TITAN News

TITAN is a Travel Independence Training Programme which has been introduced across Norfolk. Due to its huge success, it is now a countrywide initiative. The scheme has been designed to encourage pupils to become safe, independent travellers and to help to improve pupils’ relevant life skills. The programme is based on the traffic light colours and consists of a set of tasks which must be completed and assessed in order to move on to the next level. Pupils’ start by working towards their Red Book, progressing to Amber and finally to Green. FNS has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence for outstanding achievement in implementing the TITAN scheme, and through it, many of our pupils have left school as safe, independent travellers which has had a vast impact to their future opportunities.

2018/19 was a good year for TITAN and the pupils continue to enjoy their lessons and opportunities.

24 Pupils have achieved their TITAN Red Books.
9 pupils achieved their TITAN Amber Books and will move onto the Green Book programmes either in year 11 or at college.
2 pupils have been regularly catching the bus both in Dereham and to their future colleges and have achieved their TITAN Green Books. They are now independent travellers.
11 pupils achieved their FNS White Books and are enjoying going to the local corner shop independently with their classmates.
Key stage 2 pupils have been practising the road safety skills that they will need in future TITAN lessons when they are older.17 achieved such a good standard that they have been reguarly visiting the local corner shop with adult support.

Dee Sagar – TITAN Instructor

Zebra Crossing Campaign

Due to ongoing problems of cars not stopping for our pupils at the zebra crossing near the junction of Westfield Road and Shipdham Road, we contacted the local police. PCSO Michala Benton agreed to help us and visited the crossing with pupils two of our pupils, Alfie and Sean. She was shocked by what she saw and agreed to help us in our campaign to make drivers more aware.

We re-visited the crossing accompanied by a journalist and a photographer from the Eastern Daily Press to demonstrate the problem. All four pupils who accompanied us Alfie , Jordan , Kerry and Kyle , spoke confidently to the journalist about their experiences at the crossing and their feelings when cars do not stop for them. They were also able to demonstrate the issues they have by individually using the crossing. The journalist and photographer were appalled to see that at least half of the vehicles did not stop and featured the story in Thursday’s Eastern Daily Press and Dereham Times.

We await the decision of the planning proposal to place further warning signs on the approaches to the crossing, including flashing warning lights.

Red Book Tests

As pupils progress with their TITAN they begin to regularly visit the local shops, in small groups, accompanied by staff. They learn pedestrian skills such as being aware of dangers on the road, finding safe places to cross the road, using the Green Cross Road and ‘indenting’ at junctions. They also learn shopping skills such as locating items in the shop, giving appropriate coins and remembering to always ask for a receipt. Pupils are also shown how to use a mobile phone to get help if needed.

When pupils are confident in using the local shops and can independently and confidently use a zebra crossing, pelican crossing and half-way island they are ready to take their TITAN Red Book Test. This involves them walking to Roys and back independently while being observed by staff from school and the county TITAN team.

Once pupils have achieved their TITAN Red Books this is their passport to independence. They then begin to use the local shops to buy items which staff request, accompanied by other pupils but with no staff.

Green Book Tests

Some of our more confident year 11 pupils who achieved their TITAN Amber Books last year have been working on the Green Book programme. This has involved them regularly catching the bus into Dereham town centre and becoming familiar with the amenities and organisations which may be helpful to them when they leave school. It has also involved trips to their future colleges by public transport and familiarisation with the towns and cities where they will be studying.

These pupils were tested by the county TITAN team. They were observed catching the bus to and from Dereham town centre and travelling to various establishments while there. The county TITAN team were incredibly impressed by their confidence and independence and all 6 pupils achieved their TITAN Green Books. They received certificates and trophies which state they are now Independent Travellers

Green Book Trips

The Year 11 pupils who are working towards achieving their TITAN Green Books have been busy this term, using public transport to visit and familiarise themselves with the towns and cities where they will be studying at college next year. This is an important part of the TITAN Green Book curriculum, as well as a great opportunity for the pupils to prepare for moving on in September. With the help of maps, students were able to locate the library, Citizens Advice Bureau, Council Offices, Police station, Job Centre, bus station and train station in Kings Lynn, Great Yarmouth or Norwich. All pupils involved showed excellent planning, map reading skills, behaviour and independence on all trips.

Key Stage 2 TITAN Lessons

Some of our younger pupils have been learning the Green Cross Code. They have been using it to cross the ‘road’ at a variety of safe places in a role play situation. The safe places have included zebra crossings, pelican crossings and school crossing patrols.

All the pupils are very enthusiastic about their TITAN lessons and are looking forward to going out of school for their TITAN lessons when they are older.

Pupil Comments

‘It teaches you to be safe in and out of school’ – Jesse
‘TITAN is good for learning road skills’ – Alex
‘It’s really good for independence; I’m going to be going to college by bus’ – Ethan
‘I like TITAN because I get to go out on my own’ – Georgia
‘I enjoy TITAN because I like shopping missions and I’m getting close to my Amber Book’ – Jordan
‘It helps you to keep safe when you’re out’ – Dan
I like it because I’ve travelled across the county by bus’ – Shaun
‘It helps children to understand what to do and not do when they’re out in public’ – Bethany
‘It’s really good, it helps children to be independent and with their confidence and life skills out of school – Bradley
‘It makes you confident and feel trusted’ – Ben
‘It’s healthy and enjoyable’ – Callum
‘I like singing the hedgehog song from the road safety advert’ – April
‘I’ve learnt how to use zebra crossings and I like going shopping’ – Lewis
‘It helps me because I count the change and check the receipt’ – Alice
‘I like pushing Alice in her wheelchair’ – Rebecca
‘It helps children to be safe on the roads’ – Kyle
‘It’s important because when you get older it helps you to be safe’ – Dan
‘I like TITAN because we go to the shops and buy stuff for teachers’ – Harry
‘At the end of our last TITAN lesson we get stuff for ourselves’ – Regan
‘I’ve learnt how to be safe on the roads. It’s fun shopping for stuff & sometimes we get to eat it’ – Lyndon
‘I like it because you don’t have to write stuff down; I can’t think of anything I don’t like about it’ – Megan

Amber Books Assessments

Pupils working towards achieving their TITAN Amber Books regularly use the local shops to buy items which staff request, accompanied by other pupils but with no staff. When pupils are confident doing this in their local community they begin to access Dereham town centre. At this stage pupils will begin to assess where they can get help if needed in the community, work on their mapping skills, including on line and begin to take responsibility for giving appropriate coins, checking change and receipts. When they are confident in all of these areas, the TITAN tutor will complete an in school assessment and if the necessary standards have been met the pupil will gain their TITAN Amber Book.

These Year 10 pupils achieved their TITAN Amber Books this year.

White Book Tests

FNS recognises that the needs and abilities of some pupils may mean that some pupils will not complete their Red Books while at Fred Nicholson. Other pupils may need an extra stepping stone to help with progression in TITAN. Our TITAN lead has therefore been proactive in designing a White Book programme to support first steps towards Independence. This White Book has been approved by the County TITAN team and has been rolled out across Norfolk and beyond. To achieve their White Book pupils will:

learn routine safety and equipment checks needed to go out of school
have the necessary road safety skills to walk safely to and from the local corner shop
be able to locate and purchase basic shopping items and know appropriate behaviour in the shop
be able to follow routines including delivering their shopping and returning all equipment on their return to school

Some pupils who have achieved their TITAN White Book can begin to access the local corner shop with another pupil