Purpose

Following development of the GM Education Hive, feedback from teachers is that they would like access to more online resources that can assist with lesson plans and keeping updated regarding presenting risks to children.

The VRU team has no expertise in developing such resources and researched existing available options. Pol-Ed is a West Yorkshire Police developed online education programme and resource, written by teachers for teachers in schools. Its purpose is to keep children safe by developing their understanding of risks, consequences, and the law, in order to develop their resilience and ability to help and support each other.

Content for schools includes a wide range of fully resourced lessons, assemblies, passports for personal development and assessment, planning matrices and other supporting documents to successfully embed Pol-Ed within a school setting. Designed and created by specialist subject matter teachers and police officers, the lessons and resources cover a wide range of key issues, specifically linked to the objectives within the PSHE, Citizenship and RSE statutory curriculum.
The ready-to-go Pol-Ed resources include schemes of work overviews, lesson plans, supporting resources such as pupil activities, assemblies, and special event packs to support standalone day/week focuses within school. Pol-Ed lessons can easily be embedded within current schemes of work used in schools or can be taught as standalone lessons to address specific needs of the school community and the pupils within it. POL ED will provide online access and IT / lesson plan support to all schools in Greater Manchester.

During the initial 12-month phase, POL ED now offer access to Youth Justice and community practitioners. Year 1 has been incredibly successful, with over 70% of all educational establishments in GM signing up. We are now focussing on sign up for the remainer of schools and increased usage. (St Josephs High School in Horwich have delivered over 900 lessons via POL ED which is the highest usage in the UK.)

Other available resources were explored and not as comprehensive and were cost prohibitive (charging £500 per school). Over 1600 educational establishments in GM).

Decision

GMCA has previously entered a rolling contract with the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority for the delivery of the POL ED online teaching resource for GM schools in 2025. The contact was for a period of 3 years- subject to GMCA receiving an ongoing Violence Reduction grant from the Home Office. GMCA has been notified of year 2 funding (2026/27) and we can now move into year 2 of contract with POL ED. (effective 17 June 2026- 16 June 2027). The agreed (and discounted) cost for year 2 is £40,000 which this Decision seeks authorisation to approve.