All schoolchildren in England will receive compulsory rail safety education from September 2026, as the subject becomes a mandatory part of the Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) curriculum. Ahead of the nationwide rollout, Network Rail has relaunched its Switched On website, offering free, curriculum-linked resources to help teachers educate children about staying safe around railways and reducing incidents involving young people.

The revamped website provides age-appropriate content across three key stages. For early years children (ages 3–6), the programme introduces foundational railway safety through Switched On Travels with Suzi, featuring animations, quizzes, and interactive resources as children follow Suzi and her mum on a train journey to a nature reserve.

For primary schoolchildren (ages 7–11), the materials focus on developing judgement and decision-making skills to recognise potential dangers and identify risky behaviours in rail settings. New content includes resources based on the Arlo’s Adventures book series, where Arlo takes his first independent train journey, as well as design-your-own-poster activities and hazard-recognition card games teaching safety at stations, near tracks, and level crossings.

Secondary students (ages 12–16) will have access to materials co-created with TikTok science creator and 2024 Science Creator of the Year, Big Manny. His videos explain the science behind railway dangers and the potentially life-changing consequences of unsafe decisions. The programme also encourages critical thinking and debate, highlighting the role of peer influence and social media trends in risky behaviours around railways.

Priti Patel, Chief Health, Safety & Wellbeing Officer at Network Rail, said:

“We have always believed that it is essential to educate children about rail safety, which is why we, alongside our rail industry partners, have an extensive schools’ engagement programme in place. I’m delighted to know that when rail safety becomes a mandatory part of the English national curriculum next year, we are one step closer to our desire to ensure that every child is taught how to keep themselves safe when in a rail setting. The Switched On website is a great one-stop shop that provides useful tools for schoolchildren – from videos and interactive games to classroom activities and teacher guidance – all free of charge. I am sure that it is a welcome resource for teachers that will enable them to deliver effective rail safety education to children of all ages.”

Developed by Hopscotch Consulting, now part of We. Communications, the enhanced platform is fully aligned with National Curriculum requirements. It builds on the original 2021 website, which has already delivered rail safety education to hundreds of thousands of pupils. All materials, including on-demand videos, are freely available and can be incorporated into existing school schedules, allowing schools to begin teaching rail safety immediately, ahead of its mandatory introduction in September 2026.

Image: Network Rail