Evaluating 'Safe in the Sun', a curriculum programme for primary schools

Eleven schools in the south of England took part in a trial of 'Safe in the Sun', a curriculum programme for primary school aged pupils. Case study methodology and the 'draw and write' technique were combined to evaluate changes in pupils' perceptions of the effects of the sun on their skin. Teachers were free to use the materials, consisting of a teacher's handbook and video, as they wished. Pupils in all schools showed higher levels of awareness of sun-safety measures in post-intervention studies compared with the levels recorded 4 months earlier. Chi-square analysis revealed that those pupils whose teachers had used the materials as recommended by the authors had significant increases in awareness and knowledge about keeping safe in the sun, compared with other levels of intervention. More pupils also appeared able to transfer their awareness to the context of the school playground, although the differences were not significant for any level of intervention. The discussion focuses on the value of the 'draw and write' technique as a tool for illuminative evaluation, on the factors which contributed to the pupils increased awareness of sun safety and on the importance of a whole school approach to sun safety.