Image: Lee Heard, RLSS UK Director of Partnerships. Jane Nickerson, Swim England CEO. Rebecca Cox, Managing Director IoS.

A new partnership between Swim England and RLSS UK will make it even easier for swimming teachers and lifeguards to access high-quality training.

Both organisations are the experts and market leaders in their respective fields and together, have trained more than 85 per cent of all swimming teachers, coaches and lifeguards, working within the industry.  

The partnership will see new and exciting opportunities for courses for the aquatic workforce, with the aim of allowing individuals to achieve easier access to a range of qualifications, whilst maintaining the same high standards. 

The two organisations will showcase their new partnership at Elevate, which opened at London’s eXceL today and continues tomorrow, Thursday 9 May.

Jane Nickerson, Swim England CEO, said: “We’re delighted to be teaming up with RLSS UK in an innovative new partnership, to ensure swimming teachers and lifeguards have access to the best possible qualifications.

“We have worked closely with RLSS UK for many years, but this is the first time we will be combining our expertise to support the development of the swimming workforce.

“Giving easier access to our high-quality courses through a one-stop shop, presents a great opportunity for teachers and lifeguards to complete their qualifications effectively, meaning even more people will be able to benefit from quality lesson provision, that embraces the Swim England national learn-to-swim framework.

“Ensuring our swimming teachers and lifeguards are highly trained, is critical to providing a safe environment for our young people to learn how to swim and go on to enjoy the water safely.”

Lee Heard, Director of Partnerships for RLSS UK, commented: “This is a really exciting time to be entering into a formal partnership with Swim England.

“RLSS UK have awarded more than 1.2 million qualifications in the last five years and with nearly 90,000 RLSS UK qualified pool lifeguards, there are some very natural synergies in our two organisations working together, to help support leisure operators.”

Swimming teachers are in great demand, as more than 1.2 million children successfully took part in the Swim England Learn to Swim Programme last year.

In 2018 the Institute of Swimming (IoS) – the largest provider of Swim England aquatics qualifications – delivered CPDs and qualifications to more than 10,400 learners.