FAQs

Bikeability Scotland is underpinned by the National Standard for cycle training, a statement of competent cycling and cycling instruction. It sets out the skills and understanding needed to cycle safely and responsibly and to enable others to cycle. The standard provides the basis for Bikeability and a range of adult cycle training programmes.

It’s built upon similar principles to training for motorcycle riders and car drivers and was developed by over 20 expert organisations. The National Standard for cycle training is maintained by the Department for Transport.

Bikeability Scotland is completely free to schools and their pupils. Cycling Scotland supports local authorities with practical advice, funding, and instructor training to start Bikeability Scotland in their schools.

Yes, absolutely. If you'd like to teach Bikeability Scotland at an independent school (either as a member of staff or a volunteer), please contact Cycling Scotland directly.

It's usually delivered by a member of staff at the school or a volunteer. Volunteers are often parents, carers, grandparents, guardians or members of the local community. Cycling Scotland provides training courses for Bikeability Scotland Instructors.

Contact your local authority co-ordinator to find out about the training options in your area.

There are no set year groups in which each level of Bikeability Scotland should be delivered but, as a guide, these are the year groups in which the training often takes place:

• Level 1 - P5
• Level 2 - P6
• Level 3 - P7-S2

Yes, they do. If there are pupils who can’t ride a bike, talk to your local authority coordinator about arranging additional training for absolute beginners. Alternatively, Play on Pedals supported by Cycling Scotland has created videos to help parents teach and support their children in learning to ride.

Yes, they can take part. Cycling Scotland is committed to making Bikeability Scotland training as inclusive as possible. Training sessions might require extra volunteer support, the use of specialist bikes or slight modifications to the training programme. All trainees with additional support needs should be assessed on an individual basis by the instructor prior to attending training.

If you have any concerns, assess the needs of the individual by speaking to them directly, their parent or guardian and find out what support is available via your local authority coordinator.

No, but we’d recommend children complete levels 1 and 2 if possible. The three levels have been designed around taking children on a natural pathway from the basics to more complex journeys by bike. For children to get the most from this pathway, it is recommended that they take part in all three levels if there is the opportunity to do so. We realise that it’s not always possible to deliver the full pathway and would encourage all schools to start with Level 1 and take it from there.

Level 1 takes place in the playground, or another suitable off-road location, while pupils learn bike handling skills. Levels 2 and 3 take place on roads.

The most important thing is to ensure that the pupils' bikes are safe and the right size for them. For Bikeability Scotland levels 2 and 3 the bike must be in a road-worthy condition with an independent front and rear brake. Having gears on a bike is a good thing to have, but not essential.

We also recommend that bikes are fitted with a front white reflector, and that lights are used for training taking place in poor weather conditions.

BMX bikes are not ideal for Bikeability Scotland training due to their lack of gears and low saddle position but providing these are fitted with both front and rear brakes, and are in good working order, they can be used.

Contact your local authority coordinator to see what schemes are available locally to provide bikes for the duration of the training.

It's a similar concept, but Bikeability Scotland teaches on-road training (Levels 2 &3) once children are comfortable riding a bike (Level 1). This provides a realistic training environment and teaches pupils the skills they need to deal with traffic and cycle safely.

Over 53% of Scotland’s primary schools offer on-road cycle training (Bikeability Scotland Level 2). You can use our school checker to see if your school does training, and what levels are currently offered.

Cycling is a fun and practical way to keep active and healthy. As a form of transport, it’s good for the environment, and for many of us, our first sense of independence. Bikeability Scotland cycle training can contribute to your child’s:

• Emotional, social and physical wellbeing
• Hazard perception and awareness
• Education and attainment
• Confidence

Everything you need to prepare your child for training can be found in our downloadable guide. The guide includes information about what each level of training includes and what skills will be developed.

As a parent or carer, the best thing you can do to support your child’s training is to show an interest and give encouragement.

If you’re interested in supporting your child but are not currently confident or able to ride a bike, there are adult and family training courses you can take. Learning to cycle at the same time can be a brilliant way of supporting your child’s Bikeability Scotland training.

Adult Cycle Training - This practical course can be adapted to match your experience and requirements and takes just 2 and a half hours to complete.

Family Cycle Training - This training course is for families looking to develop their confidence in cycling together. The sessions are tailored to meet the needs of the family and it is a fun and rewarding way of learning to cycle together.

