Bike Education is offered to all students at Dandy Valley. Our school has purchased a range of bikes to suit our students’ needs. These include trikes, small and large 3 wheeler bikes, a tandem bike, 16”, 20” 2 wheelers and mountain bikes. Students who ride mountain bikes are able to participate in long bike rides outside of the school.
We undertake a process where the students work towards gaining the skills of learning to ride a bike. For those students who need core strength support, we have purchased a number of bikes with harnesses around the chest area, foot straps and push me along poles. Our physiotherapist has a range of bikes to assist students with a range of physical needs
For the students who have core strength we have a number of three wheeler bikes with the ability to add foot straps and push me along poles. These come in different sizes. For the Junior School Students, we have purchased a class set of bikes with training wheels. Foot straps can be added to these.
For those students who are want to learn to ride two wheeler bikes, we have a number of different size bikes. The students are carefully assisted to learn the skills for bike riding and braking. This process starts from sitting on bike and holding their own weight, pushing themselves along with a scoot motion, lifting legs on a slight hill, placing feet on pedals and staff running along side them.
Most of our Bike Ed classes are undertaken on our basketball court and around our bike track. Our bike track has a range of grades, intersections and surfaces for students to learn to negotiate. Students are also able to practise bike riding during morning recess and lunch breaks if they would like to. Staff on yard duty are there to support them as well.
A PECS Board with weather proof symbols (see Picture below) is available for students who use PECS to communicate. A timer is used to facilitate turn-taking.
Some students are able to attend a bike camp when it is on offer. We select a number of students who have gained the necessary bike skills such as how to brake, how to change gears and ride safely on paths and tracks outside of the school. This is something for the students to aim towards and look forward to as they develop their skills.
A Tandem Bike is also available for 3 wheeler riders to experience riding a 2 wheeler and be supported in developing confidence and the skills required. These students are able to be taken on longer rides outside of the school in Bike Ed Programs and attend bike camps.
A wheelchair bike is now part of our extensive ranges of bike. This makes bike riding inclusive for our students in wheelchairs. Every student is now catered for in our bike education program.
