Get Cycling FAQs

Bikeability training is delivered by professional Bikeability instructors who deliver Level 1 and 2 training to Key Stage 2 children.   The Get Cycling in Schools programme is separate to this and is delivered by your teaching staff. It is aimed at helping your pupils learn the basics of balancing and cycling to prepare them for further Bikeability training. We encourage you to engage with both offers to ensure your pupils are given the most support to get cycling.

There are three modules that make up Get Cycling in Schools: Balance, Learn to Ride, and Ride.

Balance:

This is suitable for nursery school age upwards, using games to help riders develop cycle handling and awareness skills off-road on balance bikes.

Learn to ride:

This is for riders unable to ride a two-wheeled pedal cycle without support. Riders unable to balance should start with Balance before moving on to this module.

Ride : 

Riders develop cycle handling and control skills on pedal cycles off-road through games. This prepares them to make journeys using infrastructure like segregated cycle lanes

Once children have completed the Ride module, they will be ready for Bikeability Level 1 and 2, which will help prepare them to make journeys confidently on the road.

If your school is not currently offering Bikeability to pupils, please visit Find Bikeability Cycle Training to find your local training provider. They will be able to advise you on how to introduce Bikeability cycle training in your school.

This is a common scenario and the short answer is “however you like”. Many teachers prefer to include all pupils in each module regardless of ability – children who are able to ride a pedal cycle will still enjoy, and get benefit from, participating in the Balance module.  

This is also up to you. We have suggested around 45 minutes is good for a ‘session’ and 4–6 sessions should be enough to cover all the ‘goals’ in each module. You can be flexible and make it fit your timetable. Think about how long your children are able to take part in activities such as PE. 

There are several ways that you can deliver the modules. You could copy the way you deliver Swimming or PE in your school. Perhaps once a week over a term, or every day for a week during an activities week, or even as an after-school session. 

Yes, the Balance, Learn to ride and Ride modules can be taught to children or adults of any age. You can adapt the lessons to the age and interests of the child. If you are teaching an older child, you will need to ensure they have a bike that fits them appropriately. 

We are not expecting your teaching staff to be cycling experts. We aim to support and help them to develop their skills through a combination of online training, supporting resources and practical training. We have had teaching staff attend training courses unable to ride a bike and leave being able to cycle with increasing confidence.

Once your teaching staff have completed the e-learning and the practical training, they are ready to deliver the training to pupils in your school. They can revisit the e-learning training whenever they need to, including the Resources tab, which contains lots of useful information for each module including activities and suggested lesson plans. There are also certificates for pupils and teachers, assessment tracking sheets and resources for parents.  

Staff who receive the training and deliver Get Cycling will be asked to complete a ‘Reflections’ survey once a year, this will be in July at the end of the summer term. The feedback they provide will help shape the future of this project. We also ask at this time that they re-register for the project by letting us if you will be participating in Get Cycling in the coming year.

There are certificates for each module in the Resources section of the online training platform. These can be given to children when they complete a module. We also have a certificate of participation for teachers and teaching staff. 

The following funding is available to schools: PE and sport premium for primary schools – GOV.UK. Please check the guidance, using the link, to see if this could be an option for you. We can also assist you to purchase fleets through links with our industry partners.