There are two qualifications you can get to deliver Bikeability Scotland - the one-day Bikeability Scotland Instructor course for delivering levels 1 and 2, and the four-day Cycle Trainer course for delivering all three levels.

If you're a volunteer who isn't attached to a particular school, please contact your local authority coordinator and ask them to match you with schools nearby that are looking for instructors.

All trainees with additional support needs should be assessed on an individual basis prior to attending training. Training sessions might require extra volunteer support, the use of specialist bikes or slight modifications to the training programme.

If you have any concerns, assess the needs of the individual by speaking to them directly, their parent, guardian and/or teacher and find out what support is available for their specific needs via your local authority coordinator.

Bikeability Scotland instructors can also access a free, one day CPD course on delivering inclusive cycle training. This course is based on a good practice guide, produced by the Department for Transport (DfT).

There are an increasing number of cycle hubs across Scotland which organise events and rides throughout the year. Make sure your trainees know about their nearby hub and tell them about any upcoming rides.

I Bike organises various activities designed to encourage children to carry on cycling when moving from primary to secondary schools and encourages more girls to cycle to schools. I Bike currently operates in 9 Scottish local authority areas.

Cycle to School Week is a week-long event where families are encouraged to try cycling and scooting to school.

The Big Walk and Wheel inspires pupils to make active journeys to school, improve air quality in their neighbourhood and discover how these changes benefit their world.

The British Cycling Go-Ride programme - with over 350 clubs offering activity for young people, helps thousands of young people enjoy the freedom of cycling and develop lifelong skills and habits.

Bike Week is an annual event with various activities across the country to promote cycling.

Cycling Scotland offers a range of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses for Bikeability instructors including workshops that cover instructional techniques, group management, managing risk and risk assessment, emergency first aid at work, and delivering inclusive cycle training. You can find out more by visiting the Cycling Hub website.

Your local authority coordinator may also be able to offer you further training and additional support including instructor mentoring and session shadowing.

Cycling Scotland offer a range of additional courses that will build on your Bikeability Scotland instructor training and further develop your skills and experience. Whether you are interested in training the next generation of instructors or would like to focus on developing the skills of younger children through Play on Pedals, there are courses available throughout the year.

Local authorities are invited once a year to apply for Support Plus funding, which can pay for the cost of getting instructors trained, recruiting instructor mentors who can assist new instructors, supply teachers to enable teachers to attend instructor training, costs associated with recruiting volunteer instructors, and any equipment needed for training.

Cycling Scotland contacts local authority coordinators when the fund is open for applications.

Cycling Scotland provides all Bikeability Scotland resources free to local authorities, in return for annual data about the number of pupils who have received training.

We also provide the Cycle Trainer course free to Local Authorities.

Most instructors take the one-day Bikeability Scotland Instructor course, which enables them to deliver Levels 1 and 2 of Bikeability Scotland.

You can deliver Bikeability Scotland Instructor courses in-house if you have someone within your local authority with a Bikeability Scotland Instructor Trainer qualification.

If you wish to put instructors on the four-day Cycle Trainer course (enabling them to deliver all three levels of Bikeability Scotland), this will need to be delivered by a Cycling Scotland Tutor.

You can contact the Bikeability Team at Cycling Scotland with any training enquiries or questions about specific training courses.

Bikeability Scotland is the national cycle training programme for school children. You can find a summary of how it is structured, managed and delivered alongside the benefits for Scotland’s children including health, wellbeing, confidence and risk awareness, by visiting our website overview page.

As the majority of Bikeability Scotland training is delivered in schools and increasingly forms part of the Physical Education and/or wider curriculum, Cycling Scotland recognises the importance of explicitly demonstrating how cycle training fits within the context of the Curriculum for Excellence.

Our website contains information about specific Health and Wellbeing Experiences and Outcomes that Bikeability Scotland training supports and sets out how the Physical Education Significant Aspects of Learning can be applied directly to the activity of cycling.

The National Standard for Cycle Training (the ‘National Standard’) is a statement of competent cycling and cycling instruction.

Cycling Scotland is represented on the Cycle Training Standards Board and is committed to developing and delivering courses in line with the National standard for cycle training.

The standard is maintained by the Department for Transport and provides a series of outcomes covering the skills necessary for cycle instructors and people cycling in different road conditions.

Bikeability Scotland is managed by Cycling Scotland on behalf of the Bikeability Scotland Delivery Group (BSDG).