Bike It and my child
Your child goes to a Bike It school? That's brilliant news. With your support, they'll get a big boost from Bike It that will last throughout their lives. Sustrans are experts at developing easier, better ways for people to get around and believe schools are the core of a healthy, happy community. We only work with schools and local authorities who feel the same way, so if your school has been chosen to be a Bike It school, it's a pretty special place.
What happens in Bike It schools?
Your child is assigned a Bike It Officer who will become a regular sight in school - running assemblies and lessons and all kinds of activities and events aimed at helping children become safe, happy cyclists.
Officers are highly trained and will work hard to set up safe bike storage and cycle training in school. They will identify the best cycling routes and work closely throughout the year with parents and teachers and children of all ages to develop a cycling culture in the school. The officer works intensively with the school for one or two years to set everything in place to keep the school cycling - for good.
Why?
Not so long ago, thousands of children cycled to school in this country. They were much fitter and healthier and the school environment was much safer and cleaner as a result. They had a much better sense of how to be safe on the roads and learned how to travel safely and independently.
Only two percent of British children now cycle to school but we know we can change this. Places like Denmark for instance, have worked hard to reinstate the cycling culture and around half of all their children now cycle to school. Bike It schools are catching up fast. On average, our schools have five times the amount of children travelling in on two wheels not four. In some of our schools, we beat the Danish model.
Getting children on bikes is easy. Unlike many kinds of exercise which need lots of gear and special facilities, cycling is something they can do any time, anywhere. And best of all, they all want to do it!
How do we get the most out of Bike It?
There will be lots of opportunities for you to join in with Bike It events in school - please get involved and support your child in their cycling. And if you can cycle with your child outside school - or even come in with them on your bike sometimes - it makes a huge difference. Not only will you enjoy it, but you will be able to see first hand how safe and easy it can be for your child.
Here's what Rosie's Dad Simon (pictured top) thinks:
“Jumping on our bikes is much quicker than getting the car out and sometimes, after I've dropped Rosie off, I just carry on and cycle into the office. It means both of us arrive fresh and raring to go.
“I really treasure the time we spend together in the mornings and Rosie loves it, especially now her friends are starting to cycle in too. I love the fact she is fit and learning how to be safe on the roads."
This is why Sam (10) loves it:
"Bike It is brilliant because now there are lots of us cycling and its lots more fun. I am a good cyclist now and safe because I know exactly what I'm doing on the roads.
"One thing I really like is that I've learned how to cycle better so it's easier on hills and I can use my bike to travel anywhere. Bike It also taught me how to repair my bike if it starts making funny noises!"
I want my child to go to a Bike It school
Find out if there's a Bike It Officer in your area by checking the Where's Bike It? map. If there is an officer in your area, ask your school to get in touch with them about being a Bike It school.
Even if you don't have a Bike It Officer in your area, your school can get in touch with the council who might be able to organise it for you. Ask a parent, carer or teacher to fill in our Ask for Bike It questionnaire.
To find out a little bit more, look through this website and check out the 'Brilliant Bike It' booklet.
And if you want to see a short film about Bike It working in a real school, visit www.teachers.tv/video/20010.
Good luck and we hope to see you very soon!