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News: New Circuit Unveiled At Field End Junior School
Published: 6th October 2010
Source: Robert Meaden, British Cycling
It was a proud day for pupils, staff and dignitaries alike at Field End Junior on Tuesday, as the London school officially opened its brand new racing circuit.
At 340 metres long and four metres wide, the circular track is the result of six years hard work and provides pupils in Ruislip with a superb facility to improve safety and awareness on bikes, as well as an introduction to the exciting arena of competitive cycling.
The impressive circuit is the result of almost six years hard work, which began with a desire to encourage more children to ride safely to school, but has since seen a full-time Head Coach in Brian Wright employed by the school, to meet the demand of pupils eager to develop their skills.
His efforts, in conjunction with Headteacher Shiela Pikulski, the Chair of Governors Alan Grant and countless volunteers, have seen Cycle Training offered to 100s of pupils and a Fun Cycle Club established, while bike stores and a repair workshop have been built on the school grounds.
The track itself is the latest development in a four phase project, with the final aim being a Centre of Excellence which provides a competitive environment for the whole community, with nearby schools and clubs an integral part.
For Headteacher Pikulski, the official opening of the track is much-deserved recognition of the efforts of all involved.
“It’s a really momentous day for us to be opening the track,” she told British Cycling. “To mark it with an official opening is confirmation of a job well done and the realisation of a vision we had, which has come from six years of hard work by so many people.
“It is quite an emotional thing when you see the track because so much has been invested in it, time and effort and dedication. When I go out there I’m still amazed.”
Field End exemplify British Cycling’s Go-Ride principles, with the ambition to not only provide children with greater access to cycling in school, but also by strengthening links to local clubs, who in this case are Hillingdon Slipstreamers and Willesden Cycling Club.
Through combining his own coaching and development ideals with British Cycling’s established Go-Ride programme and its recently launched Go-Ride Racing initiative, Head Coach Wright has transformed the pupil’s attitude to cycling.
Racing is now offered alongside skills training and ‘Bike to School’ days to ensure everyone is involved, regardless of their standard or age. And as Wright (below) explains, the progress made has been nothing short of remarkable.
He said: “Initially, Alan Grant wanted to allow children to ride to school safely, so he found me as a British Cycling coach and I came here to start training them. We then found that their bikes weren’t reliable so then we started mending the bikes so then we wanted a bike facility and we built the workshop.
“Once we’d started mending the bikes, we started teaching the children skills on the bike and maintenance off it. We’ve now got three Awards, Bronze, Silver and Gold. They are learning Go-Ride exercises through and off, in and out of cones, chicanes etc and they progress through the levels.
“Once they get to the Gold Level, where they’re comfortable on a bike and know how to replace wheels and mend punctures and, bearing in mind these children can be only seven or eight-years old, I then take them out on to the circuit, to develop their skills further.
“When I first came here I wouldn’t let them ride out the gate, but now we go on the road and I trust them.”
Several of Wright’s prodigies further their cycling interest through regular sessions with the local clubs, and the importance of the link has not escaped the Chair of Governors and chief driver in the project, Alan Grant.
He said: “This is just the beginning, I see us being able to realise our dream which is to make this a centre of excellence.
“I know that is a bit of a cliché, but we could have after school clubs on the weekends, so the young community can come here for junior cycling and then when they get to a certain age, they can move to Slipstreamers. We’ve got a succession of cycling experiences. Junior level here, and then after there is the local clubs.”
The School’s Fun Cycle Club – which also relies on volunteers young and old – hosts inter-school competitions with nearby Malorees Primary school and has big plans for the future with a perimeter fence coming next, before further facilities for changing and teaching ensuring there is much more to come at Field End Junior.
British Cycling’s Coaching, Education and Development Director John Mills, was present at the opening ceremony to not only present the school with a Go-Ride Racing jersey signed by several of Great Britain’s top stars, but also congratulate and recognise the efforts of all involved in the development of such a commendable project.
“It was an honour to be invited to the opening ceremony of such an exciting and impressive facility,” Mills said.
“Everything that Field End Junior School has achieved has to be congratulated. The efforts of all involved have been nothing short of remarkable, and they exemplify British Cycling’s ideals for sustainable development in the sport through strengthening school and community links.
“Through Brian’s high-quality coaching and infectious enthusiasm, the pupils here are getting an invaluable introduction to our sport that will hopefully stay with them for a long time. All of the staff at Field End and the volunteers who give up their time to help deserve high praise and recognition for their continued efforts to such a worthwhile cause.”
