National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) – 5 Day Course £250 p.p.
Group prices available upon request
Through IQL UK, the leading provider of lifeguard training, there are more than 90,000 RLSS UK pool lifeguards trained in the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ). IQL UK is the awarding organisation recognised and monitored by Ofqual, Qualifications Wales and CCEA Regulation in Northern Ireland.
What’s being a lifeguard like?
Lifeguards benefit from varied working hours which you can easily fit around your other commitments, working within a team and there’s also the opportunity to progress your career within the leisure industry as most leisure managers start off as Pool Lifeguards.
Learn skills for life
There is the option to obtain additional qualifications during an NPLQ course, these will include additional hours:
- Emergency First Aid at Work
- First Aid at Work Certificate
- Automated External Defibrillation Certificate (AED)
- Management of Anaphylaxis
Benefits
- Excellent starting point for a career in the leisure industry
- Opportunity for career progression, as most leisure managers start off as Pool Lifeguards
- Varied working hours
- Work within a team
- The NPLQ is recognised around the world, so potential to work and travel
- Great way for students to fund studies
- Learn essential life skills, including First Aid and CPR
How do I become a lifeguard?
Lifeguard Course Pre-Requisites
Every candidate attending a NPLQ course must be 16-years-old at the time of taking the NPLQ final assessment and be able to:
- Jump / dive into deep water
- Swim 50 metres in less than 60 seconds
- Swim 100 metres continuously on front and back in deep water
- Tread water for 30 seconds
- Surface dive to the floor of the pool
- Climb out unaided without ladder/steps and where the pool design permits
Course content
The NPLQ covers all elements of Pool Rescue Techniques, Lifeguarding Theory, First Aid and CPR. The course is physically demanding and will include swimming to set times, lifting casualties and diving to the deepest part of the swimming pool. Training and assessment for the NPLQ is in three sections and all must be successfully passed to attain the qualification.
Section 1 – The Lifeguard and the Law, Swimming Pool Supervision
Element 1 – The Lifeguard and the Law
Element 2 – Swimming Pool, Hazards and Control Measures
Element 3 – Swimming Pool Supervision
Section 2 – Intervention and Rescue and Emergency Action Plans
Element 1 – Intervention and Rescue
Element 2 – Rescue of a Casualty with a Suspected Spinal Injury
Element 3 – Emergency Action Plan
Section 3 – Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, AED and First Aid
Element 1 – Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
Element 2 – First Aid
Element 3 – Automated External Defibrillation (AED)
About the assessment
Assessment for the NPLQ takes place at the end of the course. It determines your knowledge and understanding of the principles of working as a pool lifeguard and assesses your ability to apply the skills and knowledge in a work-related environment.
The assessment is split into three sections:
Practical pool assessment
Theory Assessment for all 3 sections
Practical First Aid & CPR assessment
National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) Renewal From £75 p.p.
Group prices available upon request
About the renewal
NPLQ renewal candidates may renew their qualification within the period of validity of their existing qualification as stated on their certificate. This will include a full assessment of lifeguard knowledge and skills by an independent assessor. Candidates must have access to the most up to date copy of ‘The Lifeguard’ manual prior to assessment.
The following is required to be completed by candidates prior to the renewal assessment of their qualification to demonstrate their ongoing professional competence:
20 hours Continued Professional Development within the last two years from the date of previous assessment covering content from the NPLQ syllabus:
- In-water swimming pool rescue skills (at least 4 hrs)
- CPR (at least 4 hrs)
- First Aid (at least 4 hrs)
- Lifeguard theory (at least 4 hours)
Continued Professional Development can be achieved by:
- Attendance at Lifeguard ongoing training and competency assessment* (strongly recommended)
- Attendance at alternative training, face-to-face or online, relating to In-water swimming pool rescue skills, CPR, First Aid and Lifeguard theory
Emergency Response – Pools (ERP) – 2 Day Course £150 p.p.
Group prices available upon request
How Will the Qualification Benefit Your Business?
Managing Health and Safety in Swimming Pools states:
“When the pool is in use, there must be a safe system of work to identify a person in difficulty and ensure that a rescue can be performed. For example, in the absence of lifeguards, there should be designated ‘on-call’ competent staff, to respond immediately to deal with any emergency. They should be suitably trained and capable of reaching the poolside in time to perform a rescue and provide emergency first aid if the alarm is raised.”
Paragraph 113 of the HSE publication
The Emergency Response Pool Programme (ER-Pool) is designed to assist designated staff to respond to an emergency within the swimming pool environment when the alarm has been raised. The Emergency Responder can be any member of the facility called upon to rescue and provide first aid.
The ER-Pool programme is designed for use in small pools no greater than 1.5m in depth such as a health club or hotel pool.
