Crowdys Hill SEN School, Swindon

Crowdys Hill is a Special Educational Needs School in Swindon and is linked with three other SEN schools in an Out Reach program. The school has a vested interest is cycling with it's own cycle repair workshop and the schools desire to help it's pupils become independent travellers.

Cycling Now was asked by the Cycling Touring Club - CTC if we would like to run a project at the school to enable 80 pupils to ride a bike. The project was a great success with over 80 level one pupils with 10 level 2 passes. The school trained two members of it's staff to become National Cycling Standard Instructors. Cycling Now helped setup the level 2 classes with the two new instructors.

Articles on this project available from Cycling Weekly and Edinburgh Bicycling.

Garland Junior School, Reading

Garland Junior School was the largest group of courses Cycling Now has undertaken. Mrs Sarah East, Headteacher, invited us to teach all of Year 6 Bikeability at her school. The area the school is in has a lot of housing areas and country lanes with a great opportunity to both cycle to school and go out for the day.

We ran 7 courses and incorporated all the housing areas, (to and from the school and the secondary school many will be going to), the main roads though the large village and surrounding country roads. By the end of the course all the pupils were able to recognise routes they would be using to shops, schools and their homes. It was wonderful to have their feedback on the course and like all Year 6 pupils they did not hold back on their views.

The instructors thought the pupils were a pleasure to teach and reflected highly on the school. We have been invited back in September to run more courses for the new Year 6.

School Feedback

Mrs Sarah East says,

As a head I can honestly say my pupils have really enjoyed all aspects of the Bikeability training. I would highly recommend the course. the children have cycled miles and come back exhausted. The trainers are pleasant and have made good relationships quickly. They join in with staff at lunch time and are very supportive. All of our children who opted to take the course have passed. The routines they have learnt are so much better than cycling proficiency. I feel they are better equipped for life on the road now.

Denefield School, Reading

Cycling Now was invited to Denefield school in Reading as part of an out of schools community project during the half term break. We ran a two day Bikeability cycle club for pupils in Year 7 and it was a great two days, finishing with a road trip which even took in some off road track and a sweet shop,

Here is a picture of the group after the course with certificates. The course was very successful and we have been invited back to run a summer school in the holidays.

Kennet Secondary School, Newbury

Cycling Now won a bid and selection process to pilot a West Berkshire Council scheme to introduce Bikeability to schools in their area. One of our first schools were Kennet Secondary School where Dr. Ian Crose invited us to set up after school courses for Years 7, 8 & 9. Ian advertised the courses in the school and set up the groups for each course. We then ran 5 courses with 6 pupils in each group from Monday to Friday. It was a great success and pupils and instructors had a very enjoyable time.

One of the key features of setting up a course is the enthusiasm of the teachers at the schools. Dr Ian Crose with the backing of Headmaster, Mr. P.G.Dick O.B.E. is a great example of this at Kennet.

Cycling Now has been invited back to set up a summer school in '09 for pupils and Bikeability training. some of our training pictures are here.

School Feedback

Dr Ian Crose says,

We were delighted to be able to work with you to help the children learn to cycle in safety. West Berkshire is a lovely area to explore by bike, and you helped us to enable many of our children to widen their horizons. Our cycle racks at the school are now full every day, and many of our children are finding the health and learning benefits of cycling to and from school - fit bodies and minds definitely go together. We've had very positive feedback from parents, and we want to make training available to all our pupils, and possibly their parents too!