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Key info

Must already hold: Climbing Wall Instructor or Rock Climbing Instructor

Training: 1 day

Assessment: 1 day

 

Average time from training to passing assessment: 1 year

 

Ideal for: Experienced Climbing Wall Instructors or Rock Climbing Instructors who want to teach lead climbing on artificial walls with fixed protection.

 

Climbing Wall Development Instructor courses delivered by Mountain Training England are regulated by Ofqual.

Entry requirements

To register

 
  • You must be a qualified Climbing Wall Instructor or Rock Climbing Instructor
  • You must log in to your account and register for the Climbing Wall Development Instructor qualification (cost: £65)

To book a training course

 
  • You must be registered on the Climbing Wall Development Instructor qualification
  • You must have recorded (ideally on DLOG*):
    • 50 led routes on artificial walls.
    • Climbing sessions at 3 different major climbing walls.
    • Belaying a lead climber 50 times.
    • 25 led routes at grade French 6a on indoor climbing walls.
    • 20 supervising sessions after passing either Climbing Wall Instructor or Rock Climbing Instructor. At least 5 of these sessions must have personal reflective comments recorded on DLOG*.

 

To book an assessment course
  • You must have attended a Climbing Wall Development Instructor training course.
  • You must be familiar with the syllabus.
  • You must have logged a minimum of 100 different lead climbs, at least half of which must be a grade of French 6a or above at 3 different major climbing walls.
  • You must have assisted or observed at least 5 teaching leading sessions delivered by a suitably qualified person. These 5 sessions must have personal reflective comments recorded on DLOG**.
  • You must have physically attended and completed (i.e. not online) a first aid course which involved at least one full day or eight hours of instruction and included an element of assessment.

 

*DLOG is the digital logbook on our system, which you will be able to access once you have registered on a qualification.

**What are personal reflective comments?

Courses

Training and assessment courses are delivered by our approved providers in public and private climbing walls across the UK or Ireland. A variety of cost packages are available, depending on what's included; food, accommodation etc. so you can choose one that's right for you.

 

Training

Climbing Wall Development Instructor training lasts for one day and will cover:

  • The Climbing Wall Development Instructor syllabus
  • What to expect at assessment
  • Feedback on your performance and areas to focus on prior to assessment.

Syllabus

Technical competence (including equipment, lead belaying and personal skills)

Management and decision making (including planning, managing participants, decision making, knowledge and demonstration of techniques)

Teaching and learning skills

The climbing wall environment (including access, etiquette and ethics)

 

Consolidation

After completing a training course, use the feedback from your course director and the skills checklist to identify syllabus areas you need to practise.

Our membership association (Mountain Training Association) offers peer-led learning opportunities and formal workshops on a range of topics, from coaching climbing movement to lead climbing skills, to help you during this phase.

Join our association

 

Assessment

Assessment

The Climbing Wall Development Instructor assessment is one day (minimum six hours). You will be assessed against the syllabus competencies in the candidate handbook. At the end of the assessment you will receive one of three results:

  • Pass
  • Defer (requires a partial reassessment)
  • Fail (requires a full reassessment)
Resources

Candidate handbook last updated: April 2024

Candidate handbook
Trainer and assessor guidance notes
Skills checklist
Meet an instructor

Other qualifications

Doesn't sound like the right qualification for you? Consider the following:

Foundation Coach

Climbing Wall Instructor

Rock Climbing Instructor

Which qualification is is right for me?

Find a course Join our association