Has anyone here undertaken training to be a cycling proficiency instructor? How did you find it? Where did you do the training? What do you use the training for, who do you teach?

Oh, I’m interested in this too.

Did my 4 day training last November cost me £400+ with the CTC. I enjoyed the 4 days. I now have a ‘provisional’ Dept Transport number as a ‘National standards Instructor’ and have to be assessed within 6 months.

So far cant find any county [out of 3 I have approached] around me who wants ‘cycle instructors’ so struggling to get my assessment so I can take courses on my own.

Not sure there is the work out there, think those that already do it are hanging onto the work amongst themselves.

The Gov however are putting loads of money into training cyclists [but not for instructor courses]that is guarenteed until after the next election.
Suggest you contact your local county before you do the course as to chances of them using you.

I’ve been working as a NSI for the last five years in Manchester, most of the work in the week is in schools, but weekends are adult training. The company I work for has contracts with various local authorities to deliver the training.

Loads on info here for Scotland…. Bikeability Scotland

I looked into it but I found some of the things they wanted me to teach were rather eye opening.

I helped out at my kids school last summer for the cycling proficiency and found out the teacher who runs the course doesn’t own a bike and has NEVER owned a bike. 😯
Three out of the 6 pupils were downright dangerous on a bike but they still passed.
The three competent riders rode home. When I saw them the next day at school I asked how they’d got on.
They’d got to a small roundabout in the housing estate and stopped. None of them knew what to do.
I later pointed this out to the examiner and she said “Oh, we don’t cover roundabouts in the syllabus”.
I’m happy to help out but I have to bite my tongue quite a lot.

Thanks for the replies. I’m really only interested to train the kids at the school I’m a governor at at the moment, they’re looking at cycle storage and want to encourage the older kids to ride to school, however, I’m concerned that they need to take a holistic view and ensure the kids are as best equipped to ride to school and out of school as possible. Our local authority isn’t listed on the Bikeability website. Best investigate some more. I guess if qualified then I could extend it to other local schools/ groups.

3bikeman, I would have a word with ctc training department as they would be able to put you in touch with someone who would help in getting your assessment they did for me.

Flatfish, regarding your post sounds like the training they were doing would be the rospa cycle training a different level and not a lot of training required to deliver. bike ability trainers have to be able to ride, repair and be able to demonstrate competently.

Spud, do it schools need people who are prepaired to get the ball rolling.

Been delivering rospa, bike ability for 10 years and enjoy the work….

DC

I did my Bikeability instructor course last year, it was pants, not realistic, taught by people who are not up to scratch, a waste of my time and money. I’ve abandoned the scheme.

You may well be right there dmc.
They asked me about bikeability for next year so that may be what they need.

Thanks DMC – still following up leads but CTC have been helpful.Not the best time of year for cycle training, dont think schools do a lot of training this time of year, most are spring and summer.
National standards/bikeability are a million miles from the old ROSPA – much more common sense – based on competence if they dont do it they dont achieve, and you get them to practice till they can do it.