Bikeability

North Yorkshire County Council offers Bikeability for children in years five and six of Primary School.

Bikeability

Do you remember your National Cycling Proficiency course? Perhaps you still have your certificate or badge? Bikeability has replaced the traditional Cycle Awareness Programme, and is now 'cycling proficiency' for the 21st Century. It gives children the skills and confidence they need to ride their bikes on today’s roads. Bikeability was developed by more than 20 professional organizations including the Royal Society for Prevention against Accidents and is supported by cross-Government departments including the Department for Transport, Department of Health and Department for Children, Schools and Families. Bikeability is the only Government approved and nationally recognised award for cycle training today

Bikeability is designed for the roads and traffic of today. It  maximises time spent practicing the skills being taught, with little or no “waiting time” during the day. This means that pupils spend more training time actually cycling with their instructors, than the more traditional courses their parents may remember.

Supervised by our team of qualified instructors, pupils will receive eight hours of cycle training over two days during the school day. Initially this takes place off road and then progresses onto carefully risk assessed roads nearby under the supervision of our professional instructors. At the end of the training sessions children receive a nationally recognised award, which is approved by the Department for Transport; they will also receive an assessment report and Bikeability badge.

Before the start of the course, a bicycle maintenance checksheet is sent home for parents, to make sure the bicycle the child will use is safe and ready for riding on the road. They will need a helmet that fits. Bikes are checked by the instructor at the start of the course and if any repairs are found to be necessary, they must be made before training starts. Each child must be able to ride a bicycle to come on the course. Although bicycle control skills are covered during the course, instructors are not there to teach children how to ride a bike from scratch.

During Level 1 Bikeability training, children learn balance and control skills. The training takes place in an environment away from cars or traffic – usually in a playground or closed car park. They gain basic cycle control skills including starting and pedaling; stopping; maneuvering; signaling and using the gears on their bike. Children will usually be trained in groups of 3-12 cyclists.

On satisfactory completion of level 1 children progress to Level 2 training, which includes cycling on roads with their instructors.

During Level 2 Bikeability training children get a real cycling experience so that they are better able to deal with traffic on short journeys such as cycling to school. Level 2 is carried out on quiet roads but in real traffic conditions and under supervision. Those completing Level 2 will be able to demonstrate the skills and understanding to be able to make a short trip safely e.g. to school, work or leisure on quiet roads.

Finally the children are tested on the practical skills they have learned and also on their knowledge of the Highway Code.


For further information on Bikeability, please follow the link below
http://www.dft.gov.uk/bikeability/
 

To organise a Bikeability course in your school, contact the road safety team.

For more information on Bikeability, please watch the videos below.

For parents: 

http://www.youtube.com/user/transportgovuk?feature=watch#p/c/1/aKxFIiTRS9c

For teachers:

http://www.youtube.com/user/transportgovuk?feature=watch#p/c/2/Gj44JmWXHwI