News & Updates

Safety Training Awards (STA) would like to remind all Approved Training Centres (ATC) when delivering qualifications via online remote delivery, the practical face to face components must be delivered and assessed per the assessment strategy.

Practical teaching, pool rescue skills and basic life support / CPR skills cannot be taught or assessed via online delivery. ATCs must ensure sufficient practical time has been planned, required equipment is available and where applicable, participants of the correct standard have been booked.

The qualification tutor assessed skills sheet, lists all practical assessment criteria which learners are required to demonstrate their competency against. Tutors should only tick the skills if a learner has demonstrated they are competent to perform that skill, therefore, meeting the assessment criteria. If a learner has not be able to perform the skill or has not demonstrated it to correct standard, a tutor should put a cross in the box and the learner is unable to pass the qualification.

ATCs need to be extremely mindful about condensing all on course practical elements followed by the practical assessment into one day, unless course hours permit this. Learners must be taught the skills and supported through the on course practical requirements, given verbal constructive developmental feedback to ensure they are prepared for the final assessment as well as the real-life environment. They should be given the opportunity to improve and development their ability to ensure a fair and valid assessment. Therefore, the amount of time allocated per learner as well as assessment time must be considered.

STA would like to highlight are practical requirements for the following three qualifications:

STA Safety Award for Teachers:

• CPR / basic life support requirement including assessment, approximately 2 hours (based on 12 learners)
• Pool rescue skills requirements including assessment, approximately 2 hours (based on 12 learners)

STA Award in Teaching Swimming:

• Learners are required to teach a minimum of 30 minutes per day, 2.5 hours in total per learner.

STA Certificate in Teaching Swimming:

• All learners must deliver a minimum of five 30 minute advanced lessons, 2.5 hours in total per learner. One lesson must be delivered to 8 participants.

Quality assurance activities should be reviewing the course timetables as well as course paperwork to ensure the practical requirements have been conducted in line with the qualification specification and assessment strategy.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.