National Pool Lifeguard Qualification
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RLSS UK’s* NPLQ is the most awarded lifeguard qualification in the UK and Ireland. Every year, over 35,000 pool lifeguards get certified by RLSS UK. Currently, there are over 74,000 pool lifeguards in the UK who hold the NPLQ qualification, making up 95% of all pool lifeguards in the country.
NPLQ Generation 10 is the latest edition of the NPLQ. It is endorsed against the CIMSPA Lifeguard Standard and meets the requirements within the Health and Safety Executive’s Managing Health and Safety in Swimming Pools (HSG179). The NPLQ Gen 10 can be delivered with optional additional qualifications – AED, EFAW, FAW, and Anaphylaxis Management. The NPLQ is a great addition to any CV or higher education application, and from May 2024, NPLQ Gen 10 carries 8 UCAS Tariff points.
If you’d like to learn more about being a lifeguard, click here.
Lifeguard Course Prerequisites
Every candidate attending a NPLQ course must be 16 years old or above at the time of taking the NPLQ final assessment and be able to:
*The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) is the industry leader in lifeguarding and lifesaving. RLSS UK Qualifications lead the way in lifeguard training innovation and development, ensuring leisure staff stay up-to-date with lifesaving, lifeguarding, water safety, and life support skills. The RLSS UK badge provides reassurance to the millions of customers who use leisure facilities annually. As an Awarding Body, RLSS UK Qualifications’ regulators are Ofqual, Qualifications Wales and CCEA in Northern Ireland. RLSS UK is a registered charity in England, Wales (1046060), and Scotland (SC037912).
Tom Bartley - Health, Safety and Training Manager for Active Nottingham
Tom takes great pride in kicking off his career as a lifeguard when he was just 16 years old. Despite being discouraged by a teacher and leaving school without collecting his GCSE results, Tom pursued a lifeguard course, which led him to work at a local leisure centre.
Discovering his passion for teamwork and the leisure environment, Tom explored various roles within the centre to gain experience. By 18, he obtained his Trainer Assessor (TA) qualification and developed an interest in teaching. Driven to prove his teacher wrong, he progressed to roles such as Swim Lesson Coordinator and Duty Manager.
At 21, while many peers were at university, Tom became a facility coordinator managing a large leisure centre. He later advanced to Operations and Training Manager at a 10,000-capacity entertainment arena, overseeing venue operations and staff training in various qualifications.
Currently, Tom serves as the Health, Safety & Training Manager across six sports and leisure sites for Active Nottingham, caring for the training of over 200 NPLQ/NRASTC holders. He credits his success to the Royal Life Saving Society UK and their qualifications, highlighting their influence on his career.
Tom encourages those navigating career paths: “If Plan A falters, remember the alphabet has 25 more letters. Your path will reveal itself in due time.”
