Woodlands Meed students get on their bikes as cycle training programme comes to Burgess Hill special needs school

Earlier this month the Year 8 students at Woodlands Meed learned new cycling skills and gained confidence with help from the government’s national cycle training programme.

A spokesperson for the school said: “The Bikeability team provided amazing support for those who had never ridden a bike before, helping encourage some nervous pupils to have a go and encouraging the more confident to ride safely on roads near to school. The team had a range of cycles for the pupils to use – tricycles, recumbent trikes, hand bikes and tandems, as well as two-wheelers, ensuring everyone could take part.”

The school said Bikeability was a hit with the students who all got something out of the the week.

They said: “Some students who were extremely anxious on the Monday, were cycling independently by Wednesday. Encouraging skills like cycling, whatever the ability, enables and empowers students to be active and is a powerful tool for building for the students’ self esteem. Incorporation of a new found skill and enjoyable activity helps encourage confidence to try other new things too. As well as the obvious health benefits, cycling also helps our students with physical needs to keep moving and can be incorporated into some of the work done onsite with the physio team.”

The school is now seeking donors or fundraising support to help incorporate cycling into regular outdoor activities for pupils. People who would like to help can contact [email protected].