RIDE Objectives
The RIDE Foundation was established to develop programmes that would provide an educational framework by which young people can be taught drug awareness and lifeskills in a structured way. These skills will enable them to make informed decisions about the use and misuse of legal and illegal drugs and be more aware of the implications their actions have on themselves and others.
Drugs are defined as substances which, when taken into the body, alter the way the body functions either emotionally, physically or mentally. As such drugs includes caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, solvents, prescribed and over-the-counter medicines, as well as illegal substances. Lifeskills involves creative discussion of subjects such as personal safety, emergency first aid, peer pressure, bullying, assertiveness, decision-making, self-esteem, citizenship and personal support. Aims are to improve levels of knowledge and understanding, to dispel myths and rumours and to achieve a higher level of debate of these important issues that spreads from the classroom, into the playground and, through homework, to parents and guardians at home.
Drug and alcohol misuse is a complex social problem which can only be combated through a co-ordinated, multi-agency strategy. Schools have an important role to play in this task because it is mainly through education that we can better equip our young people with the knowledge and the skills to make better future decisions concerning drugs.
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RIDE Programmes
It is generally accepted that drug awareness and associated lifeskills should be an integral part of a school's PSHE programme and taught in every year group, beginning with the early years and building from Key Stage 1 through Key Stage 4. There are many resources from which a teacher can develop such a PSHE programme. RIDE is just one such resource. RIDE's programmes have been designed to be delivered every other year with other, complementary programmes being run in the intervening years. Although including many of the components of the National Curriculum Guidelines for Health Education, there are some subjects that are briefly covered and others (such as sex education) that are not covered and teachers choose from other resources available locally to satisfy school's overall PSHE programme.
RIDE programmes are attractive in that, as a series, they offer a structured approach to teaching drug awareness and associated lifeskills in Years 5, 7 and 9. Whilst each programme can stand alone, RIDE's value is that subjects introduced in Year 5 are built upon and developed in Year 7 and end up as classroom debates in Year 9. Recognising this advantage, several secondary schools running RIDE 2000 and 3000 have recently requested our help in introducing RIDE 1000 to their feeder schools.
After many requests over the last few years, we are starting to develop a RIDE programme for Year 3. Provisionally called RIDE 500, the programme will introduce concepts of personal safety, the dangers of medicines and other drugs, the importance of being healthy and clean and the need for family and friends. We hope to trial the programme at selected schools towards the end of this year.
The programmes aim to improve the whole child by offering the integrated and graduated:
- teaching of facts, relating to drugs and their use (misuse) and the consequences
- practise of lifeskills, allowing for better decision-making about drugs in the future
- development of attitudes and personal values via discussion with peers and parents.
Certainly an ambitious aim - but these are very important issues. In the hands of good teachers we believe the material of the RIDE programmes can make a difference.
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RIDE Publications
Student Workbooks
are available for each of the three RIDE programmes and these act as the primary teaching resource. The RIDE 1000 and RIDE 2000 Workbooks are A4 size and include pages of information and activities for each lesson. For RIDE 3000, the Students' Handbook is A6 size and provides facts and figures on the various programme topics for reference. All three are colourful, of good print quality and are valued by students. It is recommended that each pupil receives their own copy, that they be given the responsibility of maintaining it and be allowed to keep it as a record at the end of the programme. Workbooks are low cost (£ 0.90 - £1.15 each) and many schools have found that local companies and organisations are very willing to sponsor the RIDE initiative.
Instructor Manuals
are also available for each RIDE programme. These provide suggested teaching plans and student activities for each lesson and are useful guides for teachers (and police officers and school nurses) delivering RIDE for the first time. After that, we are confident teachers will know how best to deliver the material and will adapt the lesson profiles to their own style and to suit the requirements of their class.
Student Certificates
are available for each of the three RIDE programmes and are very popular with the pupils. Many schools make an occasion of presenting the certificates, for example, at an end of term meeting with parents and with the school nurse, police officer and sponsor present, to underline the 'partnership approach' of the scheme. Certificates may be customised with the school emblem, police badge or sponsor's logo at a small additional cost. Please contact our Printers SCS Design & Print, Taunton on 01823 355045 for an estimate.
