School’s Silver Sprocket
The Royal Alexandra and Albert School has become only the second senior school in the country to achieve the Silver Bike It School Mark. This follows the achievement of the Bronze Mark in January earlier this year. To achieve the Silver Mark, the school had to meet some tough challenges;
- over 20% of day pupils to regularly cycle to school
- include cycling within the school curriculum
- have regular cycling activities for pupils
- have bike maintenance training
Teacher, Ian Rowe, who has managed the Bike It programme within the senior school said “As well as running the various activities within the School we have been out to other local schools. This summer we went to Merstham Primary School to run sessions on cycling. We also talked to the pupils who were moving up to the Royal Alexandra and Albert School in Year 7 this September and showed them safe routes to cycle to school.”
13 year old Calum Nicholls explained how he had learned to mend a puncture. “We took a spare inner tube and made a puncture using a pin. We then used solvent and a patch to repair the hole. I had a puncture when I cycled to school recently and I mended it on my own.”
Gayle Amorowson, the Bike It Officer from Sustrans came to the school on Monday 15th October to present the award (a silver sprocket to go with the bronze one they received in January) to pupils in assembly. The School is now working towards the Gold Mark.
15th October 2012
