Bikeability for Year 5 School Children

About This Project

Cycle skills are essential for children if they’re going to learn to ride safely and confidently.

We’ve been giving cycle training to year 5 and 6 children at this Preston school every year since 2012. We provide Bikeability training at levels 1, 2 and 3.

The idea is to make it easy for schools to book our service, and to be inclusive in what we offer. So we provide bikes and helmets for any children who don’t have them, and we can cater for a range of abilities, including any children with SEND.

We give the school letters and consent forms to send on to parents, for them to return before the cycle training session. We contact the school a week in advance to check about break times and lunchtimes, and any adaptations we need to make for special or behavioural needs.

By the time our instructors turn up on the day, the school is organised and the children are ready for Bikeability training.

What Does Bikeability Cycle Training Involve?

“I loved it as I got to cycle as I learned.”

The aim of Bikeability cycle training is to give children skills for life when it comes to cycling. This training will encourage them to use their bikes independently for short journeys.

Bikeability Level 1 and 2 takes a minimum of eight hours, and the first two of these are about helping children develop their basic bike handling skills in a traffic-free environment. After that, they spend six hours on quiet roads.

This allows them to build the confidence they need to cycle in today’s traffic conditions.

More Advanced Cycle Training

If a child shows confidence, and is able to handle a bike well in more challenging traffic situations, then they can take Level 3 training. This is for year 6 children and should encourage them to ride to high school when the time comes.

Level 3 training normally takes place after SATS, when children are more familiar and comfortable riding on roads, having used their Level 2 training for several months.

For this training, we carefully plan routes with busier road layouts, with larger roundabouts, traffic lights and multi-lane junctions.

Training for Younger Children Too

Even younger children can benefit from cycle training. They can learn to ride on our balance bikes. These are bikes without pedals, and to make them move, children must use their feet. This helps them develop the vital balance and co-ordination they need for cycling.

The Value of Bikeability

“The team at Go Velo were really kind. They explained everything well and helped us when we struggled. They made cycling fun.”

Bikeability training is good for schools, for parents, and for their children.

Go Velo delivers Bikeability, and this is a free service, funded by Lancashire County Council through the Department for Transport.

For more information, please fill in our contact form, and we’ll be back in touch as soon as possible.