Cycling Skills - October Half-Term 2009

Over half-term CyclingInstructor.com came in to teach another group of Year 7 & 8 boys the skills they need to cycle safely on the road, again funded through Croydon Road Safety. We ran one session for seven boys as unfortunately three boys were unable to attend at the last minute - one for family work commitments, one for sickness and one who went on holiday. As part of the course the bicycles are safety-checked beforehand and out of the eight bikes checked 3 had faulty brake cables; 1 had a faulty gear cable; all the saddle heights needed to be adjusted and 2 punctures were repaired.

The boys bought their bikes into school for four days and after an initial skills assessment session on the first day made it out onto the roads under the protective eyes of two Instructors, dressed in their High Visibility jerkins and safety helmets. They practised the skills learned in the first session by cycling down Streatham Common and around Greyhound Lane and all made it back safely.

Some of the comments from the boys were: ‘I found out how cars see me'; ‘I didn't know the best place to be (on the road) before' and ‘Thank you, I feel safer now'.

The Instructors said that the boys were a pleasure to teach and a credit to their parents and school.

Hilary Spong

Cycling Skills Group May 2009

We had a very successful Cycling Skills Group over May half term with fourteen boys taking the course and passing. The boys were from years 7, 8 and 9 and they all behaved in a way that was a credit to the school and their families.

Each boy had his bicycle safety checked before the course began, brakes were adjusted, saddle heights changed for comfort and safety and inner tubes were patched. They were given a good quality Oxford Cycle Helmet - in black luckily - and a high visibility jerkin before having their cycle skills tested in the playground. Once the Instructors had made sure that they were able to control their bikes and would listen to his instructions they were off on the roads for the remaining three days.

The sight of all the boys cycling in a line down Streatham Hill was wonderful - their exhausted return after cycling back up the hill was a very proud moment.

Thanks to Croydon Road Safety who once again funded the course and to both the Instructors from Cyclinginstructor.com. We have been very lucky to be able to book another course over October half term for year 7s and 8s which will mean that just over 30 boys have had this skills training at the school. Hopefully this will mean that they will cycle to school when the weather is good, helping to keep themselves fit; reduce the amount of traffic on the roads and congestion around the school and also helping the environment.

Cycling Course - May 2008 

Over half term at the end of May 2008, a group of boys brought their bikes into school to learn how to cycle on the roads safely. The four day course was organised by the Extended Schools Co-ordinator, paid for by Croydon Council and taught by two teachers from CycleInstructor.com.

On the first morning the instructor checked their bikes to make sure they were safe - he fixed a punctured tyre and a buckled wheel. Helmets were supplied for the course so these had to be fitted before practising bike control skills in the playground. The next morning they began with some warm-up cycling around the playground in a snake before leaving the school to cycle on the road for a two hour round trip.

On Thursday morning they cycled from school towards South Norwood, returning up Biggin Hill to arrive in the playground a bit sweaty at 12.30. On Friday they went to Streatham and showed good bike control down the hill and then negotiated the traffic into Greyhound Lane before disaster struck - one bike chain broke and the instructor was unable to fix it. The boys had a long, frustrating walk all the way back to school.

What they said they learned:

‘...safety and how to connect with drivers and signal to turn' ‘that you have to work with drivers and the road and show where you are going to go.' ‘look before you move' ‘how to signal' ‘which part of the road you should ride'

Well done to all the boys who completed the course.