Children at a Sutton Coldfield primary are celebrating after their ‘life-saving’ road safety project won a national award. When children and parents were crossing dangerously on Mere Green Road pupils at Mere Green Primary School took it upon themselves to patrol the two crossings outside their yard. Supervised by teachers, 14 children, making up the school council patrolled the two crossings outside of the school and encouraged the public to use the two crossings on the A road and gave out campaign stickers. Children also worked with police, made and sold high-visibility key rings and organised awareness-raising assemblies.

The children also took part in safety consultations for the project, dubbed ‘Be Alert, Accidents Hurt’, arranged presentations and designed posters. Last week the school were presented with the prestigious Transport Awareness and Road Safety Award as part of the annual Community Education Awards. The awards receive over 2,500 school project entries and are backed by Dame Esther Rantzen.

Teacher Steve Hale said the children were delighted with the award. “The children really took ownership of the project, they stood outside the school and rewarded children and parents who used the crossings with stickers,” he said.

“Our school head teacher had previously raised concerns over the unsafe crossing of parents with children across the busy B4151 outside of the school gates, with limited response and the pupil voice members all thought that it was an important and well needed project.

“The project focused on the need to encourage children and parents to use the appropriate safe crossing outside of the school entrance as there had been recent road traffic accidents nearby. “Winning the award for the project has been amazing, it’s the sort of thing which the children can take confidence from and build up their own self-esteem. Also it is great for the local community, and it still resonates with people as parents and children are still using the crossing- this project potentially could save lives.”

Sophie Graham, a year three pupil who took part in the project said: "It’s very risky when you don't use the crossings- they are there to keep us all safe and I feel that I've helped people be safer." Kiera Hackett is a year five pupil and also commented: “It’s important to keep people safe on the roads, we wanted to educate and make sure everyone - no matter what age they are- is aware of the massive dangers and risks involved when not crossing the roads safely, we really worked hard and feel that we made a difference. We feel great about winning this award.”

Richard Evans is the coordinator with the Community Education Awards and congratulated the school. “There is nothing more important than road safety. The children, teachers and staff at Mere Green have done an absolutely fantastic job,” he said. “This is exactly the kind of project that the Community Education Awards are designed to celebrate. Well done to everybody who took part.”