GTCT funding supportd Ty’n y Wern Primary School in its commitment to promoting active travel
Ty’n y Wern Primary School’s commitment to active travel is evident as one of only three Gold Award-winning active journeys schools in Wales.
The school is dedicated to ensuring that every one of their pupils, regardless of background and ability, is able to ride a bike by the time they leave for secondary education.
Situated in Trethomas, Caerphilly, the school is situated in an ex-mining community with a third of pupils currently living in poverty and vulnerable to a host of social issues.
“As a school, cycling is held in high regard as, unlike other sports, we feel that it is accessible to all, regardless of economic status, physical or cognitive ability,” explained Claire Lippiett, who is Ty’n y Wern’s Active Travel Lead as well as a being a teacher.
“Aside from the initial purchase of the bikes, it does not require costly equipment or travel to facilities in order to take part, which is very important for many of our learners who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
The school has long invested to teach every child to ride a bike, and following its Gold Award for active journeys, it decided to run a bike bus for pupils and their families.
“Initially we held themed bike buses to coincide with our calendar of school events such as Christmas and Valentines Day,” Claire told us. “However, as the bike bus grew in popularity we decided to run it weekly.”
The bike bus initiative is open to any pupil confident enough to take part, allowing it to reach as many people as possible. With its presence in an ex-mining town, active travel represents an important facet in community cohesion as well as health and wellbeing.
“There is limited parking due to the narrow streets. Therefore, we seek to provide opportunities to reduce congestion in and around our school, reducing pollution,” Claire explained.
“We are fortunate to have a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) on the road directly outside our school which provides a safe space for our children to access the school site by an means of active travel.”
And of course, active travel can be vital in promoting positive and healthy lifestyles for young people.
“Recent studies highlight the fact that children in Wales are some of the most sedentary in the world,” she continued. “We are fully aware of the positive impact that active travel has on our learners’ mental and physical health.”
“There is no limit to the number of children that can take part and is therefore open to the whole school, approximately 250 children and their families,” Claire confirmed.
The Geraint Thomas Cycling Trust is thrilled to have been able to support the school in its commitment to spreading cycling opportunities.
GTCT funding enabled the school to purchase a class set of 19 bikes and helmets.
“The funding has allowed children without access to a bike at home to experience the joy of riding a bike,” stated Claire.
The school’s dedication is for the long-term, with Claire and her colleagues constantly seeking new ways to engage their pupils in cycling opportunities.
“As demonstrated by our commitment, we are very passionate about our active travel and are always looking for new and exciting initiatives to promote this further,” she told us.
“We are currently looking to source training with the aim of taking pupils on led bike rides and taking advantage of our local cycle network and bike parks!”
