Do SEND schools receive Bikeability Training?
For those not sure what Bikeability is; it’s the UK government’s national cycle training programme which helps improve people’s cycle control, and their ability to cycle on today’s roads. Bikeability gives everyone, adults and young people, the skills and confidence to cycle well and enjoy cycling for life.
In this blog, David Danksy, Business Development Manager, talks about how Bikeworks is influencing best practice, to ensure the inclusion of SEND children and young people in schools cycle training delivery.
Bikeworks received funding from national charity the Bikeability Trust, to provide best practice for the development of Cycle Instructor CPD. With the focus on the promotion of inclusion our team partnered with SEND schools, as part of a six-month evaluation pilot.
At Bikeworks we believe there is a cycling experience for everyone. Core to our purpose and the reason for our existence, is to change and challenge the perceptions of the cycling world, and the preconceptions of who can cycle.
The Bikeability Trust funded pilots to deliver instructor professional development and deliver training to young people with a special need or disability to cycle. Bikeworks was one of 12 organisations across England that was chosen to deliver a pilot.
Being able to hold a national partnership with the Bikeability Trust is incredibly important. Collaborations of this nature provides us with the opportunity to share our sixteen-years of inclusive-cycling knowledge, alongside other organisations, to effect the change we want to see. The potential being a wider system change across the delivery of national cycle training.
“I was involved in delivering the training to the SEND schools in the project and saw first hand how much the pupils enjoyed the training which ranged from learning to balance on two wheels to riding on roads around their School. Cycling gives them the opportunity of freedom and independence” Simon Shone, All Ability Club Manager, Bikeworks
The evaluation of the pilot led by Dr Kay Inckle can be read here. It provides direct insights and a useful understanding of the challenges and barriers experienced by young people, their families, and teachers.
A major barrier to disabled people when accessing cycling is lack of knowledge about the range of accessible cycles, and the wider perception that cycling isn’t for people with a disability.
Access to cycle training and the right cycle, provides everyone with the ability to learn new skills and increase confidence. There really is a cycling experience for everyone.
What happens next?
The Bikeability Trust has announced this year (in 2023) it will increase its funding to specifically engage SEND young people, to further promote access to cycle training for everyone.
In addition to this, the six key recommendations provided by Bikeworks will be rolled out by the Bikeability Trust across the UK’s cycle training schemes.
Our Co-CEO, Jim Blakemore, is also bringing to life our evaluation as a speaker at the Bikeability Conference, taking place on 2 March 2023 in Birmingham.
Conference topics include focus on the impact of the Widening Participation Fund, which invested in 44 projects focused on reducing the barriers to Bikeability for children from underrepresented groups.
If you want to know more about how Bikeworks can offer inclusive cycle training at your school or in the community. Get in touch with us at: enquiries@bikeworks.org.uk
Note: SEND is an abbreviation for the term Special Educational Needs and Disabilities