Guidance

Tracking Progress

How to assess riders and keep track of their progress.
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Introduction

Getting your riders where they need to be means keeping track of how they're doing. Whether you're a coach, instructor, or group leader, you'll find practical guidance on using tracker cards and implementing effective assessment practices.

Using rider tracker cards

There are 4 rider tracker cards, one for each level:

Rider tracker sheet

Assessing riders

In order for riders to complete a level or skill, assessment is required. British Cycling’s principles of assessment revolve around a rider demonstrating:‍

  • Consistency
  • Competency
  • Understanding

Assessment should be continuous, taking place throughout a session and if observing riders away from sessions, such as in competitions or races.

By understanding your riders, you’ll know when they’re ready to complete a skill or take on a new experience. Letting them know they’re being assessed can cause anxiety, so try to integrate assessment naturally into your session. We recommend evaluating skills through games or coach-led activities, allowing riders to demonstrate their abilities in realistic situations they might encounter.

Consistency

We suggest that riders will need to be able to demonstrate technical skills a minimum of 3 times, you can use the suggested activities on the skill cards or you can use your own activity to assess the skills (Balance, Pedal, Challenge, Advanced). For non-technical skills, riders will need to show evidence of completing the set skill, if performed away from a coaching session (i.e. riding to school, going on a race etc).

For the social, psychological and behavioural awards, these should be awarded for consistently demonstrating a given area. For example, ‘Respect for Equipment’ could be easily achieved for good behaviour once, but if the rider is disruptive and disrespectful at the next session then it has little value. Wait to observe consistent performance of technical and non-technical skills.

Competency

Riders should be able to perform all technical skills well. It is to no advantage of the rider, the coach or cycling for riders to be awarded an award or badge if they do it badly. At all times riders should be in good control, looking comfortable on the bike, and be able to achieve the options at a given level.

Blended with consistency, riders should be able to perform a skill well at least three times.

Understanding

As well as being able to perform the skills consistency well, it is important that riders understand the ‘why’ of what they are doing and how it will help their overall development. Assessors should use questions and discussions to ensure riders understand what they are doing and why.

Of course, the level of understanding will vary depending on age, but it is crucial for coaches to look beyond just being able to ride a bike to support overall person development.

Types of assessor

For every skill and experience, you will notice "Assessed by" at the bottom of each page.

There are 8 types of assessor:

  • Parent
  • Activator
  • Group Leader
  • Level 1 and Level 2 Coaches
  • Activity Coach + Discipline Specific Activity Coaches
  • Discipline Specific Coach
  • Instructor
  • Club Official

Who can sign off

Individuals with a British Cycling Qualification (Activator, Activity Coach, Level 1, Level 2, Discipline Specific Coach) can assess riders, but can only sign off within their coaching level (e.g. an Activator can sign off balance and Pedal skills).

Parents are encouraged to support skill development at home and help with opportunities like the Experiences and Adventure awards, but they cannot sign off on awards or badges.‍

Assessing mixed ability groups

At most sessions, it is highly likely you will have a mixed ability group at various stages of development. The skills award is designed to help deliverers differentiate sessions for all abilities with many options for progressions, regressions and challenges, ensuring lower ability riders can achieve something and that higher ability riders are appropriately challenged.

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