identifies strategic priorities for life stage groups and settings. One of these includes priorities to support children and young people. All children, including children with disabilities, should have the opportunity to be physically active. This should include:

• Having the opportunity and be encouraged to take part in physical activity for at least one hour a day; and
• Having access to a range of physical activities including active travel such as walking and cycling.

A58. In the results of the consultation carried out for this strategy, the matters identified most frequently as requiring research were interventions and issues relating to children and young people. (Scottish Executive, 2003)

A59. Improving Health in Scotland - The Challenge. The aim of the challenge is to:

• Improve the health of all the people in Scotland and
• To narrow the opportunity gap and improve the health of Scotland's most disadvantaged communities at a faster rate, thereby narrowing the health gap.

(Scottish Executive, 2003a)

A60. In March 2003, the Scottish Executive produced a framework for action to improve the health of Scotland's population in the form of a challenge. For the first phase of this challenge, the focus is on five of the top ten key risk factors affecting health and four specific areas. Out of these, the ones with the strongest links with encouraging travel by sustainable forms of transport are the two risk factor areas of physical activity levels and obesity and the specific areas of teenage transition. Although there are also clear links with the specific areas of early years and communities. (Scottish Executive, 2003a)

A61. The theme of teenage transition specifically refers to the fact that schools, in partnership with the home and community, can make a difference to the health behaviours of young people. (p.19)

A62. Action 26 of the Challenge is to follow-up on the launch of the Ministerial response and the Scottish Executive commitment to the Physical Activity Taskforce consultation that took place in February 2003. Tied in with this target is the integration of Active Primary Schools, Class Moves, School Sport Co-ordinators and other more focussed programmes into a comprehensive whole-school approach to physical activity which, is also part of the target of making each school in Scotland a Health Promoting School by 2007.

Road Safety

A63. In March 2000, The UK Government, the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales announced a new national road safety strategy and casualty reduction targets for 2010.

A64. These new targets were introduced to focus on achieving a substantial improvement in road safety over the next ten years, with particular emphasis on child casualties.

A65. The Research Report "Road Safety in the Scottish Curriculum" (Scottish Executive, 2000) highlighted the fact that the level of road safety education in Scottish schools varied enormously, and relies mainly on the interest and commitment of the head and class teachers rather than formal guidelines.

A66. Road safety education was identified as being best developed within an overall programme of personal safety education, fitting within the school's Personal and Social Development curriculum. This approach will also allow links to be made with sustainable development aspects of transport.

A67. The issue of personal safety is of key significance in determining parental influence on children's behaviour, including travel habits.

Education

A68. National Priorities in Education - The Standards in Scotland's Schools Act 2000 (Scottish Executive, 2000a) places a duty on education authorities to ensure that school education is directed to the development of the personality, talents and mental and physical abilities of the child or young person to their fullest potential. The Scottish Parliament has approved the five National Priorities in Education. They address: achievement and attainment, framework for learning, inclusion and equality, values and citizenship; and learning for life (Scottish Executive, 2002a). The National Priorities are a key part of the new School Improvement Framework:

Developing an understanding of sustainable transport and its benefits to oneself and society tie in closely with the last two of these priorities.

A69. Education for Citizenship. Citizenship is about making informed choices and decisions, and about taking action, individually and as part of collective processes.

The opportunities for learning that are provided in schools make important contributions to the process of educating for active and responsible citizenship. The citizenship that formal education should seek to promote and foster needs to be thoughtful and responsible. It should also be active.

A70. The links with attitudes towards sustainable transport are that it is important not only for children to understand the issues, but that they should also learn about them through active participation (Learning and Teaching Scotland, 2003).

A71. The Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit has been set up. The Unit will have a national leadership role championing, facilitating and supporting the implementation of the health promoting school concept throughout Scotland. Health education is integral to the curriculum and also to the school ethos, policies, services, extra-curricular activities. All schools will become Health Promoting Schools by 2007.

A72. New Community Schools have the two aims of raising attainment and improving social inclusion. The health input to the initiative is crucial. Action 12 of the Improving Scotland's Health Challenge is that the New Community Schools approach will be rolled-out to all schools in Scotland by 2007. (Scottish Executive, 2003b)

A73. Sustainable Secondary Schools Partnership (SSSP). This is a three-year project involving six schools piloting fresh initiatives to develop education for sustainable development (Learning and Teaching Scotland, 2003a).

A74. Eco-Schools is a programme for promoting environmental awareness in a way that links to many curriculum areas, including citizenship, personal, social and health education and education for sustainable development. It is also an award scheme that will raise the profile of schools in the wider community. There are seven Eco-School topics, including healthy living and transport. Others include waste and recycling, energy use and biodiversity etc.

Environment

A75. Scottish Climate Change Programme. With this document the Scottish Executive has set out their programme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland. The programme is divided into a number of different sectors, one of which is transport. There are considerable links with this element of the climate change programme and encouraging children to develop positive attitudes towards sustainable transport. (Scottish Executive, 2000b)

APPENDIX ONE REFERENCES

A76. Learning and Teaching Scotland (2000) 5-14 National Guidelines: Guides for Teachers and Managers - various

A77. Learning and Teaching Scotland (2000a) 5-14 National Guidelines: The Structure and balance of the Curriculum, Health Education, Environmental Studies, Personal and Social Development

A78. Learning and Teaching Scotland (2003) Education for Citizenship in Scotland

A79. Learning and Teaching Scotland (2003a) Learning and Teaching Matters - March 2003

A80. LTS (2002) Climate Change - Education for Sustainable Development. Learning and Teaching Scotland Resources.

A81. National Grid for Learning (NGfL) (2003) www.ngflscotland.com, Accessed April 2003.

A82. Scottish Executive (2000) Road Safety Education in the Scottish Curriculum. Central Research Unit. Report by ODS Ltd.

A83. Scottish Executive (2000a) National Priorities in Education - The Standards in Scotland's Schools Act 2000

A84. Scottish Executive (2000b) Scottish Climate Change Programme Summary

A85. Scottish Executive (2002) Let's make Scotland more active - A strategy for physical activity - Consultation

A86. Scottish Executive (2002a) National Priorities in Education Newsletter, April 2002

A87. Scottish Executive (2003) Consultation on a Physical Activity Strategy for Scotland: Analysis of Responses. Reid Howie Associates.

A88. Scottish Executive (2003a) Improving Health in Scotland - the Challenge

A89. Scottish Executive (2003b) New Community Schools Newsletter - Issue No.7

« Previous | Contents | Next »