NEARLY 300 Hampshire children have trained to become Junior Road Safety Officers (JRSOs).

The 290 pupils aged nine to 11, from 145 schools, took part in an interactive day to give them the knowledge and confidence to teach their peers about the importance of safety when walking to and from school.

It is the sixth year the Hampshire County Council scheme has been running, and each year more schools have come on board.

Schools nominated Year 5 and 6 pupils for the training and they took part in a day where they were given ideas on how to teach their fellow pupils about road safety.

The day began with former JRSOs presenting their experiences and showing examples of their hard work.

Children then took part in four creative workshops, including writing and recording a script for a radio commercial, designing a T-shirt with a road safety message and testing their knowledge in a road safety quiz.

Teachers were also able to take part in a workshop designed to help them plan road safety into the National Curriculum.

Councillor Seán Woodward, the council’s executive member for economy, transport and environment, said: “JRSOs play a crucial role in schools by teaching their friends the importance of road safety and what they can do to keep themselves safe.

“The JRSO scheme also aims to give children a good grounding in road safety education as they prepare for the transition to secondary school – the point at which many children begin to travel independently for the first time.”

The JRSO scheme is run through primary and junior schools, with the school recruiting up to two pupil volunteers to act as road safety champions and take the lead in promoting road safety among their peers, through initiatives such as games, competitions and special assemblies.