More than 250,000 students across the region have now taken part in Pol-Ed, an innovative educational programme designed to help young people better understand the law, build healthy relationships, and stay safe from harm.

Developed in partnership with teachers and policing professionals, and fully aligned with the national PSHE curriculum, Pol-Ed equips students with the knowledge, skills and confidence to make informed, positive choices in their everyday lives.

Thanks to continued funding and support from the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit and partners, the programme is available free of charge, and has already been adopted by over 500 schools from across the force area, reflecting a growing demand for more preventative education.

In the last year, more than 4,500 Pol-Ed lessons and assemblies were delivered, covering a wide range of topics such as consent, healthy relationships, online safety, bullying, exploitation, and the consequences of criminal behaviour.

Pol-Ed is designed to encourage open and honest discussions in both primary and secondary school settings, helping to breakdown barriers, challenge misconceptions, and support young people to make safer decisions, while also helping practitioners identify those at risk earlier.

The initiative complements the wider awareness work delivered by the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit and Northumbria Police Education Teams, ensuring more young people not only recognise the risks but also feel empowered to seek help when they need it.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Susan Dungworth said: “Communities have told me that they want to see more done to tackle serious and organised crime, which is why it’s a key priority in my police and crime plan. But to truly make a difference, we need to understand and address the underlying causes of violence, preventing crime before it even starts.

“That’s why reaching young people as early as possible is so important. We all want our children to grow up feeling safe, supported and confident in making the right choices, and Pol-Ed is one of the tools helping us achieve that.

“Having already reached over 250,000 students, this programme is making a real and lasting impact in our communities. It’s helping young people better understand the law, build healthy relationships, and recognise when something doesn’t feel right, empowering them to speak up and stay safe.

“But Pol-Ed isn’t just about delivering lessons and assemblies. It’s about having those honest conversations early on, and ensuring young people feel heard and supported. That’s how we build safer, stronger communities for everyone.

“My thanks to all the schools, teachers, and students who have already utilised these fantastic resources. Through ongoing support from the Northumbria Violence Reduction, Pol-Ed remains free to use, and I’d love to see every school in our region get involved.”

Sergeant Simon Reid, Problem Solving and Early Intervention at Northumbria Police, said: “Since May 2024, in partnership with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Violence Reduction Unit, we have been promoting Pol-Ed to all schools within our Force area. This includes encouraging our education partners to sign up and make use of the excellent resources available to them through the programme.

“Early intervention is a vital tool in our fight against crime and this tactic helps us to prevent people being harmed while also reducing the demands upon our public services. So far, 78 per cent of schools in our area have signed up to use Pol-Ed, with 4,513 lessons being delivered to a total of 251,080 young people.

“These are excellent figures and we are confident that the sessions are having a significant positive impact upon those taking part by giving them the knowledge they need to lead the best lives possible.”

Catherine Patrick, Assistant Head of Health Education at George Stephenson High School said: “We are absolutely delighted to be using the new Pol-Ed resources. They have quickly become an invaluable part of our PSHE curriculum. We particularly appreciate how the programme aligns with the PSHE Association guidelines while also offering its own age appropriate and well-structured content.”

“The inclusive activities, such as Think-Pair-Share and other interactive elements, really engage our students and encourage meaningful discussion. It’s been wonderful to see how these resources help build our students’ confidence, support their understanding of personal safety, and foster a positive and respectful school environment and within the wider community. The clarity, accessibility, and relevance of the topics make them an essential tool for modern PSHE delivery.”

Schools interested in signing up or learning more about Pol-Ed should contact Northumbria Police by email to school.liaison@northumbria.police.uk.

ENDS