Watersports in School Outdoor Education

Outdoor Education School Trips – Watersports

Inspected by AALA, LOtC & NGB’s
Large range of activities
Ages 6+
Risk assessments and insurance available

Windsurf, Sail, SUP, Kayak, Wakeboard, Raft Building and more for school trips in Brighton. More info…

Youth Watersports courses on the sea, Sailing, Standup Paddleboarding and Powerboating. More info…

Outdoor Education School Trips – Watersports

Lagoon Watersports offers children and young people the opportunity to take part in various outdoor adventurous activities, such as sailing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, stand up paddleboarding, kayaking and team and raft build.

Lagoon Watersports has over 25 years experience offering watersports to school group trips in Brighton and Hove. We offer activities for students age 6+. Although most activities for school groups take place at Hove Lagoon, older students do have the option to take part in sailing and powerboating activities from our coastal centre at Brighton Marina.

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The outdoor environment encourages staff and students to see each other in a different light, building positive relationships and improving self awareness and understanding of others. Our courses offer students a way to enjoy outdoor education, such experiences can motivate children to become successful learners and help develop as healthy, confident and responsible people.

Lagoon Watersports is AALA, LOtC, RYA and BWSW inspected.

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Hove Lagoon

Sailing, Standup Paddleboarding, Raft Building and racing, Kayaking, Wakeboarding, Windsurfing, Water Extravaganza, Land based challenges

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Brighton Marina

Yacht Sailing, Sailing, Powerboating, Stand-up Paddleboarding

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Once again a very successful trip, with enthusiastic and encouraging staff at the Lagoon

Miss Caulfield, Head of Prep Outdoor Pursuits

Wakeboarding was really good fun and Hove Lagoon was a good location. The staff are nice and the water was clean. I would really recommend this to anyone who doesn’t mind getting wet, because you will get wet! Even if you have not done it before it is easy to learn. The most enjoyable bit is being on the water at fast speed and not falling off!

Ellis Wardle, Pupil

The trip was epic! On my first go, I got up on my feet and I was wakeboarding! Then I fell, but I got up and did it again and again until I could do a jump start and get to the other end of the lagoon faultlessly. It was challenging with the cold water and wind but the thrill made up for it without a doubt. Overall a great trip which put a smile on my face for the rest of the day

Billy Mathur, Pupil

“We have been using Hove Lagoon now for many years for all our watersports provision. We have had activity weeks, sailing and windsurfing courses and have recently taken part in the schools sailing cup. We have always found the Staff of the Lagoon to be incredibly professional in their work and our students have all made great progress while having a fantastic time. The equipment is up to date and of high quality. I would strongly recommend Hove Lagoon to other schools. They make the booking and organisation easy. Well done Hove Lagoon”

Paul Miller, Deputy Head Cardinal Newman School

Our outdoor education courses will help develop:

  • Skills of enquiry
  • Critical thinking
  • Reflection

They will develop personal and learning skills in areas such as:

  • Communication
  • Problem solving
  • Information technology
  • Working with others
  • Thinking skills
  • Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Education

Why not include a watersport or team build session as part of your PSHE Programme. We can design a session which can fit into your PSHE plan to help equip young people with the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and practical skills to live healthily, safely, productively and responsibly.

GCSE Physical Education

At this level we can offer tuition and coaching to get the grades they require in Unit 2: Performance of Physical Education.
You can choose from windsurfing, sailing or cable wakeboarding. Over a 4 to 6 week period we will work with the group developing and improving their skills in their chosen sport and help them to obtain the grades they need.

BTEC

For those with an interest in working within the outdoor education or fitness industry we will focus on improving health and wellbeing through watersports and look at practical skills, teaching skills and social skills that will help employability in this field.

Activities available during school time and after school

(all activities age 8+ unless otherwise stated)

  • Windsurfing
  • Sailing (age 6+)
  • Kayaking
  • Wakeboarding
  • Coastal sailing (age 12+)
  • Powerboating (age 12+)
  • Team building/raft building
  • Standup paddleboarding

These can be run as :

After school clubs

We often work with teachers and schools to deliver after school clubs during term time. These usually run one evening per week and last for around 4-6 weeks or students can join in with our own after school clubs. The children are able to gain qualifications during these courses.

Assemblies

Our staff are passionate about watersports so are happy to deliver an assembly to small groups or year groups. We are always happy to help with promoting activities and are happy to visit schools and take part in assemblies.