For pools that require direct supervision on poolside and for larger pools, the RLSS UK National Pool Lifeguard Qualification would be more suitable.
Who Can Complete ER Pool Training?
Any staff employed at the venue, e.g.
- Receptionists
- Chefs
- Waiting Staff
- Housekeeping
- Maintenance Staff
- Duty Managers
- Gym Staff
What Does ER Pool Involve?
A two-day course which will give your employees knowledge and practical training to:
- Rescue a casualty in the event of being alerted to an emergency
- Recover a casualty to poolside
- Perform vital First Aid, including CPR and AED
The trainer can also award a regulated Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work qualification and regulated Level 2 Automated External Defibrillator qualification (AED).
The ER Pool qualification is valid for two years following successful completion.
What are the pre-requisites?
Be able to surface dive to the deepest part of the pool and climb out without help and without using steps or ladders (where venue design permits)
Be aged 16 or older at the beginning of the course
National Rescue Award for Swimming Teachers and Coaches
(NRASTC) – 2 Day Course £150 p.p.
Group prices available upon request
National Rescue Award for Swimming Teachers and Coaches (NRASTC)
National Rescue Award for Swimming Teachers and Coaches LIGHT (NRASTC LIGHT)
Aquatic Therapy Shallow Pool Rescue Award (ATSPRA)
National Rescue Award for Swimming Teachers and Coaches (NRASTC)
NRASTC is a supervision and rescue award for swimming teachers, coaches and/or instructors working during programmed activities, such as swimming lessons. It is suitable for teachers working in a wide range of swimming pools where the water is deeper than the teachers’ standing depth and meets the Individual sites risk assessment.
Course Content – NRASTC
| Section | 7th edition new candidate (hours) |
| 1 – The Teacher, swimming pool and class management | 2 |
| 2 – Intervention rescue and emergency action | 4 |
| 3 – CPR and first aid | 6 |
| Total | 12 |
| Plus external assessment |
When Emergency First Aid at Work and AED training are integrated with this course the training hours are extended.
National Rescue Award for Swimming Teachers and Coaches LIGHT (NRASTC LIGHT)
NRASTC LIGHT is a supervision and rescue award for swimming teachers, coaches and/or instructors working during programmed activities, such as swimming lessons when Lifeguard or First Aid backup is available to respond quickly in the event of an emergency.
It is suitable for teachers working in a wide range of swimming pools, including pools where the water is deeper than the teacher’s standing depth. This award is only suitable when the facility has staff qualified as Lifeguards or First Aiders that are available to respond quickly to a swimming teacher or coach in the event of an emergency.
If Lifeguard or First Aid backup is not available the standard NRASTC should be used.
Course Content – NRASTC LIGHT
| Section | 7th edition new candidate (hours) |
| 1 – The Teacher, swimming pool and class management | 2 |
| 2 – Intervention rescue and emergency action | 3 |
| 3 – CPR and first aid | 1 |
| Total | 6 |
| Plus external assessment |
Aquatic Therapy Shallow Pool Rescue Award (ATSPRA)
ATSPRA is a supervision and rescue qualification for therapists, teachers and support staff working on the poolside or in the water during activities such as, aquatic therapy or therapeutic exercise/play. The qualification is suitable for use in shallow pools where the rescuer will not be required to swim to perform a rescue, with water no deeper than the rescuers chest depth.
Course Content – ATSPRA
| Section | New candidate (hours) |
| 1 – The Teacher/therapist, risk assessment and pool safety | 3 |
| 2 – Intervention, rescue and emergency action | 3+ |
| Assessment | 1 |
| Total | 7+ |
| Optional Section | |
| 3 – CPR and first aid | 6 |
| Assessment | 1 |
| Total | 7 |
When Emergency First Aid at Work and AED training are integrated with this course the training hours are extended.
Contact us to bookWater Smart Award (WSA) – 4 Hour Course £ P.O.A
Group prices available upon request
This is a new and exciting award, from the RLSS UK that sets out a national standard for water safety. Everyone should have fun and be able to enjoy the water – take the opportunity to learn some essential water safety skills for life to help keep yourself and others safe.
About the Water Smart Award
RLSS UK created the Water Smart Award to establish an essential skill based programme, to ensure safety and competence around water, which ultimately supports their ambition to prevent drownings.
It has been designed as a standalone award from other water safety programmes and provides a gateway for participants go on to complete further awards to develop skills and knowledge to keep themselves and others safe whilst enjoying the water.
The award’s focus is on five main areas, these include:
1. Water Safety Awareness
2. Getting In and Out of the Water Safely
3. Safely Staying Afloat
4. Safely Moving in the Water
5. Performing Rescues Safely (Optional)
School Swimming Curriculum
The Water Smart Award has been developed in line with the Curriculum Swimming outcomes and supports the development of these skills in the UK and Ireland.
Contact us to book