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At The Croyde Training Centre With
The Best Teaching Ratio
A purpose-built surf centre
A team led by a former GB Head Coach
Expert instruction
Over a decade of experience
Elite athletes training
National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification (NVBLQ)
Surfing Croyde Bay is proud to be offering RLSS National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification (NVBLQ) in partnership with Ocean Frog Life Saving Academy.
RLSS UK has teamed up with Surf Life Saving Association (SLSA) Wales to offer the NVBLQ – a national standard for beach lifeguarding. The National Water Safety Forum and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) endorse the NVBLQ. On completion, candidates will have the skills and knowledge to protect the public at the beach.
What is involved when taking the NVBLQ beach lifeguard course?
The NVBLQ provides in-depth training covering beach lifeguard theory, CPR and first aid, swimming pool competencies, and open water rescue skills. It is a physically intensive course that includes assessed timed swims and casualty lifting tasks. To achieve the qualification, candidates must successfully pass all four modules.
Your course has four core modules:
- Module 1 – Beach Lifeguarding – Knowledge and Understanding
- Module 2 – Life Support and First Aid
- Module 3 – Ocean Skills
- Module 4 – Pool Skills
THE AWARD
Ocean Frog Lifesaving Academy
Ocean Frog Lifesaving Academy delivers the RLSS NVBLQ (National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification), the industry gold standard and key progression route for surf instructors stepping toward the Surfing England Surf Coach Award (or equivalent).
This is not a “pay and pass” course. The NVBLQ is physically demanding and performance-based. Candidates must arrive on Day 1 already meeting the required swim times and fitness standards. We do not train fitness; we train professional lifesaving skills under pressure.
Training is led by James and David, both qualified beach lifeguards since their early 20s, bringing decades of frontline experience between them. Delivery combines classroom learning with intensive beach-based practical training, covering rescue techniques, CPR and AED use, rescue boards, risk assessment, crowd management, and scenario-based response.
Alongside the NVBLQ, we offer the RLSS Surf Coach Lifesaver Award, RLSS Open Water Lifeguard Qualification, and standalone AED certification.
When employers see Ocean Frog on a certificate, they know that the candidate has earned it.
BEACH LIFEGUARD
NVBLQ
FAQs
During this exciting course you will gain the knowledge and skills required to provide professional beach patrolling and surf rescue services.
Alongside this you will learn basic life support, practical first aid protocols and gain theoretical understanding of these topics. The Surf Lifeguard course is physically demanding and will include swimming, paddling rescue boards, running and lifting. We will teach you a variety of units throughout 40 hours of guided learning using the latest and best training resources available. All units must be successfully passed to attain the qualification.
- You must be at least 16-years-old or over at the time of the assessment.
- You must be generally fit.
- You must be able to surface dive to a depth of 2 metres.
- You must be able to tread water for two minutes.
- You must be able to climb out of deep water unaided and without steps.
- You must be competent at swimming in the open ocean.
- Before the course you must be able to swim 200m in a pool (of recommended length 25 metres, but no less than 20 metres) in under 5 minutes.
- You should have had experience paddling a surfboard or paddle board.
- For the assessment candidates must be able to swim 400 metres in a pool (recommended 25 metres but no less than 20 metres) in eight minutes or less using a continuous front stroke and showing urgency.
The National Water Safety Forum and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) endorse the NVBLQ.
RLSS UK, SLS GB, SLSA Wales all recognise the NVBLQ as the national standard for vocational beach lifeguarding.
The certificate is valid for two years.
You must be able to swim 400 metres in a pool in eight minutes or less using a continuous front stroke with urgency.
You are assessed on the following:
- Beach Lifeguard and First Aid Theory
- Life Support and First Aid
- First Aid Practical
- Ocean Skills
- Pool Skills
You must be able to demonstrate your ability to apply the theoretical and practical skills above in a beach environment.
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