Prices :

Prices start from £17.00 pp please contact us for a quote.

National Governing Bodies, Associations and Inspections

Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge

The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom is the managing and overall awarding body for the Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge, which recognises providers offering good quality learning outside of the classroom and managing risk effectively. As part of this process, the Council is working to reduce bureaucracy in schools, whilst maintaining safety and quality in learning.
Check our accreditation – search Lagoon Watersports

National Governing Bodies

Lagoon Watersports is an Royal Yachting Association Centre and RYA OnBoard Centre. This means that it has been specially selected by the RYA as a centre that is exceptional at delivering safe, fun and professional children’s sailing and windsurfing sessions.
Lagoon Watersports is also a British Waterski and Wakeboard (BWSW) Centre and offers the excellent Bronze, Silver and Gold training scheme with BWSW qualified instructors.
Lagoon Watersports is a BSUPA (BSUPA) Centre and offers the BSUPA training with BSUPA qualified staff.

Risk Assessments

All of our risk assessments have been written based on our 20 years experience at delivering children’s sailing and windsurfing sessions and are available to view by email – please ask for a copy to be forwarded to you.

Insurance

We are covered up to £10,000,000 for our public liability. Please email to request a copy

Water quality

The water quality in Hove Lagoon is tested regularly as part of the Brighton and Hove City Councils seafront beach water quality testing. Lagoon Watersports opened in 1994, since that date the water in Hove Lagoon has passed every test. The water is salt water which is regularly topped up by being pumped from the sea.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

All the staff that work with children have up to date DBS checks.

Staff

All our staff are NGB qualified in the sports they teach, have a passion for watersports, under take in-house training and all have valid first aid training.

How watersports can fit in to the National Curriculum Physical Education Programmes of study

Key Stage 1 (Age 6 – 7)

  • Swimming and water safety are elements that apply to all watersports. Watersports help children practice swimming outside of the pool environment and learn confidence in a new yet safe location. For example capsizing from a boat in salt water, regrouping with other sailors and getting back on board the boat, leading to gaining confidence in the water.
  • Sailing is a great option for pupils to master basic movements, agility and co-ordination in a totally different activity such as steering a boat and learning about the wind.

The most suitable activity for this age range is sailing. With younger children we advise running short sessions during the warmest time of year ( late May – late September)
Other activities to be considered would be team building, raft building and raft racing as this ties in with participation in team games.

Key Stage 2 (Age 7 – 11)

  • Watersports are a great outdoor and adventurous activity for students to take part in. Experience can be both as an individual and on a team basis – learning to sail, relay kayak racing, team raft building and racing are all team activities.
  • Watersports assist in developing flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance. Balancing on a paddle board, learning to move about the board, learning to move the board or learning to sit in a sailing boat whilst anticipating the wind and reacting to it are all examples of skills they will master.
  • Sessions can be structured in a way to compare children’s performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best. For this they can complete NGB courses such as RYA Stage 1-4 or BWSW wakeboarding awards.
  • Swimming and water safety are elements that can be further developed with children gaining more experience, confidence, awareness in water safety. For example if they fall from a windsurf or paddleboard at some distance from the side they will be inclined to swim (although the water is shallow enough to stand).
  • Sessions can be included that enable the practice of self rescues from a range of craft and introducing basic ocean water safety awareness, such as tides, currents, weather.

The most suitable activities for this age range are sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, standup paddleboarding, raft building and raft racing.
Activity programs can be one off taster sessions, regular sessions and after school clubs.

Key Stage 3 (Age 11 – 14)

Watersports offers a hots of curriculum related benefits to Key Stage 3 students including :

  • Getting involved in sports and activities out of school and that can be enjoyed for a life time. We have kids from local schools that have now grown up, are in their 30’s and still take part in activities with us.
  • Develop their technique and improve their performance in other competitive sports. We have wakeboarding club sessions and competitions, a  weekly sailing and windsurfing club and run a Schools Sailing Cup.
  • Watersports are an outdoor and adventurous activity which presents intellectual and physical challenges. The activities can be approached as an individual or and as part of a team. For example sailing requires physical and mental skills and an awareness to get the boat going where you want it to. Then there is the challenge to improve the performance of the boat. This can be done as team work or as an individual.
  • Watersports enables students to develop skills, building on trust and developing skills to solve problems, either individually or as a group.
  • Sessions can be structured in a way to compare children’s performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best. For this they can complete NGB courses such as RYA Stage 1-4 or BWSW wakeboarding awards.
  • Competitive elements can be introduced into individual sessions or through joining our Schools Sailing Cup, RYA OnBoard Racing event or our weekly Sailing Club.

