Children will be able to find out about Government, public services and the world around them in a fresh, fun and informative way through a new website launched today.
DirectgovKids aims to get children from five to 11 engaged with some of the areas of Government that have an impact on their lives, and to help them learn about and understand the society they are growing up in.
The site is designed to look like a revolving globe, with interactive buildings that children can investigate including: a Town Hall, a Police Station and a School. There are online activities and exciting games, as well as animations and slideshows. New areas are being added all the time and include a Health Centre, a school council voting activity and a special area, where children can have a 'virtual vote' on issues that affect them.
DirectgovKids can be used in the classroom, across the curriculum, as it has many useful lesson materials. It also has more specific applications for the teaching of Citizenship/ PSHE for Key Stages 1 and 2. It is the only free resource of its type for schools. Children can also access it from their home PC, for a fun home-learning experience. There is also a dedicated area for parents, full of activities and suggested places to go and things to see.
Speaking at the launch of DirectgovKids, at St Edmund's Primary School in Tower Hamlets, which piloted the site, Children's Minister Beverley Hughes said:
"DirectgovKids is not only a fantastic learning tool for children, it's great fun too. This is the first time children in the UK have been communicated with directly by Government through an online site. Young citizens will be able to find out more about the world around them, and how Government shapes their day-to-day lives. The site will also give more of a voice to children, allowing them to express their views on current and future policy."
Gail O'Flaherty, Head Teacher at St Edmund's, said:
"A great deal of care has been taken to ensure that this website is attractive to children and easy for them to use. It enables children to understand clearly the differences between local and central government and fits in well with the Citizenship curriculum. The site explains in a fun and informative way many of today's key issues, including healthy living and eating, food production and recycling. Our School Council have found the site useful as they have petitioned our local council for a lollipop lady and the process is explained on the website. Both teachers and children have enjoyed using the site, which is a particularly useful teaching tool as it can be accessed from both home and school. I believe that the site will become a regular part of our range of teaching and learning activities, answering as it does the requirements of the PSHCE curriculum and being such fun!"
NOTES TO EDITORS
DirectgovKids can be found at http://www.direct.gov.uk/kids
Directgov (http://www.direct.gov.uk) is a website run by the UK government. It brings together the widest range of public service information and services online, making it easier for citizens to access the information and cost-effective for government. You can use the site to book a driving test, tax your car, renew your passport, find out a school and much more. There are distinct sections for a wide range of clearly identified customer groups such as Britons living abroad, parents, disabled people, the over 50s and young people.
