Climbing Wall Award Courses
The Climbing Wall Award (CWA) is a UK recognised qualification for managing groups of all ages at an artificial usually indoor Climbing Wall. The scheme is administered by Mountain Training and there is a set pathway to gaining the award.
Registering
To register on the CWA scheme, which must be done prior to booking on a training course, you need to visit the Mountain Training website and apply to register on the scheme. To qualify for registration you need to:
CWA Training Course
The CWA Training course covers all the skills that you need to safely manage a group at an indoor wall. The course runs over two days and has an evening session, during which both personal and group management skills are taught. To meet the requirement of the award the course will take place at two separate walls in order to provide a variety of environments to learn in. At the end of the two day course the trainer will give each candidate feedback to help them plan their consolidation period and give them an idea of when to be returning for an assessment.
Consolidation Period
The consolidation period can be anything for around 6 months. Any shorter and unless the candidate already has experience of managing groups at climbing wall then they will potentially struggle on assessment. Similarly if you can one get to a climbing wall once a month to practice the skills then it may take you longer. Either way there are other courses you might consider during your consolidation period as a form of personal and professional develop (Join the Mountain Training Association (MTA) for a full list of CPD events in your area).
Assessment Course
The Assessment of the award takes place over one day and one evening. The assessment course will assess all areas of the syllabus. To attend an assessment course the candidate must have:
Climbing Wall Leading Award
If you have successfully passed you CWA or SPA you can move onto the Climbing Wall Leading Award. This is a qualification that allows you to teach lead climbing at an indoor wall. As well as holding one of those awards you must also:
The pathway is similar to the CWA where you need to:
Climbing Wall Award Courses
James McHaffie offers the following Climbing Wall Courses, as well as two Coaching Awards that can be combined with these awards to show greater competence in teaching and coaching climbing on an indoor wall.
Climbing Wall Award Training Course
Climbing Wall Award Assessment Course
Climbing Wall Leader Award Training Course
Climbing Wall Leader Award Assessment Course
- Register with Mountain Training for the Award
- Attend a CWA Training Course
- Consolidate the skills you have learnt
- Attend and hopefully pass a CWA assessment course
- possibly work towards higher awards CWLA, SPA, MIA
Registering
To register on the CWA scheme, which must be done prior to booking on a training course, you need to visit the Mountain Training website and apply to register on the scheme. To qualify for registration you need to:
- Be 17 years or older
- Be genuinely interested climbing and teaching people to climb on an indoor wall
- Been climbing indoors for at least 6 months at 3 different walls and visited a climbing wall at least 15 times
- Have led routes on an indoor wall
- Be an individual or club member of one of the Mountaineering Councils of the UK
CWA Training Course
The CWA Training course covers all the skills that you need to safely manage a group at an indoor wall. The course runs over two days and has an evening session, during which both personal and group management skills are taught. To meet the requirement of the award the course will take place at two separate walls in order to provide a variety of environments to learn in. At the end of the two day course the trainer will give each candidate feedback to help them plan their consolidation period and give them an idea of when to be returning for an assessment.
Consolidation Period
The consolidation period can be anything for around 6 months. Any shorter and unless the candidate already has experience of managing groups at climbing wall then they will potentially struggle on assessment. Similarly if you can one get to a climbing wall once a month to practice the skills then it may take you longer. Either way there are other courses you might consider during your consolidation period as a form of personal and professional develop (Join the Mountain Training Association (MTA) for a full list of CPD events in your area).
Assessment Course
The Assessment of the award takes place over one day and one evening. The assessment course will assess all areas of the syllabus. To attend an assessment course the candidate must have:
- Attended a CWA/SPA training course or have applied for and been grant exemption from training by Mountain Training
- Hold a valid first aid certificate (16 hour course)
Climbing Wall Leading Award
If you have successfully passed you CWA or SPA you can move onto the Climbing Wall Leading Award. This is a qualification that allows you to teach lead climbing at an indoor wall. As well as holding one of those awards you must also:
- Have led a minimum of 40 routes on at least 3 different walls and belayed a leader on a minimum of forty climbs
- At least a quarter of those routes led must be at a grade of French 6a or above.
- You must also have logged 20 indoor sessions as a CWA or SPA holder.
The pathway is similar to the CWA where you need to:
- Register on the scheme
- Attend a CWLA Training Course
- Consolidate your skills
- Return for an CWLA assessment
Climbing Wall Award Courses
James McHaffie offers the following Climbing Wall Courses, as well as two Coaching Awards that can be combined with these awards to show greater competence in teaching and coaching climbing on an indoor wall.
Climbing Wall Award Training Course
Climbing Wall Award Assessment Course
Climbing Wall Leader Award Training Course
Climbing Wall Leader Award Assessment Course
