Seven pupils of Marshfield Primary School have been signed up by Gwent Police to become mini PCSOs.
The children, who have all been provided with their own miniature PCSO uniforms, will help police patrol outside the school to make sure children get to and from school safely.
Police hope the scheme will educate both parents and pupils of the dangers of irresponsible parking and driving at excessive speeds outside the school.
Mini PCSOs at the school will simply observe the work of police officers and PCSOs each week on a rotational basis. They will not be expected to issue tickets or become involved in any confrontation with motorists.
The seven Year Six children who successfully applied for the mini PCSO role are Michael Guy, Megan Atkins, Bradley Norman, Tayler Wilkinson, Jack Patterson, Alex Michael and William Bryan.
PCSO Kim Weare, who organised the scheme – the first of its kind in Gwent, said:
“All the children have been very keen to take up the role and they have been asking loads of questions and making intelligent observations when on patrol with us.
The idea is that the mini PCSOs will then go back to their school friends and explain the importance of keeping safe outside of the school gates – and hopefully they can take this message back to their parents.
We also hope their presence outside the school will educate parents to drive and park responsibly when making journeys to and from the school.
I’d like to thank Marshfield Primary School for providing us with their full support to take the scheme forward.”
Newport superintendent Julian Knight added:
“All we ask is that parents act responsibly when they drive to school.
Crossing roads due to obstructed pavements and stepping between parked cars are hazards that children walking to and from school should not have to face.”
Loraine Goss, headteacher of Marshfield Primary School, said:
“We are delighted to support the Gwent Police mini PCSO scheme at our school.”
