Our aim is:-

To prepare individual students for participation in the British Indoor Karting Championship (https://bikc.co.uk) which can be held in multiple terms between September and June during each academic year.  Students intending to compete in the BIKC must attend our training programme in Term 6 in order to be able to participate in the competition which starts in September of the same year.

Our objectives are:-

• to recruit 25 students on to the BIKC training programme.
• to get a minimum of 12 students to compete in the British Indoor Karting Championship round 1, the local.
• to have at least 3 students qualify for round 2, the regionals.
• to have a least 1 student qualify for the grand final.
• achieve 85% attendance rates.
• 50% show improved attendance at school.
• 50% show improved behaviour at school.
• 50%show improvement in key skills.

Details

• Students can access the training courses offered by Wheels at any stage in the academic year.
• There are no height restrictions and students can compete in this competition between the ages of 8 and up to adulthood.
• Students will attend training sessions once a week for the duration of their training leading up to the pre-qualifying stage of the BIKC.
• Students compete in the BIKC as individuals. This is not a team event.
• Each training session is scheduled to last for two hours and involves registration, issue of all personal protective clothing and equipment (PPE) is supplied.
• Health & Safety Briefing, 2 x 15 minute race and coaching.
• Personal performance sheets are maintained and issued by Wheels after each training session which will record best lap times, number of laps completed, behaviour and progress.
• Risk assessments are available from each Karting track used by Wheels and all tracks used by Wheels carry a British Karting certificate of approval.
• The BIKC is a national competition organised by TeamSport Karting which uses some of its 44 karting centres based around the UK to host local, regional and the grand final for this event.
• BIKC has five classes of competitor based on ages as on 1st June of the calendar year of the competition.
• The competition begins with a pre-qualifying stage at prescribed local centres (including Bristol) which runs between the 1st June and the 31st August.
• Usually there are over 100 entrants for each category locally with Wheels aiming to enter around 25 students in total each year.
• At the pre qualifying stage, drivers are required to make at least three separate visits to their local track (more are permissible and encouraged).
• The average of their three best lap times recorded is calculated and serves as their entry submission into the competition’s first round.
• Normally around 20 drivers at each local centre which host the competition are selected based on best average times.
• Competitors and the Wheels Project are notified by email on the outcome of their performances.
• The BIKC is held over three rounds and are held as local, regional and national heats where the first two rounds are held on a knock out basis.
• Competitors who have qualified for this stage of the competition will compete in two races, each with a grid start with winners gaining most points on a first past the post basis.
• The local heat will be held in Bristol in September (date to be confirmed). The regional final will be held in Redding on a date to be confirmed (probably early November).
• The grand final will be held in Warrington in December on a date to be confirmed.
• All venues will be TeamSport Karting tracks.
• All three BIKC rounds will be held out of school time, the local and regionals mid week and the final over a weekend.
• The Wheels Project will provide transport to regional and grand finals if appropriate.
• Parents/guardians are welcome and encouraged to attend to support their child.
• Please note in 2024 only Bristol and one other track uses karts which are fossil fuel.
• The remainder of the tracks all use electric karts and therefore Wheels may organise pre-competition trips if appropriate to familiarise Wheels students with the different type of karts and track used.
• https://bikc.co.uk/overview/

Groups

• Groups will be pre-formed by the referring organisation.
• Group size is restricted to a maximum of 4 students.
• New students can start at any time during the term.
• A Risk Assessment, Evidence of need completed by students and completed permissions forms must be completed by Key Workers before start of course – those with history of violent behaviour are excluded from Wheels programmes. Failure to submit a formal assessment will lead to delay and forfeit of sessions.

Criteria for Selection

A student’s behaviour should be causing concern to group leaders and exhibit at least three of the following factors:

• Aged between 14 – 18
• Anti-social behaviour
• Poor educational record
• Truanting
• Exclusion from school
• Criminal record

Venue

The Wheels Project Ltd
31-32 Bonville Road
Brislington
Bristol BS4 5QH

Tel: 0117 971 1711
Contact: David Glossop, General Manager
Email: david@wheelsproject.org.uk

Staff

• 1 or 2 Workshop Supervisors from The Wheels Project
• 1 Group Leader (optional)

Conditions

This programme will take place out of school hours.

Beneficiaries

“Great staff who take an interest in me”

“Helpful and I love working on the vehicles”

“never knew I could do it”

“Great fun and really learned a lot”

Referrers

“well managed, well organised and get plenty of good feedback from Wheels and our students”

“Easy to access and plenty of options”

“Don’t have to commit lots of money all at once”

“Made a fantastic difference to the self-confidence of our students which has helped them engage with what we’re offering back at school”

“An excellent resource which has good policies and practices and offers a safe environment for our students”

“always looking to help us”

“Experts at working with our students”

Partners

“A wonderful environment in which to enable their students to develop skills for work and skills for life”

“Somewhere that provides the care and attention needed by these students”

“a brilliant place to learn safely about work, friendship and helping others”

‘ gives great value for money’