Cycling

Here at Findern we try and encourage a healthy lifestyle for all our pupils. Many of our older children cycle to school and we have a bike shelter on the school grounds where bikes can be stored safely.

To equip children with the right skills and encourage good road sense, all of our children have lessons on being able to ride a bike safely by the time they leave us in year 6.  With the support of South Derbyshire School Sports Partnership we have a progressive scheme of work starting with our youngest pupils learning to ride bikes through to our older pupils developing confidence when out on the road. Learning to ride a bike is one of life's milestones, providing children with mobile independence and a love of the outdoors. Our Reception and nursery children attend Balanceability sessions where they learn to balance on a bicycle, build confidence and manoeuvre around objects before progressing onto riding a bicycle with pedals. We have a set of balance bikes, with helmets, in school for the children to practise the skills they have learnt.

Our year 5 children undertake the Level 1 Bikeability qualification. Bikeability is the Department for Transport national award provider for cycle training in England. Through this qualification the children learn to stop and start with confidence, understand road markings, signals and road signs and pass stationary vehicles on the road. They learn these skills on the school playground under the guidance of qualified instructors.

In year 6, children have the opportunity to take the Level 2 Bikeability qualification. They start by revising the skills from Level 1 before going on to the quiet roads around Findern with the support of a class teacher and qualified instructors.