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GIVE YOUR STUDENTS LIFE-SAVING

SKILLS AND A GLOBAL VIEW

Were urging the government to put first aid and humanitarian education on the new National Curriculum when its launched in 2014. We need your help to build stronger communities and ensure that future generations can cope in a crisis. Time is running out are you ready to back Pupil, Citizen, Life-saver ?

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WHY TEACH THESE

SUBJECTS IN SCHOOL?

Schools play a vital role in supporting healthy and fulfilling lives, and developing responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society. Thats why we want every young person in the UK to learn about first aid and experience humanitarian education. Whether they deal with choking, burns or heart attacks, first aid lessons equip young people with life-saving skills. Humanitarian education which deals with issues such as child soldiers, HIV and natural disasters connects students to the wider world, and gives them an understanding of global issues. First aid teaching and humanitarian education arent a burden on teachers or the school timetable they can be built into widely taught core subjects like science and citizenship.

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WHY SHOULD

I ACT NOW?

DID YOU KNOW?

> Only seven per cent of people in the UK can correctly recall first aid advice, and feel confident and willing to give first aid. > The great majority of teachers (94%) feel that schools should prepare pupils to deal with a fast-changing and globalised world.

Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education, is carrying out a review of the primary and secondary National Curriculum in England. This is due to finish by the end of 2013, before the new curriculum is rolled out in 2014. This review gives us a unique chance to make sure that future generations know how to help themselves and others when a crisis happens. By persuading the government to put first aid and humanitarian education at the heart of the new curriculum, we can make this knowledge a fundamental part of our childrens education not just an optional extra.

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OVER

TO YOU

So how can you make sure every child learns to be a lifesaver and global citizen? Invite your MP to your school First of all, get students to invite your schools MP to a first aid or humanitarian education lesson. We need politicians across the country to back our campaign and put pressure on the government, so its vital that they hear from young people about why these issues matter. Find your MP and download a template letter at redcross.org.uk/ pupilcitizenlifesaver Then let us know about the invitation by emailing advocacy@redcross.org.uk we can give you lots of advice and support to help make the visit a success and get local media interest. Sign our e-campaign On the campaign website you can also sign our e-campaign, individually calling on your MP to take action and put first aid and humanitarian education on the curriculum. Encourage other members of staff to sign it too. The website also has more information about why these issues are important, and you can see how easily they fit into the curriculum by watching our campaign video. And you can register for campaign updates and download lessons plans and teaching resources.

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WHERE ELSE COULD YOU SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT

PUPIL. CITIZEN. LIFE-SAVER?

Around school Tell your colleagues about the campaign and share the free tools and resources with them. Add information about the campaign, a link to our website, and ideas for how people can get involved, to your school website and parents newsletters. Print off posters and put them up on school and community notice boards. And spread the word online share the video and link to the pack and website using social media.

At an assembly or school event Screen the campaign video or add a fun, interactive element and teach some first aid there and then. The Red Cross website has plenty of lesson plans and tips to help.

In the classroom Tell your students about the campaign, and discuss why first aid and humanitarian education are important. Set them the task of writing an invitation to their MP.

At parents evening Take a minute to tell parents what the school is doing to support the campaign, and why its important that their child experiences first aid and humanitarian education. Online You can share your views on facebook.com/britishredcross and follow @britishredcross on Twitter. If youre a member of online teachers groups or forums, remember to spread the word there too. Why not start a blog where your pupils can write about the work theyre doing on the campaign?

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YOUR QUESTIONS

ANSWERED
Fiona Hattersley-Smith is assistant vice principal at Petchey Academy in London, where pupils learn first aid and humanitarian education with the help of the Red Cross. Fiona says:

My school is an academy or free school, why should I get involved? While these schools can follow their own curriculum, they will still measure pupils against the same exam standards as maintained schools. So most academies and free schools will use the National Curriculum as a key source for programmes of study. Why is this campaign only in England? Political decisions about education are made separately in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Only England is currently reviewing the National Curriculum. We know teaching first aid and humanitarian education is just as important in the other nations, so we encourage teachers to use all our resources to ensure these core skills are taught throughout the UK. If I sign up to the campaign, how will my data be used? The information that you give us is stored securely by the British Red Cross. We dont share it with anyone, including third parties.

Its vitally important that students understand the global issues that people are faced with. Humanitarian education brings the curriculum alive to the pupils. Students at Petchey Academy are very proud of the first aid training they have received and the fact they can now assist a person in need or even save a life. Education isnt just about the academic qualifications, but also equipping them with life skills

Wed love to find out what you and your school are doing to support Pupil, Citizen, Life-saver, particularly if you have invited any politicians or memebers of the media to a lesson to hear about the campaign. You can call us on 020 7877 7051 or email advocacy@redcross.org.uk. And remember there is lots more information online at redcross.org.uk/pupilcitizenlifesaver

British Red Cross 44 Moorfields London EC2Y 9AL Tel 0844 871 1111 Fax 020 7562 2000 redcross.org.uk Published 2013
The British Red Cross Society, incorporated by Royal Charter 1908, is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949) and Scotland (SC037738) All photos Matthew Percival/BRC

Email: production@redcross.org.uk Tel: 020 7877 7029