The garden space of a school in Clacton-on-Sea has recently been repurposed to help teach useful life skills.
Lift Clacton, formerly known as Clacton Coastal Academy, is a coeducational high school, welcoming pupils predominantly from the west of Clacton-on-Sea. Set up in July thanks to funding through the Essex Local Delivery Pilot – now Place Partnerships, the project helps give students a green space to relax in and a chance to learn bike maintenance skills and grow their confidence.
Now in its 4th month, the space is a great example of partnership working coming to life to support the community. Essex Pedal Power also support the project, with Bike Mechanics from the cycling programme dedicating their time to run specialist sessions for Year 10 and 11 pupils. The project see’s students in year’s 10 and 11, often with attention and learning difficulties benefitting from the space, learning from the bike mechanics what each part of a bike is and how to fix them. These sessions run every Wednesday from 12:20pm-1:30pm.
Attendance at the sessions varies on a weekly basis, but around 6-8 students attend each time. Many of those that attend have then gone on to use their skills and fix their families bikes for them, helping them save money on getting the bikes repaired professionally. The skills learnt in the sessions have also meant that students have become more practical and improved their social skills when working in groups.
“It is great to help people with attention and learning difficulties through hands on learning. In my previous experience, I have found that some young people learn better through hands on learning and this class is perfect for this kind of teaching and I can see the results from it. I am proud to be part of their learning journey.”
James Taylor, Essex Pedal Power Mechanic
One of the Bike Garden’s participants, in year 8, has attended almost all of the sessions since the beginning of the school year. He enjoys being able to learn how to fix bikes and getting the experience to then practice and use the skills he learnt at home. With a big family and many siblings, he wanted to be able to support them with any bike fixes needed. The practical, hands-on aspect to the Bike Garden is very important to the participants, who thrive in these sessions and often appear more focused compared to normal curriculum lessons.
Other students that have benefitted from the Garden, include a year 10 pupil. Through the skills she learnt and the dedication she’s shown, she has transferred the skills learnt into a leadership opportunity to teach other students that attend the sessions. As a student that often leaves struggles in lessons and goes home during the day, she returns just to attend the maintenance sessions. This student in particular is a part of the Key, a part of the academy dedicated to supporting students who aren’t as academic or suited to the mainstream school environment. The Bike Garden is perfect for these students who are able to refocus their attention elsewhere and learn new practical skills.
“One of our students has always struggled in the main academy and has difficulty with engagement in lessons, but she loves the bike garden and is now more engaged in these sessions and helping to teach others. Many of them have been at risk of exclusion and this has pulled them all back to school. A large number of them also have little male influence at home, and these sessions have made a massive impact to some students as they learn how to fix bikes from the guys, which is something a male influence in the house would typically do.”
Kat Towsley, Deputy Manager of the Key
“The Bike Garden is a vibrant new space where students from Clacton Coastal Academy and the wider community can come together to learn, grow, and gain confidence through cycling. By equipping people with the skills to maintain and enjoy their bikes including those who received a bike through Essex Pedal Power we’re helping to build a culture of active travel in Clacton that supports healthier lifestyles, greater independence, and stronger community connections.”
Cheryl Lomas, Active Essex Relationship Development Officer
The Bike Garden at Lift Clacton is more than just a green space, it’s a hub for growth, confidence, and community. By combining practical bike maintenance skills with a supportive environment, the project has given students a sense of purpose and achievement beyond the classroom. Thanks to the collaboration between Active Essex, Essex Pedal Power, and the school, young people who once struggled to engage in traditional lessons are now thriving through hands-on learning. This initiative shows how creative partnerships, when working together with the right priorities can transform spaces and lives, paving the way for healthier, more connected communities in Essex.
