Sandstone Leaders Award - Course Outline
This training and assessment programme is relevant to the Sandstone Outcrops of the Weald of
Sussex and Kent, including such venues as Harrisons, Bowles, Stone Farm, High Rocks and the
smaller venues listed in the current guide. It DOES NOT cover any other venues, sandstone or
otherwise, and does NOT include the chalk climbs mentioned in the Sandstone Guide book.
The award may be accepted by such indoor walls as High Sports, the Adur Centre, Evolution etc, but
this is entirely at their discretion. You will normally be asked to produce your pass page, 1st aid
certificate, up to date logbook and possibly public liability insurance and supporting documents such
as risk assessments. A phone call to the relevant wall will make this clear, as different venues have
different rules. In all cases, you will normally be asked to undergo an induction session as well.
IMPORTANT: THE SANDSTONE LEADERS AWARD IS NOT A NATIONAL GOVERNING BODY AWARD.
However, the BMC/MLTE do recommend it as a suitable “site specific” scheme.
For 30 years the Sandstone Leaders Award was run by the Outdoor Education Departments of the
Local Education Authorities in the South East, to offer quality training for their teachers and youth
workers. In recent years, these departments have decided they can no longer administer the award,
and it was in danger of disappearing altogether. In 2008, a Sandstone Award steering group was
formed to counter this. Members were drawn from a wide range of backgrounds, including: private
outdoor education companies, educational establishments, charities, youth organisations & MLTE
courses providers. New course notes, a new syllabus and assessment procedure were drawn up in
the Autumn of 2008, and the look award launched in 2009. In 2014 Bowles outdoor centre took on
the administration of this award and a new website was created as well as some updates to the
syllabus.
Training Day
Prior to Attending Training, You MUST:
1. Register with Bowles outdoor centre, pay the fee and print off the log pages/syllabus from
www.sandstoneaward.com
2. Have personal experience of climbing on at least 3 Sandstone Outcrops
3. Have climbed at least 20 routes and be confidentially able to climb 4a.
4. Be familiar with, and able to competently use, the following: helmet, harness, belay plate, suitable
climbing ropes, knots such as figure of 8, bowline, clove hitch, Italian hitch, stopper knot overhand
knot etc.
5. You should been interested in teaching and supervising groups on the Sandstone.
6. Before attending training, you should have observed on at least one supervised session.
The Training is NOT:
1. A personal skills course
2. A learn to climb course
3. An intro to Southern Sandstone course
On the Day
The weather may well be cold, wet and windy, so please come prepared! Please bring a packed
lunch, plenty of drink etc. Some equipment will be provided but please bring personal equipment, e.g.
helmet, harness, belay device, krab, rock boots, plus any other group bottom roping equipment which
you usually use (ropes/slings but not nuts or lead gear).
The programme is as Follows
Meet course provider at the venue and time chosen by your course provider
The following topics will be covered in the day, although the time spent on each will depend on
candidate’s abilities:
1. The award, the remit and progression through it
2. Prior preparation, including paperwork and equipment
3. Selection of appropriate equipment
4. Briefings on arrival, approaching the crags and the interaction with other groups/climbers.
5. Setting up climbs, using simple methods like bolts & trees
6. Environmental issues of rope drag, topping out, descent, lowering off
7. General environmental issues, including paths, flora & fauna, noise, litter, toilet stops, graffiti etc
8. Group control, setting boundaries etc
9. Fitting equipment, handling of children and adults and child/instructor protection.
10. Teacher/helper briefing and responsibilities
11. Personal belaying skills, including lowering off when required
12. Teaching belaying using a variety of devices, to include: “Bucket” devices, Grigri, Italian Hitch
13. “Bell ringer” belaying with a Grigri and Italian hitch – its benefits, shortcomings and dangers.
The course will then move to another crag, such as Bulls Hollow or Bowles, and cover:
1. A “run through” of a typical climbing session for novices
2. Bouldering/”weaseling”, how it fits in to a session, why we do it, coaching benefits and
environmental impact
3. More complex set ups for top ropes, using multiple anchors and static line
Finally, the course will conclude with a discussion on:
1. Logbooks, gaining further experience, using the website to get log pages etc
2. Legal responsibilities, inc. insurance, Local Authority forms, risk assessments, consent etc.
3. AALA issues
4. MLTE awards and progression, especially CWA/SPA
5. Review and next steps – offer personal feedback to candidates.
Depending on the time of year, this course may be run in one long day, or over two days if the
daylight hours are short.
Assessment Day
On the Day
You will be required to provider your own group for the assessment for the group work element of the
assessment. It is recommended that this is a group of beginners and should be a minimum size of 8
as this will provide a more realistic assessment. You may also to asked to provide climbing
equipment for the group, please contact your course provider and check with them.
The weather may well be cold, wet and windy, so please come prepared and make sure your group
is also suitably dressed. Please bring a packed lunch, plenty of drink etc.
Prior to assessment you must have;
1.
2.
3.
4.
Have personal experience of climbing on at least 3 Sandstone Outcrops
Have climbed at least 20 routes since your training and be confidentially able to climb 4a.
Be familiar with all aspects of the syllabus
Have observed at least 20 hours of instructional sessions at a number of different sandstone
crags with a range of groups
5. Reference from a suitable person on your climbing/teaching/leadership experience
6. Bring your logbook with your registration number.
7. Provide evidence of a 2 day first aid course.
Your assessor will check your logbooks and make sure you have all the required personal climbing
days as well as all the group work hours. You will also need a reference filled out in your logbook. It is
essential that your logbook is complete and you turn up with a valid 2 day first aid course
You could be expected to perform any of the skills covered on your training day or in the technical
notes/syllabus.
During the group work section of the assessment you will be expected to provide some mock
students and run a group session for at least 1 hour duration whilst managing at least 2 climbing
ropes. During this you should be able to manage the group and the climbs in a safe manor including
belaying and whilst the climbers are returning via a footpath from the top of the climb. It is
recommended that your mock students are beginners and not a group of regular climbers as this will
be more realistic.
The bouldering session will involve running a short bouldering session where you will be expected to
keep the group safe at all times using appropriate methods.
The assessment could take part at any of the main Sandstone Cliffs and could even involve a trip to
two different venues* in order to check your knowledge of more than one Sandstone cliff.
*As Bowles is an outdoor centre, setting up the ropes and managing the groups has been made as easy as possible by
the centre. This means that the assessor might want to see your decision making skills in other areas such as Harrisons
rocks.
Depending on weather, you may also be expected to climb a sandstone route of 4a or above.
Results
After the assessment you will either be given a pass, fail or deferral. If you have passed the
assessment day your assessor will contact Bowles outdoor centre (admin@bowles.ac) and inform
them of the result. As long as you have previously registered with Bowles, you will be placed on the
register and be sent and certificate in the post.
If you have not been successful you will be given a personal action plan by your assessor. A
reassessment can be arranged, although no refunds will be given on the original assessment.
Deferrals can be given for a number of reasons such as incomplete paper work or logbook
experience. Depending on the reason for the deferral, you may be asked to either attend another
assessment day to show you have developed the skills needed or send the paperwork to your
assessor.
Revalidation
The Sandstone award is valid for 3 years. After this period you are required to complete a
revalidation process. This is either;
1. sending a copy of your up-to-date logbook to your assessor including any other details such as
extra training courses such as Mountain Leader, SPA, CWA or any CPD courses you might
have attended or,
2. Attend a Sandstone leaders award refresher course run by one of the course providers.
Please contact a provider to arrange a course and discuss your needs.