Bikeability training for children with SEND

Bikeability training for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Dr Catherine Purcell Dr Kate Wilmut

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Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Approximately 12.2% of school aged children in England cognition; learning; communication; interaction; physical; sensory; social; emotional and mental health

Tend to be less physically active Find engaging with activities designed for children without SEND hard

We need to progressively remove barriers to learning and participation for children with SEND

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Children with SEND and Cycling Learning to cycle is a societal norm and rite of passage It can have positive impacts for children with SEND Improved cognitive performance Increased social opportunities and confidence Enhanced positive emotions

In 2019/20 420,407 school aged children received Bikeability training at Levels 1, 2, 1/2 combined or 3.

Only 5,330 of these were identified as children with SEND (1.3%)

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What is SEND? Specific Learning Difficulty Moderate Learning Difficulty Severe Learning Difficulty Profound and multiple learning difficulty Social, Emotional and Mental Health Speech, Language and Communication Needs

Hearing Impairment Visual Impairment Multi-Sensory Impairment Physical Disability Autism Spectrum Disorder Other difficulty / disability

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Children with SEND and Bikeability In 2021 The Bikeability Trust Board of Trustees allocated £300,000 to fund pilot projects aimed at increasing the number of children trained with SEND. In total of 19 projects were funded.

An evaluation of 12 of these funded projects was undertaken by us through the distribution of three questionnaires: Instructors Teachers Parents

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Evaluation of SEND Bikeability Projects

Aim: to determine principles for best practise, capture parental, teachers and instructors’ perceptions and identify training requirements when teaching children with SEND to cycle

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The Instructors

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Instructor Evaluation 7.8 years of cycle training experience and 72% had specific experience delivering cycle training to children with SEND Good levels of confidence regarding understanding the needs of the children with SEND: very confident (19%), confident (69%), neither confident / unconfident (12%) Higher amongst instructors who had delivered cycle training to children with SEND previously

Group sizes ranged from 1:1 to 1:5 across Learn to Ride, Level 1 & Level 2 A range of SEND was catered for and were typically trained together

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Instructor Evaluation Five instructors reported using special equipment including trikes, adapted cycles, hearing loops and simulated Level 2 training grounds.

Two instructors reported no use of specialised equipment but felt that this would have supplemented training.

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Instructors’ Viewpoint of Children’s Experiences 93% of instructors indicated that cycling skill improved during the course of the training for the majority of children

Enjoyment

Engagement

Neither agree or disagree 2%

Low 2%

Mediu m 24%

Very high 24%

Strongly Agree 38% Somewhat agree 60%

High 50%

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Instructors’ Viewpoint of the Appropriateness of Training “Tailoring sessions to meet the needs of the individuals is imperative to ensure engagement and also assists in the empowerment of the individuals during the training” “Tailoring the training meant I could focus on particular issues that were proving difficult at first”

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Instructors’ Viewpoint of the Wider Impact “Delivering to smaller groups with a generous amount of time yields results - both physical, emotional and mental” “Everyone should be able to have the opportunity to learn to ride or conduct Bikeability irrespective of their needs and the extra time and support allows for this to be supported in a person centred manner, this project has helped so many children feel empowered and under normal course timescales this wouldn’t have been possible”

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Instructors’ Viewpoint of Training

The training I received has equipped me to deliver cycle training for children with SEND

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Instructors’ Viewpoint of Training “As mentioned above SEND training does not cover a lot of the conditions. Plus participants arrive with multiple conditions/needs many of which we have never heard of” “It would be good to have the training at a site where some further practical elements could take place, working with children with SEND.” “I did an online course without any practical training. Applying the theory would have been easier with some real life training”

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Teacher Evaluation

14 of the teachers worked in special schools and 6 in mainstream schools Answering for multiple children

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The Teachers

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Teachers’ Viewpoint of Children’s Experiences Engaged

Enjoyed

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Teachers’ Viewpoint of Appropriateness of Training “Training was inclusive and tailored to the student's ability levels” “1:1 was exactly what the child needed.”

