Ella Backhouse
On Wednesday 15th March, 50 pupils were selected to go on a trip to Safety Works near Benwell. Safety Works is a life-sized, safety ‘town’ of various locations which can be set up to represent real life scenarios. The experimental learning experience is generally aimed at younger people, to teach them the dangers that could potentially harm them. I was really pleased to be chosen for this entertaining and fascinating experience!
When we arrived at our destination, we got off our minibuses and were separated into 5 groups. My group and I started at the replica Metro Station, which was very surreal! With our suggestions, we worked out all the risks that could harm us in this situation, then we went onto the platform and the instructor told us about some safety tips when waiting for the Metro to arrive. Some things made me so shocked that I didn’t realise waiting for a Metro could put my life at risk!
Next we went to a mock street with traffic lights and a local shop, where a crime scene had been set up with many suspicious items. My team searched area B which had a phone and a pair of earphones in the area. Other teams searched other areas, and once we pieced all the information together we were able to solve the crime.
The open pond setup gave us the opportunity to learn about alcohol and the recovery position. The instructor taught us about the risks of drinking too much and what to do if someone becomes unconscious. She demonstrated the recovery position on one student then we all tried it with our partners. After this we went to the hospital room and tried on eye goggles that showed us how distorted our vision would be if we drank too much alcohol. We had to try to find everyone in the room and it was very difficult.
Finally, we went to the police room and le