School crossing patrol services

The School Crossing Patrol Act was originally established in 1953 and the service officially started on 1 July 1954.  The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 gave Councils the power to appoint School Crossing Patrols to help children cross the road on their way to and from school.  In 2001 an amendment allowed the Patrols to cross adults too.

Wakefield Council currently manages approximately 44 school crossing sites across the district, as part of a Service Level Agreement with schools.

Benefits of having a Patrol

Promoting sustainable modes of travel is becoming increasingly popular, having a School Crossing Patrol on the route to school makes the environment feel calmer and more welcoming.   This in turn makes parents and children feel safer, hopefully proactively encouraging them to walk, scoot or cycle to school and giving children the opportunity to experience road safety first hand. 

A further knock-on benefit of this is reduced congestion created by traffic, whilst at the same time improving local air quality.

In addition, the Education and Inspection Act 2006 (section 508A) puts a duty on schools to promote sustainable travel to school. School Crossing Patrols are one option that can contribute to this duty.

Is there a charge?

The School Crossing Patrol Service is not a statutory requirement and therefore Local Councils are not legally required to provide the service.

From April 2017, rather than completely end the service altogether, Wakefield Council introduced a charging system for schools wanting a School Crossing Patrol; with the monies received used to cover the costs of the provision of the service. 

The current charge (2024/25) for a basic 5 hours per week is £3,087.50.

Schools

Schools wishing to obtain a School Crossing Patrol should read through the FAQ, along with the Service Level Agreement, both of which can be found in the related documents section below, and if you would like to proceed, contact Julie Yildirim, Senior Road Safety Officer in the first instance to discuss the process moving forward

 jyildirim@wakefield,gov.uk or Tel. 01924 305721.

Parents

If you think your school would benefit from having a SCP, please contact the school in the first instance, as they are now funding the Patrols.

It's also worth remembering that even where a SCP is provided, parents remain responsible for ensuring their children's safety, just as they do at a zebra crossing or light controlled crossing.

Did you know that under the Road Traffic Act 1984, it's an offence for a driver to fail to stop for a SCP in full uniform and displaying the stop sign or to move off whilst the patrol is still in the road.

Interested in joining our team?

The role of a school crossing patrol although at times demanding, is also very rewarding and puts the patrol in the heart of the community. The role is suitable for anyone who can commit around an hour a day during school term.

The uniform is supplied free of charge and full training will be provided. The wage is £11.59 per hour, plus a split shift allowance.  We are committed to Safeguarding and as such applicants will be required to undertake a DBS check.

For further information about the role or which sites are currently vacant, contact us using the details below or visit our jobs page. (Add School Crossing Patrol into the job title box and search, click the 'more details' box to view the current list of vacant sites).