Bouldering Wall Instructor

The Bouldering Wall Instructor qualification enables experienced boulderers to instruct bouldering on purpose built artificial bouldering-only structures in the UK and Ireland.

Course director

All courses must be delivered by an approved course director. 

 

For course director responsibilities please see the Leadership Schemes Quality Manual.

Scope of the scheme

A qualified instructor can;

  • Teach bouldering skills.
  • Manage individuals and groups safely in these activities.

 

Terrain;

A qualified Bouldering Wall Instructor can operate on:

  • Indoor and outdoor artificial bouldering venues.

 

Exclusions;

The qualification does not cover:

  • The teaching or supervision of roped climbing.
  • The bouldering skills needed to climb and/or supervise others on natural boulders.

Registration 

Candidate registration requirements

  • Be 16 years old
  • Have 3 months experience of indoor/artificial bouldering* including a major public bouldering centre. 
  • Have 3 months experience of indoor/artificial bouldering* including a major public bouldering centre. 
  • Be a member of a mountaineering council.

Training course 

Candidate requirements

  • Be registered for the qualification
  • Have recorded visits to 3 different indoor/artificial bouldering venues* on at least 15 occasions. These must include a major public bouldering centre
  • Boulder proficiently at V2 or above

 

Minimum course duration

  • 7 hours plus online modules
  • Delivered in a single period or split into 2-3 sessions plus online learning; 'Leadership and decision making' and 'Instructor Responsibiltiies'.

 

Group size

  • 2 candidates minimum
  • 12 candidates maximum

 

Staffing ratio

  • 1 staff : 6 candidates.

Additional course staff requirements

Climbing Wall Instructor/Bouldering Wall Instructor or higher plus Foundation Coach or higher.

Please see Course Staff Requirements in the Leadership Schemes Quality Manual for further guidance.

Assessment course 

Candidate requirements

  • Be at least 18 years old to attend the assessment.
  • Have completed a Bouldering Wall Instructor training course or been granted exemption from training.
  • Be familiar with the syllabus.
  • Have logged a minimum of 30 personal climbing visits to at least three different indoor/artificial bouldering venues.
  • Boulder proficiently at V2.
  • Have assisted in the supervision of at least 10 instructed sessions on at least two different indoor/artificial bouldering venues, including a large public facility. A session is a minimum of an hour. At least five of these sessions must have personal reflective comments recorded on DLOG.
  • Have observed an additional two sessions run by different instructors.
  • Have physically attended and completed (i.e. not online) a first aid course which involved at least one full day or 8 hours of instruction and included an element of assessment.

 

Minimum course duration

  • 3 hours
  • Delivered in a single period

 

Group size

  • 2 candidates minimum
  • 4 candidates maximum

 

Staffing ratio

  • 1 staff : 2 candidates.

Additional course staff requirements

Climbing Wall Instructor/Bouldering Wall Instructor or higher plus Foundation Coach or higher.

Please see Course Staff Requirements in the Leadership Schemes Quality Manual for further guidance.