Prep pupils boost bike skills and confidence
Community Cycleworks visited JAGS Prep last week to deliver an excellent bike repairs and maintenance workshop for our eager pupils.
With sustainability being one of the key tenets of the JAGS Strategic Development Plan, we are always exploring new avenues to promote and encourage more eco-friendly travel to and from school.
Our Sustainability Lead, Priya Hira, identified one barrier potentially standing in the way for our pupils was their ability to fix and repair their bike should they encounter any difficulties.
And so, in collaboration with our sustainability coordinators, organised a visit from nearby Community Cycleworks.
The not-for-profit organisation works to promote cycling among young people and their families by empowering youngsters to be mechanically self-sufficient.
This, in turn, helps build skills and confidence and ultimately encourages them to choose cycling as an everyday mode of transport.
Following the workshop, attending pupils reported it had changed their views on cycling and helped boost their confidence.
Stewart Vanns, Co-founder of Community Cycleworks, said: “It was a pleasure to teach them. There were audible gasps at how quick a journey by bike was compared to walking or catching the bus. The children were already aware of the benefits to health and wellbeing of cycling. It was a good chance for them to show us what they knew, yet learn new skills at the same time.“These courses address a rising lack of practical, hands on skills. Over 60%of our students have never tried to fix a bike before.
“This, as well as the common misbelief that fixing things is for boys….oh please….hogwash to that we say!
“There is a link between people feeling more confident of how their bikes work and fixing simple problems and them cycling more often as a result.
“The girls listened, asked lots of questions and then tackled the tasks in pairs with enthusiasm while helping each other. They showed great teamwork and problem solving skills.”
