RLSS
National
Pool Lifeguard 
Qualification
Cheshire East Council runs frequent courses leading to the Royal
Lifesaving Society (
RLSS
) National Pool Lifeguard
Qualification
The
RLSS
is the
national governing body for Lifesaving and Lifeguarding and the
leading drowning prevention organisation in the UK. The
RLSS
awards over
35,000 lifeguard qualification each year in both pool and beach
lifeguarding.
The NPLQ is the most widely accepted lifeguard qualification in
the UK and is widely recognised as the professional benchmark for
swimming pool rescue.
Cheshire East pools are all
IQL
(Institute of
Qualified Lifeguards) Approved Training Centres, and undergo
regular quality assurance verifications including external
monitoring to ensure that all aspects of training and equipment
reach the required standard. All courses and sessions are delivered
by fully qualified
RLSS
Trainer/Assessors.
Course Details
Training and
assessment for the NPLQ is in two units:
Unit 1: The principles of lifesaving and
swimming pool supervision.
This training takes place over a minimum of 31 hours and is
assessed by an external RLSS trainer/assessor. The unit consists
of:
- Lifeguard Theory
- First Aid
- CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation)
- Practical Lifesaving Skills
Unit 2: The application of supervision and
rescue in a swimming pool.
This unit is continuously assessed over 7 hours by the course
tutor.
Attendance at all sessions is compulsory.
Following the assessment, the qualification will remain valid
for 2 years. You can then retake the assessment providing that you
have attended regular staff training in the workplace during the 2
year period.
Course Entry Requirements
Prior to enrolling
on a course, the RLSS requires that you meet the following
criteria:
- Demonstrate that you are fit and healthy
- Jump or dive into deep water
- Swim 50m in under 60 seconds
- Swim 100m continuously on your front, followed by 100m on your
back
- Tread water for 30 seconds
- Surface dive to the deepest part of the pool
- Climb out of the pool unaided
- You must be 16 years or over on the first day of the
course.
