Senior Lifesaving (Age 12+)

National Lifesaving Academy (NLA) is our lifesaving award scheme for anyone aged 12 years and over. The awards teach lifesaving rescue, self-rescue, survival, and lifesaving sport skills, and also develop swimming ability and fitness.

The awards are structured to teach foundational skills and then progressively build up the candidate’s skills. On achieving the Bronze Medallion level of award, the candidate receives Recognition of Prior Learning hours towards the RLSS UK vocational lifeguard qualifications. The awards are structured into three levels (Bronze Lifesaving Certificate, Bronze Star, and Bronze Medallion), and multiple environmental strands are available at the Bronze Star and Bronze Medallion levels.

The three award strands are as follows:

Pool – completed in the swimming pool
Open Water – completed preferably in non-tidal, inland open water sites
Beach – completed on the coast

The Bronze Lifesaving Certificate is designed to teach new lifesavers the basics of staying safe in or around water. It provides the candidate with basic water safety knowledge, basic aquatic lifesaving skills, basic CPR, and basic First Aid.

The two subsequent award levels (Bronze Star and Bronze Medallion) are divided into three sections:

Lifesaving Theory Lifesaving
Survival and Rescue Skills
CPR, AED & First Aid

Stages of the Programme

One of the key factors of the new programme is the clear pathway from Rookie to Lifeguard. Rookies can easily transition into the new programme, as can new candidates to lifesaving through the accessible and challenging Bronze Lifesaving Certificate.

The National Lifesaving Academy provides the opportunity to test skills in a number of environments and ultimately progress through a pathway to be part of the next generation of pool, beach and open water lifeguards.

Lifesaving candidates may choose to master their skills in one environment, or they may choose to develop in all three environments. Progression through the awards includes developing life support in every award. After achieving a medallion in a strand, lifesavers will have developed expert skills and abilities, and will be able to remove 7 hours of teaching from the respective lifeguard qualification - either NPLQ, NVBLQ or OWL.

Following the completion of a Medallion, candidates can choose to take the National Lifesaving Academy Distinction.

National Lifesaving Academy Award Journey

The Distinction award

The highest achievement within the RLSS UK National Lifesaving Academy programme is the Distinction Award. This is awarded to candidates who achieve any single Bronze Medallion award and, with the 24-month validity period, also attain an Assistant/Instructor award or a minimum of thirty hours of volunteering or relevant work experience.

Fitness

Whether you're looking to lose some weight, build some muscle or just stay healthy, swimming in lifesaving is some of the most rigorous sport you can undertake! With regular sessions and with teaching, which is great for all swimming abilities, you would fit straight in!

Making Friends

The senior group at Windsor Lifeguard club is more than just a group, you will make friends and spend time with new and interesting people! A real opportunity to make some great friends and learn skills with them! You will find friends with similar abilities and no previous experience is required!

Skills

Whether you're looking to learn something new or build on existing skills this opportunity is perfect for you! No previous experience is required and for the more experienced group we have more experienced exams.

Everybody and anybody is welcome, whatever the age, fitness or ability. Even if this is for the Duke of Edinburgh Award or just wanting to learn something that will help you save a life you can be assured that you will learn everything you need to know and much much more!