The most suitable activities for this age range are sailing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, kayaking, standup paddle boarding, raft building and raft racing.
Activity programs can be one off taster sessions, regular sessions and after school clubs.

Key Stage 4 (Age 14 – 16)

Curriculum related benefits to Key Stage 4 of watersports include :

  • The complexity and physical demands of watersports activities can be increased for this age group. We may attempt to take them on the sea in suitable conditions.
  • Watersports encourage personal fitness and promote an active, healthy lifestyle whilst offering an exciting and challenging alternative to other sports. All the sports we offer are recognised and established sports that require a basic level of fitness but will help the participants develop a greater understanding and relationship with the outdoor environment.
  • Develop their technique and improve their performance in other competitive sports.
  • Watersports offer outdoor and adventurous activities in an environment which presents intellectual and physical challenges requiring students to develop skills to solve problems. This can be done both individually or as a group whether working as a team to solve challenges, build a raft and race it, or as an individual going out on the sea for the first time on a boat or paddleboard.
  • Sessions can be structured in a way to compare children’s performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best. For this they can complete NGB courses such as RYA Stage 1-4 or BWSW wakeboarding awards.

After school clubs and weekend clubs, events and races enable students to continue watersports activities in their own time. There are weekly sailing , windsurfing , wakeboarding and SUP clubs, regular in-house competitions and interclass events including sailing, windsurfing, SUP and wakeboarding.
The most suitable activities for this age range are sailing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, kayaking, standup paddleboarding, raft building and raft racing.
Activity programs can be one off taster sessions, regular sessions and after school clubs.How Watersports can fit in to the National curriculum Physical education programmes of study

Wakeboarding for BTEC Level 3 Public Services and Sports Courses.

There are several specific BTEC Units that revolve around water based activities, including:

  • BTEC Public Service Level Three Unit 11: Skills for Water-based Outdoor and Adventurous Activities
  • BTEC Sport Level Three Unit 34: Skills for Water-based Outdoor and Adventurous Activities
  • BTEC Sport Level Three Unit 36: Leading Water-based Outdoor and Adventurous Activities

In conjunction with the National Governing Body for Wakeboarding (BWSW)  we are able to offer NGB accredited courses for these units. There has already been a proven track record having already been successfully delivered to students by another UK based provider.

Why Wakeboarding for BTEC students at Lagoon Watersports :

  • fast growing sport
  • easy to learn yet exciting and dynamic
  • popular with young people
  • unique and different to other courses
  • we are a working operational business
  • real life experience in a real working centre guided by senior instructors
  • develop risk assessments in a real working environment.

Courses can be run over 8 -12 weeks. For more information please call 01273 424842 opt 3 or contact us by email.

Youth Work Experience Opportunities

Candidates

  • We are able to offer a limited number of work experience opportunities to young people. We have a pre requirement that all applicants must have some watersports experience.
  • Placements can be for a week or a regular day (e.g. every Saturday for a month)
  • Placements are unpaid, but you get the use of our facilities

Schools and Colleges

  • Copies of our risk assessments and insurance are available on request
  • If you would like to make an on site inspection we may charge you for this, depending on timings and requirements.

To apply please read the information below and call or email us.

Work experience placement role

As a member of the Junior Team at Lagoon Watersports you will play an integral part in the centre operation. You will be expected to use your previous experience in the field of watersports to help the instructors to deliver clinics and coaching sessions to club members. As well as coaching on sessions there will be the daily running of the centre to assist with:

The lakeside

In this area you will facilitate the customers movement throughout the centre by assisting with the distribution/washing and hanging of wetsuits. You will also take a lead in ensuring that users of the Wake Park obtain the correct equipment as well as helping paddleboarders move the SUPs around in the under centre storage area. You will be allocated a radio and will be in communication with the reception team who will keep you up to date with people arriving in your area.

The Cafe

You will be placed in the cafe for some of the busier times of day. Your role in the cafe will be to assist the cafe team with waiting tables. There may be large groups of children having a break from their activities. If this is the case you will be expected to help the instructors working with the groups to manage the children. When in the cafe you will be managed by the cafe supervisor. You will not be involved in food preparation.

