Bikeability for schools
Cycle Confident run Bikeability sessions in 1000s of schools across the country, training over 60,000 children a year alongside our sister company Bike Right. Bikeability is free to schools and trainees and is split in to several levels or modules depending on what funding is available and what local authorities want to prioritise.
Bikeability is the nationally recognised cycle training programme.
It’s about acquiring the practical skills to cycle safely and with confidence on today’s roads.
For children to participate in school Bikeability training, they must have basic riding skills (without stabilisers), though some local authorities fund Learn-to-Ride courses. Free individual training may also be available in your area for you and your child and is a great way to get your child riding prior to the course commencing, so they can then participate.
There are three Bikeability levels:
On this course children will learn how to prepare themselves for a journey, pedal, slow down and stop, turn and control speed.
On this course children will learn how to cycle safely and responsibly, respond to hazards, maintain suitable riding positions and comply with signals, signs and road markings.
On this course children will learn how to plan a journey, maintain suitable riding positions, pass queuing traffic and use junctions controlled by traffic lights.
Modules offered are subject to funding, location, demand and practicality.
Own the Ride - Innovation
We have developed some unique adaptations for level 3 sessions which have proved very successful in engaging with the hard-to-reach age demographic in secondary schools.
Own the Ride courses are a flexible and creative approach to level 3 training with older children. Trainees contribute to the course content, participating in discussion groups about vulnerable road users, undertaking route planning activities and group rides to destinations of interest.
A typical Own the Ride programme consists of:
Introduction, Icebreaker and Boundaries
Discussion and information about local cycling campaigns and infrastructure
Cycle Checks
Level 2 Skills Consolidation
Route Planning
Level 3 Skills and Led Ride
Course Conclusion and Action Plan
Own the Ride courses can be run over one to three days depending on the depth and breadth of the content and the ability of the group. The final session is usually done at a later date to allow us to assess and evaluate the impact of the training and, importantly, any changes in travel to school behaviour.
