National Standard Cycle Instructors Course

[Dave5N]

Well, I coach cycling and I was sceptical if this was a sheep dip approach. I wouldn't choose to take U12s on the road unless I knew them well, and I'm certainly not qualified (or for that matter, insured) to coach on the road.

My question was genuine: what does this course equip graduates to do?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

With NCI qualifications you can:

1. teach children and adults how to ride a bike under control in road circumstances

2. Ride safely on the road.

3. Teach according to a nationally agreed standard devised after very extensive consultations with a wide variety of existing training providers and others

4. Turn out riders who know, not only how, but why, they should ride as they do and do it consistently and in such a way as to indicate to other road users that their riding is predictable and safe.

5. Give trainees the confidence that they know how to ride safely in traffic and thereby increase the numbers of cyclists on the road.

Thus the course equips the graduate to be able to handle at least 1-5 above. Keep in mind that this is not an everyone passes course and even if you pass the course your licence is provisional pending at least 2 observed "real world" training courses.

Dave

Well, I coach cycling and I was sceptical if this was a sheep dip approach. I wouldn't choose to take U12s on the road unless I knew them well, and I'm certainly not qualified (or for that matter, insured) to coach on the road.

My question was genuine: what does this course equip graduates to do?

 

[Dave5N]

OK. SOunds good.

Good luck with it.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Thanks very much indeed. Day one is now complete and so far I am very impressed by the course. Will update later.

OK. SOunds good.

Good luck with it.

 

[Dave5N]

Found out more about this today - does look good. BC will soon be offering it as well.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Well I have completed half the course now and I must say it is far harder and more involved than I expected (not a bad thing!). It certainly makes you re-evaluate your own cycling style and attitude and also takes you right back to basics - imagine re-learning to drive a car after holding a licence for 20 years. Am very pleased with the syllabus and delivery mechanism. No criticisms as yet.

Dave

Found out more about this today - does look good. BC will soon be offering it as well.

 

[trio25]

That's good news as I am doing mine next week, any hints and tips gratefully recieved!

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Just have fun and ask questions. Wish you the best of luck mate

That's good news as I am doing mine next week, any hints and tips gratefully recieved!

 

[Sittingduck]

Sounds good AFS - keep up the good work and enjoy

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Cheers SD. I will certainly try

Sounds good AFS - keep up the good work and enjoy

 

[skwerl]

What bothers me is that this is a private company running an 'agreed syllabus'. I assume agreed by themselves. I know they're supported by DFT, ROSPA, TFL, etc. but that usuallay means very little. I'm guessing 'support' just means they're happy for someone else to take responsibility for something that government should be doing.

What happens when another outfit set up and offer their own 'national syllabus'?

It sounds like what they're teaching is good. I have no issues with anything that gets the right information across. It's just a cop-out by the people that should be doing this stuff.

 

[summerdays]

As far as I know there are a limited number of providers of training to instructors... probably either the CTC site or Bikeability site would list the providers? Presumably someone trained them and gave them their accreditation?

Wasn't Bikeability a spin off from the CTC?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Well oddly enough one of the two instructors works for ROSPA.

What bothers me is that this is a private company running an 'agreed syllabus'. I assume agreed by themselves. I know they're supported by DFT, ROSPA, TFL, etc. but that usuallay means very little. I'm guessing 'support' just means they're happy for someone else to take responsibility for something that government should be doing.

What happens when another outfit set up and offer their own 'national syllabus'?

It sounds like what they're teaching is good. I have no issues with anything that gets the right information across. It's just a cop-out by the people that should be doing this stuff.

 

[Dave5N]

I think it's Cycling England behind it. Pretty sure BC wouldn't have signed up to deliver it to their coaches if it was just made up as it went along.

 

[atbman]

What bothers me is that this is a private company running an 'agreed syllabus'. I assume agreed by themselves. I know they're supported by DFT, ROSPA, TFL, etc. but that usuallay means very little. I'm guessing 'support' just means they're happy for someone else to take responsibility for something that government should be doing.

What happens when another outfit set up and offer their own 'national syllabus'?

It sounds like what they're teaching is good. I have no issues with anything that gets the right information across. It's just a cop-out by the people that should be doing this stuff.

It's not just "a private company running an 'agreed syllabus'", it is a nationally agreed programme and everyone providing training must follow the approved course. It would be very difficult for any other outfit to set up a competing course with national recognition, tho' BC is developing its own, for reasons I'm not sure of, altho' I believe that the original cost of the Bikeability course was a factor.