On the spot

17th March 2006, 12:00am
Helen Roberts is headteacher at Bishop Morgan School, St Asaph, Denbighshire

The first thing that strikes you about DangerPoint is that nothing here has been done in a half-hearted way. When they address railway trespassing, the children enter a realistic environment, with scaled-down tracks, a real carriage and a heart-stopping tape of the sound of an approaching express.

It is all entirely professional, and there is so much that we can take back. The PSHE possibilities are numerous, with, for example, children building on some of the situations by creating role-plays.

If there’s one thing I reserve judgment about it is this creature Chaos and the idea that he is the force whispering in children’s ears to do wrong. I hope I’m not going to have children offering him as an excuse if they are naughty in school.

Without ever being alarmist, DangerPoint really helps children understand the importance of pausing before they act. I must say, as I went round, I found myself wondering how I escaped childhood unscathed.