What's new
How did the project come about?
In 2004, parents, students and teachers at Dulwich Hill Primary School were interested in cycling to school. The school therefore developed a range of cycling activities, including cycling education for parents and children, infrastructure (e.g. installing bicycle racks), cycling equipment, a cycling policy, and a ‘bike bus’ to cycle to school.
Project overview
The project had many facets and many participants, including children, parents and teachers as well as health organisations and local businesses.
The Student Representative Council identified bike storage as something they wanted. Children organised fundraising to install bicycle racks, with Marrickville Council subsidising 50 percent of the cost.
The Health Promotion Unit of Sydney South West Area Health Service (SSWAHS) provided support for a cycling coach for parents so they could participate in cycling education and then share their knowledge with their children. Parents and children also went on rides together, with MASSBUG, BNSW and the RTA providing information, maps and merchandise for the rides.
The school has plans for the children to also participate in cycling education, buy equipment and install extra bicycle racks. To support this they successfully applied for Health Promotion Healthy Schools funding, which will fund the cycling education and a relief teacher for the day.
Evaluation of the project was conducted for the parent cycling education component. In total eight parents received cycling training and all participants said they learned new skills and gained confidence from the course. Two parents have bought bikes and two are planning to buy bikes (one with a baby seat) based on the information they received at the course. The manufacturer of Kwik Klamps donated two sample clamps.
An informal ‘bike bus’ has been suggested for parents to cycle and collect other parents and children on the way to the school.
What worked well?
The cycling work has evolved and the school is now developing Travel Smart travel plans with funding from the Greenhouse Office in partnership with Health Promotion Unit of SSWAHS, the Department of Planning, Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils and Marrickville Council.
The Travel Plans involve incorporating road safety and cycling into the Year 5 curriculum, collecting data on student travel, continuing the various cycling activities already begun, and acting on other ideas the school community generates.
Where to now?
Dulwich Hill Primary School would like to continue their cycling work by working in partnership with Marrickville Council, the Health Promotion Unit of SWSAHS and a neighbouring school to build cycling capacity in the area.
Summary
The cycling activity at Dulwich Hill Primary School is a model of good practice, illustrating what school communities can do to support cycling in their community. Cycling is a great way to participate in physical activity and results can be achieved in the school setting.
