Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

London school makes pupils who cycle put number plates on bikes

Head teacher of Stanley Park High in Carshalton says move will enable antisocial cyclists to be identified

A south London school has ordered pupils who cycle to class to put number plates on their bikes so that members of the public can report instances of antisocial cycling.

The move was communicated to parents of the 1,200 children at Stanley Park High School in Carshalton – named Secondary School of the Year for 2016 by the Times Education Supplement – in a bulletin from the school’s head teacher, Amit Amin.

He wrote: “Last week we asked parents to encourage their child to cycle. However, we are aware that across the borough, there are some children who are cycling in a way that endangers themselves and others.

“We have decided to introduce a cycle registration scheme, and students who cycle to school will soon be issued with a bicycle number plate which must be displayed when riding to and from school,” he continued.

“This will help us to identify students who are putting themselves at risk. Students without a number plate will not be permitted to cycle to school, or lock their bicycles on school grounds.”

“A letter will be issued to parents and carers with further details this week, which must be signed and returned to school before the plates are issued,” he added.

“This is seen as a measure to ensure the safety of our students who cycle, and a way of tackling the concerns drawn to our attention by recent reports.”

Over the past year, we have reported on a number of schools around the country that have sought to impose rules on students wanting to get there by bike.

Those include making cycle helmets mandatory and requiring pupils to pass a safety test before they are allowed to ride a bike to school, and one school in Derby even threatened to ban children from getting there by bike following complaints of antisocial cycling.

Earlier this year, Cycling UK urged schools to stop imposing rules that it says make it more difficult for children to cycle there.

https://road.cc/content/news/233754-cycling-uk-urges-“stop-making-cycling-school-difficult”

The charity has also published a guide highlighting how they can encourage more children to ride bikes, with Duncan Dollimore, its head of campaigns and advocacy, saying: “Active pupils are frequently healthier and more attentive students.”

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

Add new comment

66 comments

Avatar
Hirsute replied to Canyon48 | 6 years ago
4 likes

Canyon48 wrote:

Not true actually, schools have a duty of care to students (just as employers do to their employees) - that duty of care, for a schoolchild, is in place from as soon as the child leaves their house (or parents care i.e. car).

That isn't correct.

"
The School acts in loco parentis during the time that pupils are on school premises. It is the responsibility of the parents to ensure that pupils arrive at school safely and in the case of older children, make their own way home safely."

http://www.stmaryscambridge.co.uk/ugc-1/1/12/0/pupil_supervision_and_dut...

Avatar
The_Vermonter | 6 years ago
6 likes

By the same logic, tattoo all the students. 

Avatar
growingvegtables | 6 years ago
18 likes

Let me guess - the school has a similarly aggressive policy towards the school-run drivers who abuse parking regulations around the school.  Or perhaps, towards the same school-run drivers who treat school-kids on bikes  with utter, and dangerous, disdain?

Really?  You say the school doesn't?

Now you really surprise me ... NOT.

Avatar
ktache | 6 years ago
4 likes

"Let's hope no teacher decides to drive a few hundred yards along the road with a person on their bonnet."

Nice!

Avatar
handlebarcam | 6 years ago
14 likes

Unfair treatment of responsible pupils in the name of catching a few idiots? In a school? Say it ain't so!

Seriously, this is what schools are for: teaching kids that life is unfair, that we can't have nice things, and most people in positions of authority are arseholes. On that score, job done Mr. Amit Amin.

Avatar
Hirsute | 6 years ago
22 likes

Not that the school has any powers to do this.

Will they issue plates for kids who walk but don't cross the road properly or show no consideration for other pavement users?

 

Let's hope no teacher decides to drive a few hundred yards along the road with a person on their bonnet.

Pages

Latest Comments