Helping every child access cycle training

All children should be able to access cycle training and we as an industry must try our very best to remove any barriers that could prevent a child from beginning their life-long cycling journey.  

A barrier that the Trust are currently working to dismantle is the access to cycle training by children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The proportion of Bikeability training delivered to children and young people who have been identified as having SEND is not representative of the number of children that the Department for Education lists with SEND.  

To address this disparity, the Trust recently funded 18 pilot projects designed to improve the access to and experience of cycle training for individuals with SEND. Projects included the use of BMXs and a pump track for Bikeability Level 1; increasing access to training using diverse adapted cycles; the upskilling of instructors on themes of disability inclusion and behavioural management; and many more. The pilot projects provided 2074 children with SEND-orientated cycle-training experiences which in turn offered a wealth of effective strategies and insights to hold future cycle training sessions. These can be read in further detail here.

Importantly, the pilot projects highlighted the demand from instructors for opportunities to increase their level of confidence and knowledge in training children with SEND to cycle.  

The Trust is collaborating with our industry’s experts in SEND delivery and working with inclusive cycle charity Wheels for All, to develop an interactive CPD module designed for use by instructors.  

The CPD module will provide instructors with guidance on SEND-related terminology, an understanding of SEND definitions and framings, and top tips for communicating with individuals from different areas of need. It will guide instructors through the preparation and delivery methods that can effectively contribute to a successful cycle training session with SEND individuals, both in mainstream and special-school settings. Non-standard cycles and adapting bicycles are described and illustrated through informative video and imagery, together with further information on how and where to get hands-on experience if desired. Downloadable content will be available at the end of the module, and interactive quizzes are placed throughout to help the learner test and retain what they have learnt.  

The new CPD module will be available in early 2023. It will be mandatory and will be backdated to include previously qualified instructors. It is designed to take the learner approximately 90 minutes. If you would like practical experience to complement the module, there will be a downloadable handout with information on opportunities. It is not a pass/fail module and there will be no cost to instructors to complete it. If you have any questions about this new module, please get in touch with us on contactus@bikeability.org.uk.