Beach Safety & Games
Beach Safety & games for schools
Many of our residential trip students arrive with limited understanding of beach safety. To combat this, we’ve developed an exciting activity that is designed to improve students’ confidence both in and around water. We achieve this through a variety of fun games and activities. We endeavour to give teach young people the skills needed to deal with an emergency situation.
Water safety sessions take place at nearby Swanage and Studland Beach, which allows students to put their new found skills into practice in a real-life environment. Our aim is for participants to leave the session with a new-found respect and understanding of the sea, so everyone is safer on our beaches at home and abroad.
KEY INFO
- Identify hazards and dangers on and around a beach environment
- Learn what to do in an emergency situation
- Confidently use appropriate rescue equipment
Land and water-based activities
The half-day session will be led by our team of qualified RLSS Beach Lifeguards who have a vast amount of experience in the water. We have devised an exciting programme that enables us to teach vital safety skills in a fun and supportive environment. Our instructors are skilled at delivering the session in a relaxed and friendly manner.
Our instructors use a variety of land and water-based games that promote basic awareness and understanding of a safe beach environment. They can tailor the session to suit all ages and abilities. The activity runs parallel to the school curriculum.
Beach safety skills
By the end of the session students will have learned a variety of safety techniques and will be able to:
- Identify hazards at the beach
- Learn vital techniques for identifying dangers in the sea environment
- Know what to do and which agencies to contact in an emergency situation
- Experience what it’s like to be a beach lifeguard
- Use rescue equipment confidently
Learning outcomes
All of the activities we offer at Cumulus Outdoors have opportunities for learning outside the classroom. In addition to teaching students vital water skills, our beach safety sessions give students the opportunity to develop interpersonal skills such as teamwork, communication and leadership.
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Teamwork
Some of the activities and games require young people to work as part of a team in order to carry out a peer rescue, or other water safety technique. The group will need to work together to complete the task as quickly and safely as possible.
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Communication
Excellent teamwork is underpinned by communication. Our beach safety sessions will put this to the test.
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Leadership
Students will need to be confident in their actions and arrange other group members in order to effectively complete the task at hand. The leader will need to instruct team members and ensure everyone is carrying out their individual roles.
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Water Safety FAQs
Where can I find your beach safety certificates?
If you would like to see all our beach safety information, including risk assessments, policies, emergency procedures, insurance and affiliation certification, please ask. You will be sent a link to our website with a password to access and download as much as you need.
Are you insured for beach safety?
Yes, we are insured for beach safety and we have £10 million public liability insurance. We are accredited by: Institute of Outdoor Learning, National Coasteering Charter, Adventure Activities Licensing Service, DofE Approved Activity Provider and Learning Outside the Classroom.
Do students need to be able to swim for beach safety?
Yes, students need to be able to swim 25m for our beach safety sessions. Don’t forgot, this is with a wetsuit and buoyancy aid on which provides a huge amount of buoyancy. We basically are requiring them to be confident in the water and be able to move forward.
What happens if there is bad weather before a beach safety session ?
If the wind or swell is too strong for beach safety, we may limit the session slightly to keep safety at the forefront of what we do.
What if my child doesn’t want to participate in beach safety?
During our beach safety sessions we challenge the students to participate voluntarily, to push their comfort zone and test themselves. We operate a ‘challenge by choice ethos’, which allows the students to choose the level they are comfortable with.
What is the instructor to participant ratio for beach safety sessions?
2:16. We always have a minimum of two in the water, thereafter, that 1:8.
What kit do students need to bring to a beach safety session?
Swimming costume, towel and training shoes suitable for the water are essential for water safety sessions. Please no flip flops, thin wetsuit shoes or crocs! Don’t forget a rucksack for your clothes, snacks, something to drink and any personal medication. We will supply a wetsuit and buoyancy aid.