Ordering Materials
is quick and easy. Order forms can be obtained by e-mailing Susie in the RIDE office, providing your name and the name and address of your school. You should complete the form and send it as directed to our printers, SCS Design and Print in Taunton. SCS will fill the order and collect payment on RIDE's behalf, dispatching the materials by overnight courier directly to your school within 2-3 weeks of receiving your order.
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More about RIDE 1000
RIDE 1000 is a 7 lesson lifeskills and drug awareness programme for Year 5 (9 year olds). It is an important programme for young people, approaching the end of their primary schooling. It brings together many of the components of the Key Stage 2 PSHE Curriculum (see Table below), advancing knowledge and developing skills in preparation for the rigours of secondary school.
Whilst RIDE programmes have been designed to be delivered by the teacher, involvement by others with particular experience or authority can emphasise the lessons' messages. In RIDE 1000, it is suggested the school nurse or similar assist in the delivery of Lesson 1, Keeping a Healthy Body and a police officer in lesson 6, Rules, Rights and Responsibilities. Parents (or guardians) become involved through homework which requires the pupil to describe what has been learnt and to discuss a ‘Keyword’ in preparation for the next lesson.
NATIONAL CURRICULUM GUIDELINES - HEALTH EDUCATION - KEY STAGE 2
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More about RIDE 2000
Moving up from primary to secondary schools is often a big step for young people. Their new environment seems less protective, less secure and they encounter new ideas and different problems. RIDE 2000 is a 13 lesson lifeskills and drug awareness programme for Year 7 (11 year olds) intended for the first year of secondary schooling. It is a broad programme covering many of the components of the Key Stage 3 PSHE Curriculum (see Table below) and is designed to teach the consequences of using drugs - both legal and illegal - and to develop personal skills to confidently make their own decisions about drugs.
Whilst RIDE programmes have been designed to be delivered by the teacher, involvement by others with particular experience or authority can emphasise the lessons' messages. In RIDE 2000, it is suggested a police officer participates in Lesson 3 Illegal Drugs and their Misuse (the identification and description of illegal drugs) and Lesson 4 Risks and Consequences (of using legal and illegal drugs). If a police officer is not available, the local Health Promotion Authority should be contacted for advice about other resources, such as videos, booklets and educational games. It is also suggested that someone from St John's Ambulance Brigade (or similar) be invited to participate in Lesson 5 Dealing with Emergencies. After each RIDE lesson, the pupils’ homework is to describe to parents or guardians what has been learnt and to discuss a ‘keyword’ in preparation for the next lesson.
The programme begins with a simple quiz to gauge pupils' starting attitudes and understanding. An identical quiz at the end gives some idea of the programme's achievements.
NATIONAL CURRICULUM GUIDELINES HEALTH EDUCATION - KEY STAGE 3
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More about RIDE 3000
RIDE 3000 is a 7 lesson lifeskills and drug awareness programme for Year 9 (13 year olds). It comprises 7 structured class debates of specific drug and behavioural issues and is meant as a class update of ideas and attitudes. It is critical time for young people - in the midst of puberty, enjoying considerable personal freedom, eager to sample adult life - and it thus important to take time out to exchange views and raise the level of debate that, hopefully, will again spread to the playground and back to parents and guardians at home. The programme covers many of the Component of the PSHE Curriculum Key Stage 3 (see table below).
RIDE 3000 is designed to be delivered by the teacher but, again, involvement by others with particular experience can emphasise the lessons' messages. Lesson 5 concerns Party Drugs and the Law and it is suggested that a professional (such as a police officer, drug rehabilitation worker, etc) be invited to bring authority to the debate. Lesson 6 concerns Emergency First Aid and involvement by, for example, an Accident and Emergency doctor would help uncover the real issues. like to assist in Lesson 1, Keeping a Healthy Body and the school's police officer in lesson 6, Rules, Rights and Responsibilities. After each lesson, the pupils’ homework is to describe to parents or guardians what has been learnt and to discuss a ‘Keyword’ in preparation for the next lesson.
NATIONAL CURRICULUM GUIDELINES HEALTH EDUCATION - KEY STAGE 3
Ordering Materials
Ordering Materials is quick and easy. Just click on Order Form and print out the two pages. Alternatively, contact us and we'll post an order form to you. Complete the form and send it together with a recognised Official School or Police Authority Purchasing Order to our printers, SCS Design & Print in Taunton. SCS will fill the order, dispatch the materials by overnight courier direct to your school within 2-3 weeks of receiving your order and we will send the final invoice to you.
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