• Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

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Pedal power wins Gateshead pupils prestigious award for second year running

Heworth Grange Year 7 pupils with 3SIXTY stunt team
Heworth Grange Year 7 pupils with 3SIXTY stunt team

Heworth Grange Comprehensive School has pedalled its way to glory for a second consecutive year after winning Battle of the Bikesheads.

The competition saw the Gateshead school crowned winner through encouraging pupils to get on their bikes, with the most used bike shed winning first place.

The winner’s prize was an impressive bike trick show by stunt masters 3SIXTY Bicycle Stunt Team, who also gave Year 7 pupils a taster session in their art based on balance and control.

Heworth Grange has been working with cycling charity Sustrans on behalf of Schools Go Smarter, which aims to tackle a drop in cycling numbers as children make the transition from primary to secondary school.

Schools go Smarter works closely with both primary and secondary schools to overcome some of the barriers which contribute to the drop in cycling levels.

Key to the school’s success was buy-in and commitment from the school, particularly its Head of Year 7, Jason Hope, who has been active ambassador in encouraging cycling and sustainable travel, as well as its health benefits.

Jason Hope, Head of Year 7 a Heworth Grange said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have been successful again this year, and that success is testament to the enthusiasm, motivation and dedication shown by Alison from Sustrans in encouraging our students to get involved in cycling.

“As a mountain biker myself, I actively encourage cycling at all levels and the health benefits of it to both pupils and staff, and there’s been a great response. Over the summer term we’ve open our doors to Year 6 students moving into Year 7 to pop in to get a feel for the school, and promote activities like our bike club.

“It’s great to see them growing in confidence on their bikes, and it’s really important that they feel they’re being rewarded for making excellent progress. The stunt show and the lesson from the guys at 3SIXTY certainly was a fitting reward to their success.”

Pedal power has proved really popular in the school, and their Year 7 bike club, run by Sustrans on Wednesday afternoons, has gone strength to strength, with ambitious plans to do the Coast to Coast in June 2017.

Active Travel Officer Alison Litherland from Sustrans said: “It’s been fantastic to see how the enthusiasm for cycling to school has increased over the last year. It’s clear that the work we did last summer, through equipping Year 6’s with the skills and confidence they need to cycle to secondary, has had a real impact on the way these young people are choosing to travel.

“Once again this year we are working closely with the Year 6’s as they prepare to transition into Heworth Grange, and are expecting even more young people to choose cycling as their best way of getting to school in September!”

Activities will continue to the end of the summer terms in preparation for the new school year in September.

Schools Go Smarter encourages parents, pupils and teachers to use sustainable forms of transport, including cycling, to travel to and from school.

For more hints and tips on how you can travel sustainably visit www.gosmarter.co.uk

Funding for this project has been provided by the Northumbria Safer Roads Initiative.

By admin