“They loved it and the range of bikes are brilliant for our children who struggle with 2 wheel bikes and it’s something we unfortunately can’t offer to them at school.”

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Teachers’ viewpoint of the wider impact

Frequency (N)

Did the cycle training have a positive Very impact on.....?

20 15

much so

10 5 0

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Did the cycle training have a positive 12 impact on.....?

Very much so

Teachers’ viewpoint of the wider impact

Frequency (N)

10

8

Somewha t

6 4 2 0

Behav...

Social skills

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Teachers’ Viewpoint of the Wider Impact “The group we take to cycling have significant communication and regulation needs. Their confidence and resilience has improved hugely during the sessions” “Our students have discovered a mutual respect for staff, students and the BMX coaches. This has enabled them to build positive relations and self-confidence. These skills have been transferred outside of the sessions and within the school environment”

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Parent Evaluation Prior to training: 40% of the stabilisers 23% of the 15% of the 14% of the

children were able to ride a two wheeled cycle without children rode a two-wheeled cycle with stabilisers children rode an adapted cycle children couldn’t ride any sort of cycle.

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The Parents

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Parents' viewpoint of what is important Very important

5.00 4.50 4.00 3.50 3.00 2.50 2.00 1.50

Very unimportant

1.00

Tailo...

One

Sm

Adapted bike

Apa

Know...

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Parents' Viewpoint of the Training

My child's cycling ability has improved following their cycle training

Disagree Don't know 6% 3% Neither agree or disagree Strongly agree 9% 36% Agree 46%

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Parents' Confidence Following the Training

Frequency (N)

How confident are you in your child’s ability 35 to cycle independently?

30 25 20 15 10 5 0

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Parents' Viewpoint of the Training “It makes a massive difference having session tailored to my child’s needs rather than what they’re ‘supposed’ to be able to do.”

“SEND children should be given the same opportunities as other children and I know other send parents feel the same and would love the same opportunities for their children that regular children have.”

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Parents' Future Plans Following the Training

Frequency (N)

We plan to cycle more as a result of the cycle training 40 20 0

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Parents' Viewpoint of the Training “This group has really opened my eyes to a whole new hobby myself and my children can do together, for years I have walked behind never having the confidence to ride a bike as built up areas are full of many hazards and i have to plan our route accordingly, with the cycle track we can ride together or apart with absolutely no worries I am able to let my son have so much freedom we even took part in the ride the lights on Blackpool front (I rode a bike all the way with my boys) the staff xxx and xxx are amazing with the children riding with them offering support and advice xxx even completed level one Bikeability which he is very proud of.”

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Environmental

Parents' Perceived Barriers to Cycling Lack of time Poor weather Roads unsafe Cost too high / lacking equipment Unsuitable accessible places to cycle Physically unfit Lack of interest Inappropriate behaviour Lack of skill Lack of understanding of roads Lack of confidence 0 5 10 Percentage of responses

15

20

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25

Conclusions The overwhelming message from the instructors, the parents and the teachers was that the SEND projects were a huge success.

Cycling improved in the vast majority of the children who took part in these sessions Positive effects on learning, confidence, self-esteem and well-being, and to a slightly lesser extent behaviour and social skills The majority of parents reported feeling more confident in their child’s ability to cycle independently.

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Recommendations Cycle training for children with SEND needs to be inclusive and tailored to each child Resources are required to deliver 1:1 cycle training for children with SEND Specialised equipment should be considered when delivering cycle training for children with SEND Instructors benefit from specialised, hands on training on how to deliver cycle training for children with SEND, rather than generic training

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Recommendations Instructors who have not previously run cycle training with children with SEND would benefit from working with experienced instructors to gain hands on experience Cycle training evaluations should capture the wider positive effects that cycling can have on children with SEND and their families

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Thank you Any questions?

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