Objectives and Output Objectives from the Pedestrian and Cyclist Tests in Flanders

In the Flemish education system, the government imposes attainment levels and development goals that broadly express what pupils need to know and be able to do when completing a certain year. Attainment levels are minimum objectives that the government deems necessary and attainable for a particular group of pupils. These are related to the knowledge, insight and skills that all pupils of the group need to acquire during the learning process, and the attitudes that the school should strive for among the pupils. Schools are free to determine the content of the lessons and the teaching methods to reach the attainment levels.

The attainment levels for traffic safety and mobility education at the completion of primary school are the following:

Pupils must

1. be able to locate dangerous traffic situations in the wider school environment
2. have sufficient responsiveness, balance, and sense of coordination, and know the traffic rules for cyclists and pedestrians, to be able to move independently and safely along a familiar route
3. show a willingness to consider other road users in their behaviour
4. know the main consequences of growing car use and be able to compare the advantages and disadvantages of possible alternatives
5. be able to plan a simple route by public transport.

To support schools in their task, the Flemish Foundation for Traffic Knowledge (VSV) has developed a complete set of tools based on the attainment levels for pedestrians and cyclists, including a teaching method with “traffic certificates” for each year and two tests: the Grand Pedestrian Test and the Grand Cycling Test. For each phase in the learning process, VSV has defined operational objectives related to the knowledge, skills and attitudes that pupils must have at the end of that particular phase.

The Grand Pedestrian Test

The Grand Pedestrian Test is the final stage of pedestrian education in primary schools. It takes place at the end of Grade 4 (pupils aged 10). The test assesses whether pupils can walk safely and independently in traffic in their own residential environment. The operational objectives are the specific skills needed to pass the test:

• recognise dangerous situations and respond safely to them
• choose a safe part of the road to walk on if there is no footpath
• walk left on the roadway if there is no footpath, hard shoulder, or cycle path
• walk on the roadway to avoid an obstacle that completely blocks the footpath
• cross the road
  • on a zebra crossing without a traffic supervisor
  • on a zebra crossing with an authorised traffic supervisor
  • between parked cars
  • at a bend
  • at an intersection without a zebra crossing
  • at an intersection with traffic lights
  • at an intersection with a traffic officer
• cross at a level crossing.

The Grand Cycling Test

The Grand Cycling Test is the final stage of cycling education in primary schools. It takes place at the end of Grade 6 (pupils aged 12), and assesses whether pupils can cycle safely and independently in traffic in their own residential environment. As with the pedestrian test, the operational objectives are the specific skills that pupils need to master:

• look over the shoulder while staying on course
• extend the arm to signal a manoeuvre or change of direction
• turn right
• turn left
• cycle past an obstacle
• take into account pedestrians on a zebra crossing
• take into account passengers getting out of a car
• take into account oncoming traffic and traffic
  approaching from the rear
• cycle to a zebra crossing, dismount and cross on foot
• use a cycle path where available
• cycle on the correct side of the roadway if there is no cycle path
• give way where required.

Flemish primary schools have about 70,000 pupils in each grade. Based on that number, VSV has defined output objectives for both tests: per school year, at least 25,000 pupils should take the Grand Pedestrian Test, and another 25,000 should take the Grand Cycling Test. This corresponds to 35% of all pupils in those particular grades.

More Information

VSV website. Praktijkgerichte verkeersbrevetten.

Key Principle #13 Example: Cycling Tests across Europe

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