Cycling
Cycling is one of the few physical activities that can be integrated into everyday school life – as a sport, an enjoyable activity and a form of active travel.
A health promoting school can benefit in many ways from incorporating cycling into its ethos. Cycling helps both children and adults to:
- work towards the recommended period of daily physical activity (one hour for children; half an hour for adults
- reduce the risk in later life of cardiovascular disorders, obesity, diabetes and some types of cancer
- improve mental health and well-being
- enjoy fresh air and sunlight.
A further benefit for children is the sense of independence that cycling generates.
Independence and new perspectives
Cycling is a positive experience that gives children the opportunity for what they might see as an 'adventure'. The child is in control: he or she can choose a route and decide when and where to travel to. This form of independence, which also gives children the ability to travel further than they would be able to on foot, can contribute to the development of other life skills.
Senses such as sight, smell, sound and touch are more acute when cycling than when travelling in a car or using public transport. Cycling therefore allows enjoyment of the outdoors from a different perspective.
Cycling can be an attractive option in terms of reducing individual energy consumption. Children can use online calculators that show their eco or carbon footprint. Cycling to school is one way of lowering their score. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Wildlife Explorers has produced an eco footprint quiz, which is easy and attractive to use (tel: 01767 680551 or e-mail: Education@rspb.org.uk).
Active travel and Safe Routes to Schools
Journeys to school by bike enable children to arrive more refreshed and alert for the day ahead. Safe Routes to Schools is an initiative run by Sustrans, which aims to promote active commuting to school by providing information and practical support.
Safe Routes to Schools is committed to enabling every child in the UK to make a safe journey to school. All schools should have a designated school travel coordinator and Active Schools coordinator, who may be contacted via the local council. Contact your coordinators for help in implementing travel plans and organising cycle training, after school clubs and cycling activities, such as led rides.
One way of encouraging more pupils to cycle to school is the development of a cycling 'bus' – similar to a walking bus, where children and young people are led by volunteer adults. Tickets can be designed by pupils as a way of involving them and giving them ownership of the activity. The ticket is punched by the bus 'driver' for each journey.
This project can be started as part of a Cycle to School week. Offer health promoting incentives for the pupils to keep pedalling after the week is over, for example, free water bottles or fruit juice. An example class activity to support a Cycle to School week is the Greening the Trees exercise below.
Word file: Greening the Trees exercise (30KB)
Bike-It Scotland
Cycling Scotland, the body that promotes cycling, is currently rolling out a Bike-It Scotland pilot project in four council areas, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee, Falkirk and Highland.
Bike-It is a national cycling skills development programme that targets primary school children and supports initiatives such as Eco Schools, health promoting schools, active travel and Safe Routes to Schools. The programme aims to increase the number of primary school children who:
- participate in cycling activities
- cycle to school
- have safe cycling skills.
To achieve this, each pilot project involves a number of activities, for example: the identification and establishment of infrastructure for school cycling clubs, bike parking, safer routes, school travel plans and cycle training. The project has an integrated approach, which also identifies professional and volunteer instructors to receive training and to develop and deliver a skills curriculum in each area.
Try Cycling Tayside
Run in conjunction with Cycling Scotland, the Try Cycling Tayside project aims to encourage individuals to take up or return to cycling as a healthy form of exercise. It also provides ongoing support to participants to help them keep up their cycling as part of a healthier lifestyle.
The project focuses on individuals who are largely inactive and provides cycle training to individuals or small groups of people. In particular, the project gives support to those who:
- have never ridden a bike before
- have not cycled for a long time – helping them to rebuild their confidence.
The project also organises regular short rides for people who can cycle but appreciate the company and encouragement of cycling with others and benefit from assistance with route finding. This could be a way for schools to encourage families and parents to become more active through cycling – whether for travel or recreation.
Community links
School cycling clubs can link with the community through connecting with local cycling clubs and regional academies run by Scottish Cycling. More information on cycle sport in Scotland can be found on the Scottish Cycling website and the International Mountain Biking Association - UK website.
Cycling can also be a family activity. Active Woods, run by the Forestry Commission, offers a range of cycle trails and paths that all the family can enjoy, whatever their experience or skill.
Continuing professional development for teachers
Cycling offers teachers and other professional staff many opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD). Cycling Scotland, a CPD provider registered with the General Teaching Council of Scotland, offers a range of training courses.
The development of, and participation in, after-school clubs can be supported by various staff, including the Active Schools coordinator, and teachers can add their contribution to their annual CPD time. Staff can also gain individual health benefits from actively commuting themselves.
Resources
Cycling Scotland aims to establish cycling as an acceptable, attractive and practical lifestyle option. As well as promoting cycling and raising awareness they can provide training for groups and offer support and information to encourage cycling.
As part of Cycling Scotland training courses, Ready Steady Bike resource cards are available, which provide activities to teach essential cycling skills.
Cycling Scotland has also developed an on-road journey log book aimed at Primary 7 pupils. It aims to encourage the uptake and continuation of cycling to school – both as a progression from Primary 6 training and as a pathway to active commuting to secondary school.
Scottish Cycling, the national governing body for cycle sport in Scotland, provides a range of courses – and the Go-Ride resource cards, which are delivered by Scottish Cycling coaches.
Council cycling officers are able to provide resources in terms of maps for local and national cycling routes and may be able to offer support and advice in terms of integrating cycling into the health promoting schools approach.
Road Safety Officers, working with your local council or police force, provide the Scottish Cycle Training Scheme in schools throughout Scotlandand can also provide associated resources and information. Find your local contact on the Road Safety Scotland website.
