Thousands of children supported as PCC invests in educational programme

Thousands of children and young people across Avon and Somerset are set to benefit from a new educational programme being rolled out to schools across the region.

Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Clare Moody has launched the Pol Ed programme for all schools, designed to help keep children safe by building their understanding of risk, consequences and the law.

Funded by the PCC, the programme gives teachers free access to a wide range of resources, including dedicated support, worksheets and more than 400 lesson plans. These cover topics such as exploitation, consent and wellbeing, as well as anti-social behaviour, hate crime and what it means to be a responsible citizen. The programme is fully aligned with the PSHE and RSHE curriculum.

Schools across Avon and Somerset have been invited to an introductory webinar on Thursday 25 June to learn more about the programme and how to begin using the resources.

Clare Moody, Police and Crime Commissioner, said:

“This programme will support teachers and help young people better understand the risks they may face, the choices ahead of them, and how to keep themselves and others safe – reducing the risk of them becoming victims or suspects of crime themselves.

“Importantly, it will help standardise and bring a consistent approach to how crime prevention is taught in schools across Avon and Somerset, addressing a clear gap in early intervention and prevention work for students. This cost-effective approach reflects my Police and Crime Plan priorities; to reduce serious violence, including youth violence and violence against girls, and prevent crime by working with other organisations and the public.”

To ensure the programme is tapping directly into local policing priorities and the challenges facing young people, officers from Avon and Somerset Police and the Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner can input information about the crimes most affecting different areas in Avon and Somerset, so teachers can select and tailor lessons most relevant to their students. The Pol-Ed curriculum fully meets the updated RSHE statutory guidance and aligns with Keeping Children Safe in Education and policing priorities.

Its implementation will be managed by the Avon and Somerset Violence Reduction Partnership, which PCC Clare Moody chairs, with support from Avon and Somerset Police.

If you’re a teacher and are interested in hearing more about Pol-Ed please contact VRPHub@avonandsomerset.police.uk for more information about the webinar.