Bikeability Scotland School of the Year 2025 has been awarded to Williamston Primary School, West Lothian.
Located in Murieston, a couple of miles outside the centre of Livingston, Williamston is a large primary school with over 400 children across 15 classes.
In a nomination that highlighted the school’s overall cycling culture and commitment to accessibility and inclusion, what set it apart was the shared commitment of both staff and students in making sure that every pupil is given the opportunity and support to complete Level 2 on-road training before heading to high school.
L to R: Rowan, Arianna, Lochlan, Eva Petkova, Shiv and Mary Shaw
We visited on a sunny morning in early September to meet class teacher Eva Petkova, office administrator Mary Shaw and P7s Ariana, Shiv, Lochlan and Rowan to find out more.
How does it feel to have been recognised by the Bikeability Scotland community as School of the Year?
First to know the news was Mary Shaw: “[I was] absolutely shocked because we didn’t know that we were in for it. To come back after the summer to that email telling us was amazing.”
Class teacher, Eva Petkova continues, “We deserve it though. We've got amazing kids and a lot of them choose to do all the levels. We don't have to advertise. We just say, these are the dates, and the kids go for it. It is really thanks to them.”
Is Williamston Primary a good place to ride a bike?
P7 pupil, Lochlan, starts things off with his journey to school, “I try and cycle every day. If it's bad weather, then I walk.”
Eva, who cycles regularly, knows this will not always be the case: “Don't worry, that will change. I used to be like that as well. But now I cycle in any weather.” This gentle encouragement and positivity are present throughout our morning at the school. Each question or idea is met with a thoughtful response and there is an overall feeling of support and collaboration.
The physical environment surrounding the school is also highlighted as a positive as Lochlan explains: “We have the huge path. We have paths through the woods, and we are connected to the park.” Rowan continues, “If you’re going up there it’s safe because there's no roads. You can just cycle.” Eva explains how important this is in developing skills and awareness, “You can start cycling quite early on and get that confidence to be on the bike, to keep the balance, to make sure you're in control and, maybe then, get on the road.”
It's making you ready for when you go on the roads.
Can you tell us more about Bikeability Scotland training?
P7 pupil Shiv kicks things off, “Last year I remember we did the high five. Got everyone to learn how to do the hand signals and be safe on the road.”
Rowan expands on this and links the skills in the playground to the experience beyond, “If you’re on the road, for example, and you didn’t do Bikeability they wouldn’t know what you were doing, and you wouldn’t know how to signal. It’s making you ready for when you go on the roads.”
Why is the training important?
Lochlan begins “riding your bike is also a good way of transport”, and Shiv adds “and it's good exercise.”
Eva continues “It'll give you that independence. You don't have to wait for mum and dad to pick you up. You just jump on your bike and get where you need to go.” Lochlan smiles, “Yeah, that's what I do. Me and my brother we just get on our bikes and just go.”
Shiv brings it back to why he wanted to Bikeability training, “I just wanted to get on my bike, and I wanted to learn.” Eva notes, “And it’s fun as well. Especially Level 1. It’s mostly games just so we can see whether you are ready to go on the road.”
For Rowan it is all of this and more: “You get to go on your bike, you get to do games. You're not sitting in a classroom; you're going outside and getting exercise.”
You get to go on your bike, you get to do games. You're not sitting in a classroom; you're going outside and getting exercise.
What are other things you need to think about?
We move on to talking about equipment. All four students own bikes that are in good working order, but this isn’t always the case. The schools has five bikes that they provide to pupils, and, as Eva explains “if they don't currently have a bike that fits them, we can provide a bike, along with jackets, helmets, gloves.”
Can you tell us about the transition from Level 1 to Level 2?
Eva starts by stressing the importance of a solid foundation. “It's simple if you do it every day but when you get introduced to all the little routines - how to start, how to stop, how to turn, what to do before you stop - it can be a bit overwhelming. So, we do quite a lot of practice, and we give the kids a lot of chance to do circuits and to be as independent as possible.”
Mary builds on this by explaining to the students what they can expect in the next stage: “Level 2 is a lot more involved. First we'll take you out to the car park and then from the car park out in the road. The cars and the bus will start to come past you. So, we are building up your experience and your confidence in being on the road.”
Ariana admits to feeling “super excited but also a little bit nervous”.
Overall, the reaction is overwhelmingly positive with Rowan nicely expressing the mix of excitement mixed with trepidation “I feel I would still be confident with the skills from Level 1, but I definitely still need more help on the road.”
What does it take to be an instructor and what do you gain from the experience?
Mary, a long-standing member of the delivery team, is keen to share how Williamston has changed and adapted over the years. “When I first qualified I was a cyclist, but the teacher who did it at that time wasn’t and hadn't cycled a bike since she had been a child. The trainers helped her and took her off to the side so that she could build up confidence.”
Making sure there are enough trained adults is always a challenge. Williamston is currently in a good place but, as Mary shares, they have to be flexible to ensure consistent delivery: “sometimes you'll only be able to get one staff member, so you involve your parents.”
What is constant for Mary is why she does it: “I love it. It gets me out of the office” [To the students] “Seeing you go out and do the level 2 and then seeing you as you get older and seeing you on the road with your bikes and going, you know what, we did a good job me and Ms. Petkova.”
A nodding Eva continues “a lot of the children I have taught in class, and I see completely different side to those kids. It's very often the ones who are quiet and shy in class, all of a sudden you see all that confidence, and they will be at the front of their line.” She continues, “it is amazing to see the other side of the child, the one that you don't always see in class. Because you are different outside. When you get a bit of freedom and a bit of sun on your faces.”
What does the future look like?
Eva starts by asks Shiv if he is planning on cycling to high school next year. You can see his brain ticking over as he considers the permutations, “Yeah, but I don't know if I'll be able to.” As encouragement, Rowan adds her angle, “I want to get to the point where I don't need to go on the path, and I can just go on the road. Just going on the road and getting to a place - like going from your house to a shop or your friend’s house. Just staying on the road would be one of my goals.” Shiv is inspired, “I personally want to cycle to James Young [High School] right now. I’m setting my goal as James Young and memorise the route.”
Mountain bike enthusiast Lochlan is even more ambitious. Having exhausted the trails close to home he is looking to complete Bikeability Scotland Level 2 as a way he can expand his horizons. “There are trails you can get to in the forest so probably trying to get to the longer trails which are quite a bit farther away.”
Is there anything that makes Williamston extra special?
Shiv’s response is instant, “I remember in P5, like Miss Petkova, you did a kind of - what was it called? A club?” Eva explains, “Oh, the maintenance club. Yes, yes. We did a maintenance club, and it was amazing to see how many kids are keen to know how to fix their own bikes.” Arianna adds the detail, “We learnt how to fix the chains, clean the chains, fix a puncture. Yeah. We learnt so many things about the bikes.”
“We're lucky here because we've got little bikes in the nursery as well” adds Mary, “So even though we only do Bikeability with P6 and P7, all the children are visible and can see that the bikes are out and available for all the age groups.” For Eva this visibility is an important part of why uptake levels are so high in the school. “When we do Bikeability Level 1, and we get the kids to go through to the courtyard where we usually do it, you can see all the kids at the windows. It is nice. It is really promoted in the school. There are younger kids who are looking forward to getting to P6 so they can do Level 1.”
Enthusiasm, commitment, curiosity and confidence. These are the words that stick with us after a morning at this inspiring cycling school in West Lothian.