Our Mountain Biking unit did exactly that – and this year it became a reality thanks to the generous funding of our PTFA, Mrs Maxwell’s motivation to get our girls on bikes, and the fantastic relationships she built with outside providers to make it happen.
The unit links bike skills with our Risk Management Achievement Standard, but it’s about more than ticking boxes. We are also working to break down the stigma that biking is “not cool” for teenage girls and instead encourage students to enjoy and feel confident riding bikes.
Students completed three sessions across the unit. They kicked off with a bike-skills session led by Nicole and Simon from Dialled Mountain Biking, covering body positioning, braking, cornering, and trail safety. Next, they hit sections of the Te Awa River Trail on hired bikes from the Perry Outdoor Education Trust (POET), guided by outdoor educator Pete – making the most of the fantastic riding on our doorstep.
The final session took things up a gear with a trip to Whakarewarewa Forest in Rotorua, where students tackled Grade 2 and Grade 3 trails while putting their risk management skills into practice. The girls were absolutely buzzing – grateful for the experience and proud of what they’d achieved. It was a brilliant opportunity to build confidence, sharpen decision-making, and push personal limits in a supportive environment.
We hope this is just the beginning – that a seed has been planted, and that these students get back on a mountain bike, explore more trails, and share that joy with their friends and family.
A huge thank you to POET for their support with bikes and equipment, to Mrs Maxwell for making this happen, and to our wonderful PTFA, whose funding made it all possible.