A fully inclusive cycling pathway for Derby City schools

Helping children develop balance, coordination and confidence on a bike.

Our Balance Riders sessions provide an introduction to cycling, helping children develop the core skills needed before pedalling independently.

Making sure every child has the opportunity to gain the fundamental skill of riding independently.

Our Learn to Ride programme focuses on teaching non-riders and developing early riding confidence.

Giving pupils the awareness, control and confidence to ride safely in an off-road environment.

Ride Ready takes place on your school playground and helps children refine their bike handling skills, decision-making and awareness in preparation for future on-road cycling.

Supporting pupils to take the next step and develop the skills and confidence to ride safely on the road.

Bikeability Level 2 takes place on roads local to your school and equips pupils with practical road cycling skills to ride safely and confidently in real traffic environments such as cycling to school or to their local park or shops.

All Cycle Derby training for Derby City schools is delivered free of charge as part of our commitment to helping more children cycle with confidence.

Schools can choose to use their own bikes, ask pupils to bring bikes from home, or hire bikes from Cycle Derby where needed.

To support children at the start of the pathway, we provide bikes and helmets for the Balance Riders and Learn to Ride sessions at no cost.

For Ride Ready and Bikeability sessions, our bike and helmet hire service costs £120 + VAT per booking to cover hire, delivery, collection and ongoing maintenance of the bikes.

Bookings are now open for the 2026/27 academic year.

Please email the Cycle Derby team with the cycle sessions you’re interested in and we’ll be in touch to confirm pupil numbers, discuss bike requirements and arrange suitable dates for your sessions.

Adapted cycles and inclusive delivery options are available to support pupils with additional needs.

If you have any questions about the training - what’s involved, group sizes, session lengths, or anything else you'd like to find out - please don’t hesitate to contact the Cycle Derby team. We’d be happy to help!

Derby schools that have booked Bikeability sessions with Cycle Derby will use the Bikeability LINK system to send and receive parental consents ahead of the training taking place.

LINK only applies to Bikeability delivery and is not used for other Cycle Derby sessions.

If you need support using the system, the Cycle Derby team are happy to help - please let us know!

Schools can also refer to the School Onboarding Pack for step-by-step guidance (download the PDF below). The Bikeability website also has Video Guides and a Frequently Asked Questions section.

The Big Walk and Wheel is the UK’s largest inter-school walking, wheeling, scooting and cycling challenge, run by Walk Wheel Cycle Trust.

It inspires pupils to make active journeys to school to improve air quality in their neighbourhood.

It takes place each year in March and all schools in the UK can take part. We usually see lots of Derby schools get involved!

It’s free to register and easy to join, so visit the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust's website for more information and to keep an eye on dates for 2027.

Cycle to School Week is a national campaign that usually takes place in October, encouraging more children and families to choose cycling for the journey to school.

It's a great opportunity to celebrate cycling, build confidence and help pupils experience the benefits of active travel. Schools can access free resources, activity ideas and promotional materials.

In 2026 Cycle to School Week takes place the 5th - 9th October.

Visit the Bikeability website to find out more about it.

Schools can access free Clean Air resources, activities and campaign ideas to help pupils learn about air quality, active travel and the benefits of walking, wheeling and cycling to school.

Visit the Action for Clean Air website to explore resources to support classroom learning, school initiatives and wider wellbeing projects.

You can access these resources all year-round or use them to tie into Clean Air Day that takes place each June.