Benefits of Cycling To School
With children spending more time behind screens than outside, cycling can be a healthy and fun way of encouraging children to enjoy the outdoors. People of all ages can enjoy cycling, but learning to ride from a young age will equip children with a skill for life. Cycling to school is a good starting point to get children out and about and on their bikes. Providing cycle parking at school will encourage more pupils to ride to school.
Benefits of Cycling To School
- Encourages independence and builds confidence
- Good for the environment
- Reduces congestion – especially around school gates, making it safer
- Provides an active start to the day, children will be more alert in lessons
Cycling to school is an easy way to get children on their bikes and provides an active start to the day. It also means that less time will be spent in queues and looking for a parking space at the school gates. Offering more cycle parking solutions within schools can encourage children to use their bikes.
A number of different schemes have been used by Local Authorities and Councils to get more people on cycles either for commuting to work or recreational purposes. South Dublin County Council kindly erected the two bicycle shelters in our school grounds.
South Dublin County Council also provide “Cycling Safety” courses each year in the school. Don & his assistant bring bicycles into the school and teach pupils how to ride them properly while obeying all the rules of the road.
Active Schools Flag and cycling
Active Schools Flag (ASF) is a Department of Education and Skills initiative supported by Healthy Ireland which recognises schools that strive to achieve a physically educated and physically active school community. It is open to primary and post primary, special schools and Youthreach centres in the Republic of Ireland to apply.
The ASF process requires schools to self-evaluate across three areas: Physical Education/Physical Activity/Partnerships. Thereafter schools are required to plan and implement improvements that will have a tangible effect on their school community and will satisfy the ASF Success Criteria.
Active Schools Flag & Cycling Ireland
St. Bernadette’s Senior encouraging cycling in our school can help meet the success criteria needed to achieve the Active Schools flag.
5th & 6th classes – two cycle shelters
3rd & 4th classes – one cycle shelter
As cycling to school was so popular with pupils we have now installed a third cycle shelter in the 3rd & 4th classes yard. This makes the walk from the cycle shelter to their class line much shorter now.
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