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The Golden Lock

Suitable for primary and secondary school pupils.

Overview

Education phase

Early years Key stage 2 Key stage 3 Key stage 4 Key stage 5 Key stage 1

Categories of activity

Travel

Types of activity

Cycling

How it helps

  • Promotes exercise as part of the daily routine
  • Builds cycling confidence

About the activity

The golden lock is a fun way to encourage pupils to ride their bikes to school as often as possible by offering them the chance to win a prize.  

Surprise one of your pupils by fixing the golden lock onto their bicycle in the bike shed. At the end of the day as your pupils leave school, whoever’s bike has the golden lock gets to claim their prize. 

Announce winners in assemblies and include their photograph in your school newsletters to further promote cycling.

What you'll need

  • A lock which can be sprayed or decorated to make it stand out
  • Prizes - speak to your head teacher to find out your budget for the activity

If you need a space to store your pupils' bikes, consider installing cycle parking

Activity steps

Step 1

Get ready. Work with your JTA/YTA and school travel working group to decide how you will run the competition and decorate the golden lock!

Step 2

Promotion. Let pupils know about the golden lock and what they need to do to win the prize in assemblies, your school newsletter and on the website

Step 3

Share the winners' stories. Build the excitement, share the winners' stories in assemblies and the newsletter. Keep everyone guessing - who's going to be next?!

Step 4

Check your success. What impact has the golden lock had on the number of pupils cycling to school? Ask pupils for their feedbackTell your story. Upload evidence in "my activities".

Step 5

Tell your story. Upload evidence in "my activities".