The Beachfront

Part of the service offered by the Lagoon is to allow users of the centre to take equipment out on the sea. There will be an allocated beachfront officer during our busier times and they are responsible for the safety of the sea users as well as the management of kit. Your role will be to assist the beachfront officer with the kit management side of the operation. This will involve carrying kit over from the grass in front of the centre to the beach, and back again when it is finished with, helping any members that have landed on a different beach to return their kit to the beach adjacent to the lagoon and keeping track of kit on the water (informing the beachfront officer of any equipment that has been damaged). At no time will you be responsible for the safety of water users. While in this role you will solely assisting the beachfront officer.
Assisting on Sessions – Depending on your previous experience the focus of your time on the water will be different:

Wakeboarder

As a wakeboarder you will be asked to attend the Tantrums Wakeboarding Club. The Club is divided into three distinct areas (Gold, Silver and Bronze). Depending on your skill level you will be required to help at the Clubs of a lower level. You will act as the coach on these sessions so you will be expected to be in a wetsuit as you may have to demonstrate various manoeuvres. There will be a fully qualified cable driver on the dock with you at all times and at no time will you be expected to drive the cable.

Windsurfer

As a windsurfer you will be required to attend  the Team 15 Windsurf Club. You will be there as an assistant instructor taking the lead from the Lagoon staff member running the session. You may be asked to demonstrate certain manoeuvres or spend time 1:1 with students. There is also plenty of opportunity to receive a bit of tuition yourself. You may also be asked to assist with the adult Thursday evening and Sunday afternoon clinics.

Sailor

As a dinghy sailor you will be asked to attend the RYA OnBoard Club. A big part of this is helping with rigging, launching and recovery of kit. It is a very popular session run in a confined space and for a limited time. On the water it is important to get involved with offering coaching points to the students and helping to keep the group under control. You will be jumping in and out of boats, so dinghy boots must be worn at all times.

Paddleboarder

 As a paddleboarder you may be asked to attend the weekly paddle clinics that the Lagoon runs. The race training clinic is a great opportunity to learn more advanced techniques from some of our more experienced paddle coaches and improve your fitness. The social/technique clinic is your opportunity to pass on your knowledge to other club members as well as providing assistance to the lead instructor.
You will be expected to remain professional and offer the same quality of service as one of the lagoon team. You will be given a full induction on the first day of employment with us, covering centre policy and operating procedure.

Equipment

You will be fulfilling roles over the entire site. A few things to consider:
You may have your own kit (wetsuit,windsurf board, wakeboard) and you are welcome to use these during your time coaching with us. There will be times when your personal kit will not be appropriate and you will be required to use the lagoon training kit. This will be decided by the lead instructor. If you do not have your own kit the lagoon will provide full use of the centre equipment.
Footwear is a must when operating in water. Bring an old pair of trainers or some beach shoes, that you do not mind getting wet. They must be closed toe, so flip flops are a no go.
You will be outside in all weathers so make sure you consider this when preparing for the day:

  • Suncream
  • Sunglasses
  • Waterproofs (we do have a limited supply at the lagoon)
  • A change of clothes
  • Towel
  • Hat

You will be provided with a lagoon staff t-shirt that you will be expected to wear while in and around the centre.
Your clothes will get messy. So wear something old.
While working in the cafe you will be expected to wear closed toe shoes and a clean set of clothes.

Reporting Back

At the end of your period of work with us you will have a meeting with one of the senior staff to discuss your time here, you will be given feedback on how you have performed and you would be asked to feedback to us on your experience at the centre. The focus of this meeting will be to discuss your future with us, organising further training.
If, during your time at the Lagoon, you wish to talk to a member of the senior team regarding a more serious matter you should speak to the Centre Manager and arrange a meeting. At this meeting you will be asked to bring a representative (whether it be a friend/colleague or member of your family) and the Centre Manager will ask one of the Duty Managers to sit in on the meeting to record it. It is very important to us that you enjoy working at the centre so do not hesitate to express any concerns you have to the senior team.

What The Lagoon Gives You

In return for your time and the effort you put in at the Lagoon you will get:

Training

The main focus of your time will be learning about the industry. Specifically the coaching side. In return for your time, once you are of the correct level, age and show the required commitment, the Lagoon will consider sponsoring you through some of your instructors courses. Once qualified you may be offered employment at the Lagoon as a paid instructor.

Experience

You will gain invaluable experience of the watersports industry. Not just in coaching but in all aspects of the business. This will add value to you as an employee and ensure you are more employable

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