Nursery/School
Christmas has come early for 20 Scottish schools
17 December 2018
Twenty secondary schools across Scotland have been awarded a total of £50,000 from Cycling Scotland to promote cycling amongst their staff and students.
From the Western Isles to Fife, the Highlands to the Borders, the 20 secondary schools will receive an early Christmas present of up to £4,000 to support their pupils to get cycling. The funding, from Cycling Scotland’s Cycle Friendly Secondary Schools Development Fund, supported by Transport Scotland, will be used for facilities and projects that encourage young people and school staff to travel by bike.
These projects include:
- Procuring bike maintenance equipment to offer skills and qualifications to pupils
- Buying bikes to support a wide range of projects
- Maintenance and cycle training
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson MSP said: “It is fantastic news that schools across Scotland are seeking to encourage pupils and staff to consider cycling. There are so many personal and environmental benefits that cycling can bring and this development fund will make cycling an easier and more accessible choice for more schools.
“By continuing to fund innovative and important projects through Cycling Scotland, we can continue to build an Active Nation, where more people and communities can enjoy the many benefits of sustainable walking and cycling.”
The Cycle Friendly Secondary Schools programme has a track record of success: using maintenance classes to engage disengaged pupils, giving Pupil Champions responsibility for their projects, encouraging girls cycle clubs and creating opportunities for skills development are just a few of the activities that the funding has provided.
Matthew Wilberton, Development Officer at Cycling Scotland, said “It’s so encouraging to see so many schools around the country using cycling to complement their curricular and extra-curricular offering, and encouraging more pupils and staff to cycle for health, socialising, and enjoyment. Schools are using cycling to support a wide variety of educational outcomes and activities, with pupils taking an active role in shaping cycling opportunities for their peers.”
Mark Walker, Geography teacher at Perth Grammar School said "We applied for the Cycling Scotland grant fund to address the attainment gap. We were looking for areas of the curriculum that we can change to engage, enthuse, and inspire pupils, creating different learner pathways that offer a greater variety of skills and opportunities.”