Cycle training for children

This is a practical on the road training programme for children over the age of nine years and is designed to help children to develop the skills needed to cope with moving traffic and to become aware of other road users.

Cycle training is important as it enables children to develop the skills needed to cope with moving traffic and to become aware of other road users.

What does the training involve?

The training starts off road, most likely on a school play-ground, to make sure the child has good control of the cycle. It then progresses too ‘on road’ sessions which deal with starting, stopping, left and right turns, and overtaking a vehicle. The children also study the Highway Code.

In Oxfordshire we run two cycle schemes:

OCC Cycle Training

Some of you may have heard of Bikeability (BAB).  This is an alternative training method supported by the Department for Transport and OCC liaise annually with the Bikeability Trust to secure funding to enable us to strive towards our goal to offer cycle training to each school in Oxfordshire.

The good news is that all our Road Safety Cycle Training Officers are fully proficient in both the OCC Cycle Training and Bikeability Schemes.  Both schemes are accredited to the DfT National Standard for Cycle Training (2018) and we are the only county which offers both types of cycle training methods.

• No volunteers are required

• Usually held on consecutive days from two to four days as a combined Level 1 & 2 programme

• Ratio is 6 riders to 1 instructor using our own Road Safety Cycle Training Officer or third-party providers, conducted on bicycles

• As the course progresses, riders need to achieve prescribed outcomes during the course.

For further information regarding Bikeability please visit: Bikeability | Cycle training for everyone delivering better and safer training

How long is the course?

Cycle training normally takes around eight hours and is flexible to fit into the school time table. Usually it is spread over one and half hour sessions once or twice a week.

How are the children tested?

At the end of their training the children complete a test which is in two parts. The first part of the test is about the Highway Code and is usually done by the volunteers. The second part of the test is the road test, to demonstrate that the child can start, stop, and complete left and right hand turns safely in traffic, this part of the test is done by one of the county’s cycle training examiners.

Who does the training?

The children are trained by volunteers who willingly give around eight hours of their time to teach the children to be safe on our roads. All volunteers receive training from qualified cycle trainers.

Where does the training take place?

Cycle training takes place in primary schools around the county.

Is there a cost?

Cycle training is free of charge in all schools.

I would like my child to complete a cycle training scheme

Contact your head teacher if you are interested in your child taking the course. If the school does not have a scheme you may consider setting one up.

Your child must have a bicycle that is in road worth condition and is the correct size for them. They will also need a correctly fitted cycle helmet which must be worn during the training.

Bicycle safety checks (pdf format, 192Kb)

How to get involved in your schools cycle training

If your school already has a training scheme you could contact the head teacher to join the Cycle Training Team.

Or if your school would like to start a new training scheme if it does not already have one please contact the Road Safety Education Team on roadsafety.education@oxfordshire.gov.uk.