Rookies

Is your child coming to the end of their Learn to Swim programme? We have a great opportunity for you!

Crazy Crabs Swim School is very excited to introduce our new Rookie Lifeguard Programme.

Once your child has reached Stage 7 in the Learn to Swim Framework, you can enrol them into our Rookie Lifeguard programme

Enquire Here

Rookie Lifeguards

Prerequisites

Our prerequisites include being aged a minimum of 8 years and to be able to swim 25 metres both front crawl and backstroke. Both our office and aquatics teams are more than happy to help you assess your child, to see if Rookie Lifeguards is appropriate for them

If your child has not quite had their 8th birthday yet, not to worry! You can book them on now, to start as soon as they turn 8. You can also speak to your teacher about an introduction to what they can expect with our programme.

Why Rookies?

Rookie Lifeguards is a fantastic way to enable your child to gain life changing skills and abilities, whilst encouraging a positive and social environment, and fostering a lifelong love for aquatic sport

During your child's time with the Rookie Lifeguards, they will learn about Water Safety, Lifesaving and Rescue, CPR and Life Support, Shout and Signal rescues, and so much more!

This can also lead onto work via gaining an NPLQ to become a lifeguard at 16 years old.

How it works

Our comprehensive programme is made up of 3 main stages, Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each of these stages has 3 sections, which they will be assessed through with their very own progress books.

Once your child has completed a section, they will begin working on the next set of assessments within their classes. The Rookie Lifeguard Programme is available to children between the ages of 8-12.

How long does it take?

Each section will take around 10 weeks, and around 30 weeks/1 academic year to complete a main stage of Bronze, Silver or Gold. We aim to help each child progress as quickly as possible, and will have catch up or revision weeks at intervals to ensure that your child feels confident with each step in their journey

We aim to complete the full Rookies programme with your child in approximately 3 academic years, which will take the place of your current weekly Learn to Swim lessons.

Other Information

How Long are the sessions?

Our Rookies sessions are 30 minutes long, and we have a range of timings available to ensure that it fits around their education and activity schedule.

Who are our Rookie Lifeguard Teachers?

We ae so lucky to have the wonderful Teacher Jayden teaching Rookies on Saturday afternoons in Reading and the lovely Teacher Steph teaching Rookies over the Summer Intensives in Didcot. Find out more about them here.

What's included?

Included in our pricing, you will receive your first Rookies t-shirt, a progress book to track your achievements with space for stickers awarded by your teacher at the back, and a certificate to celebrate each section upon completion.

What to expect?

During your first Rookies session, your child will join in with their class and will be assessed using their progress book to see which stage fits best for them.

Your child will need to bring both their t-shirt and their progress book along to each session, and their swimming kit. We also recommend that your child has a pair of shorts in order to complete the awards with treading water and swimming in clothes.

If your child loses their progress book or their t-shirt no longer fits, please contact our office, and we will provide a link for the option to purchase additional kit.

We also have on offer a Rookies exclusive poncho towel, and badges once they complete each section, that can be sewn onto their towel. This is a fantastic way to provide memories of their journey with us, and is a great keepsake! These are all optional additions, and everything your child needs to start their Rookies journey is provided by us at Crazy Crabs.

There are 9 sections in total to complete the Rookies programme, which will take your child from the basics of lifesaving and pool safety, all the way up to being able to join the National Lifesaving Academy at the age of 12.

Progression to Lifeguarding

Our teachers are also able to accommodate your child's journey through the Academy, and then onto becoming a qualified RLSS Lifeguard at the age of 16. The Academy is open to teenagers between the ages of 12-16. During their time with the Academy, they will have the opportunity to gain the prestigious Bronze Medallion Award, which allows them to receive a Recognition of Prior Learning towards their RLSS NPLQ (full Lifeguarding qualification).

The Academy award programme is structured into 3 levels, which are the Bronze Lifesaving Certificate, Bronze Star, and the Bronze Medallion. Upon successfully completing their Academy training with us, they will be able to enrol onto our NPLQ programme once they reach 16!

The NPLQ is the full Lifeguarding Qualification, which will enable them to gain employment in the leisure industry and take their first steps into a rewarding career.

They will also have the option to enter into our Level 2 in Teaching Swimming at this stage, and become part of the next generation of swimming teachers, helping children with their Learn to Swim journeys. We will also have Assistant Swimming Teacher volunteering time available once they reach 14 years of age, to help them gain experience in teaching our lessons and all the different skills they need to become an amazing teacher.

We have so much opportunity waiting for you and your child to help them develop their skill set, and provide a fun, educational and safe environment to enable them to gain as much as they can from their swimming with us!

Our lesson bookings and enquiries are open for Rookies now - enquire with us to find out our lesson timetables