STA Level 2 Safety Award for Teachers

Essential lifesaving skills, with practical training and personal support

Build the skills and confidence to help keep people safe during swimming activities.

Designed for those aged 14 and over who are involved in teaching or supervising swimming, this course covers rescue skills, CPR, first aid and relevant legislation.

Combine a convenient twilight online theory session with practical training at Oakwood School, near Chichester, West Sussex, supported throughout by Lynn Goring-Crook.

Who is this course for?

This qualification is suitable for people involved in teaching or supervising swimming, including:

• Swimming teachers and coaches.

• School teachers responsible for supervising swimming.

• Club helpers and aquatic helpers.

If you need a lifesaving qualification for a particular role, check with your employer that this award meets their requirements. We’re happy to help you understand whether the course is right for you.

What will you learn?

You will develop your knowledge and practical skills in:

• Water rescues, including responding to suspected spinal injuries.

• CPR.

• First aid.

• Relevant legislation and responsibilities.

Our aim is to help you understand what to do, why it matters and how to put your skills into practice.

What will the learning be like?

Your course begins with a twilight theory session in our interactive online classroom. Through clear explanations, discussion and activities, we’ll help you prepare for your practical training.

You will then join us at Oakwood School to develop your CPR, first aid and pool rescue skills, with guidance and feedback from your tutor.

Expect purposeful learning, plenty of encouragement and some fun along the way. We want you to feel comfortable asking questions and supported as you practise.

Support from start to finish

Your tutor, Lynn Goring-Crook, will guide you through the course with clear explanations, encouragement and constructive feedback.

At The Skills Surgery and The Swim Surgery, our learner support begins before your course and continues afterwards. From working through a question during your course to discussing your next steps, we want you to feel supported as you develop your skills and career.

Course details

Online theory date: 1 October 2026
Theory time: 7.30pm–9.30pm
Theory venue: The Swim Surgery Online Interactive Classroom, via Zoom

Practical and multiple-choice exam date: 4 October 2026
Practical time: 9am–1pm
Practical venue: Oakwood School, Chichester, PO18 9AN

Tutor: Lynn Goring-Crook

Please attend both sessions in full to meet the course attendance requirements.

Your theory exam

Exam date: 4 October 2026

You will complete your multiple-choice theory exam on paper during the practical session, with 25 minutes to complete it.

Please bring a blue or black pen. Notes and course manuals cannot be used during the exam.

Your practical assessment

During your face-to-face session, your tutor will assess:

• Your CPR and first aid skills through continuous practical assessment.

• Your pool rescue skills and ability to respond to emergencies.

You will have guidance and opportunities to practise as you work towards demonstrating the required skills.

How will you be assessed?

To complete the qualification, you will need to:

• Attend all required teaching sessions.

• Complete the multiple-choice theory exam.

• Successfully demonstrate the required CPR and first aid skills.

• Successfully demonstrate the required pool rescue and emergency response skills.

Entry requirements

You must:

• Be at least 14 years old.

• Be able to swim 25 metres. Learners who cannot swim 25 metres must be capable of wading and carrying out a rescue in water no deeper than chest height.

• Be able to surface dive and recover an object from the deepest part of the pool.

If you have questions about the swimming requirements, please contact us before booking so we can discuss your circumstances.

What you will need

For your online learning

• A computer, laptop, tablet or suitable phone with a working microphone and camera to join Zoom.

• Internet access to use your e-manual, Nearpod and our interactive learning activities.

• A Gmail account and a suitable device to access Google Classroom, where we share pre-course paperwork and communications.

• A pen and paper or another way to make notes.

For your theory exam

• A blue or black pen to take your exam on paper.

For your practical session

• Swimwear.

• Shorts and a T-shirt to wear in the pool.

• A towel and a change of clothes.

Access and reasonable adjustments

If you would like to discuss access to learning, the practical requirements or reasonable adjustments, please contact lynn@theswimsurgery.co.uk before booking.

We are here to support you before, during and after your course.

Booking and payment

Payment plans are not available for this course. However, you can reserve your place with a non-refundable deposit and pay the remaining balance before the course begins.

To arrange this, contact jeremy@theswimsurgery.co.uk.

For course questions or help with booking, contact our Course Administration Manager, Helen, at helen@theswimsurgery.co.uk.