School staff learn new skills to get pupils cycling
Teachers in Cambridgeshire, Central Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire will soon be teaching their pupils to learn to cycle. Cambridgeshire County Council, Central Bedfordshire Council and West Northamptonshire Council were chosen to take part in the Bikeability Trust’s pilot project Get Cycling in Schools.
The Bikeability Trust has worked with cycle training providers to develop bespoke instructor training for teachers and teaching assistants. The pilot aims to give staff the skills they need to get pupils confident on balance bikes and pedal cycles.
Schools involved in the pilot have received practical and online training as well as printed materials to help them plan lessons and activities with their pupils. Schools have also received helmets and a fleet of cycles, to help tackle the barrier of children not having access to a cycle. The pilot will ensure that children can learn basic cycling skills before they learn more advanced on-road cycling skills with a Bikeability instructor.
The pilot is currently in its third phase and has received overwhelmingly positive feedback so far, with many teachers successfully teaching the essential life skill of learning to ride to their pupils.
Emily Cherry, Chief Executive of the Bikeability Trust, said:
“I’m so pleased that these areas are taking part in this brilliant pilot. Teaching children to cycle is such a rewarding experience and something we know teachers enjoy. It also means our Bikeability instructors can be confident that when they turn up to deliver more advanced training, pupils will have learnt the basics. We look forward to hearing how much pupils in these areas enjoy learning this essential skill for life!”
Kieron McNab, Managing Director of Outspoken Training, said:
“It has been a rewarding pleasure to be supporting school staff with helping more children to cycle. It is important to embed cycle training from an early age so children have the skills, confidence and enthusiasm to become lifelong commuter cyclists. This will play a part in tackling congestion, air quality and health within local communities.”