Single Pitch Award - Further Information

This award enables holders to supervise people on single pitch crags and climbing walls. To gain this award you need more than just good personal climbing skills. Our approved Course Providers will teach you about safe group management, indoors and out, crag etiquette, environmental responsibilities and more. You will learn how to become an effective supervisor, encouraging others to enjoy their climbing safely, whilst also improving some of your own climbing skills.

PROSPECTUS

1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 The numbers of organised groups enjoying rock climbing and abseiling on outcrops, crags, quarries and climbing walls has multiplied in recent years. MLT is concerned that high standards of supervision are maintained, so that both enjoyment and safety are enhanced, without compromising either the sport of climbing or the participation of other crag or wall users. High standards of supervision and organisation are best achieved through experience, personal qualities, training and validation.

1.2 This scheme has been designed to provide a level of basic competence for those who are in a position of responsibility during single pitch rock climbing activities. Whilst the award does include a measure of personal competence it is not designed as such, and should not be used as either an entry requirement or measure of suitability for individuals who wish to climb on climbing walls or crags.

2 SCOPE OF THE SCHEME
2.1 The scheme is for those who are in a position of responsibility during single pitch rock climbing activities. It is primarily concerned with good practice, leading to the safe and quiet enjoyment of the activity. Completion of a training course alone, without passing the assessment course, is not a qualification in itself, although it may be of considerable benefit to the trainee.

2.2 It is valid throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland (MLTUK National Guidelines 2004) and is recognised by the Adventure Activity Licensing Scheme. Completion of a training course, without taking an assessment course, is not a qualification in itself, although it may be of considerable benefit to the candidate.

presents no difficulties on approach or retreat (such as route finding, scrambling or navigating).

2.4 It will be the responsibility of the employer or organising authority to develop management strategies for the employment of Award Holders outwith this remit.

2.5 If you are in doubt about a particular venue the the officers of Mountain Leader Training, Mountaineering Instructors or members of the British Association of Mountain Guides are the appropriate people to approach for advice.

2.6 It is the duty of thr employer or organising authority to decide whether a leader possesses the personal attributes needed to take responsibility for the care of young people and beginners. It is the combination of technical skills, wide experience and personal qualities that form the basis for effective supervision. This scheme assesses the technical skills and experience; the employer or organising authority must gauge the personal qualities.

general mountaineering skills, such as those needed to approach and retreat from mountain and moorland crags
multi-pitch rock climbing skills, the teaching of leading, or their supervision (these are covered by the Mountain Instructor Scheme)
access to tidal sea cliffs, or any location where escape is not easily possible the gauging of candidate’s personal qualities.

3.2 Register and join a mountaineering council or an affiliated mountaineering or climbing club and be issued with a logbook

3.3 Attend a training course (minimum two days and 20 hours contact time with the trainers).

3.5 Attend and assessment course (minimum two days and 20 hours contact time with the assessors).

3.6 Continue to gain and record experience and any relevant additional training.

4.1 To register you should have a genuine interest in rock climbing and the supervision of groups on single pitch crags. You should have at least twelve months' rock climbing experience and be at least 18 years of age.

4.3 Candidates with particular requirements or special needs may wish to contact Mountain Leader Training staff for advice adn guidence.

4.4 Candidates should allow up to fifteen working days for their application to be processed and returned.

4.5 On receipt of the registration form and appropriate fee, the home nation Training Board will issue a logbook. Candidates' personal details and progression through the scheme will be recorded on the national Mountain Leader Training Database.

5 TRAINING
5.1 Before attending a training course, candidates must be registered with the Single Pitch Award (SPA) (See 4 above), and must have lead at least 15 graded rock climbs outdoors on routes where the protection is leader placed.

5.2 Training courses are run by approved course Providers who are either Mountaineering Instructors or Mountain Guides. The courses are at least two days long and include evening sessions (minimum of 20 hours contact time with the trainer).Training course run with a minimum of four candidates and a maximum of eight. The maximum trainer/candidate ratio is 1:4. Larger courses have dual benefits: the varied experience of the candidates enables an individual to have a better chance of evaluating their own skill level and they also get the opinion of two trainers Lists of all approved providers are available from Mountain Leader Training.

5.3 The training course is for potential leaders and assumes basic competence as a rock climber with experience of leading climbs (see Experience Requirements above). It will emphasise those skills which candidates might have difficulty in learning without expert guidance. A few minor aspects of the syllabus may not be covered during the training course and candidates are expected to deal with these items themselves.

5.4 The Director of Training will give oral comments to each candidate and will endorse the appropriate page of the logbook with comments about the programme, crags and walls used and conditions encountered. Candidates will receive individual recommendations for the consolidation period. The training course does not involve any written reports concerning the performance or standard of candidates. The title page of the logbook will be endorsed after a training course with an approved sticker. This will show the date and course provider number specific to your trainer. In exceptional circumstances it may be possible to register on, or immediately after, the course, but the trainer is obliged to submit a report to the Training Board containing all registered candidates’ details within 30 days.

5.5 Candidates are encouraged to use the skills checklist in the logbook to evaluate their current skills and to plan, with their trainers, their particular route towards assessment.

5.6 Mountain Leader Training maintains close links with every Provider through these reports submitted after each course. We also have a rolling programme of visits to courses and you may meet a moderator on your course. These visits not only maintain parity between Providers but also provide a link between you and MLT

6.1 Experience gained by candidates should be recorded in the logbook. Entries should be concise and easily read, and should include all rock climbing and other relevant experience.

Personal details, contents and endorsment pages
Course reports and personal profile
Personal and group leading/supervising experience
Experience requirements, definition, sample pages adn skills checklist
Additional training information

6.3 The logbook is designed to help you demonstrate your previous experience to others. If you fill it in before a training course you enable the trainers to discuss your particular training needs and to agree which areas of the syllabus you may need to concentrate on before taking an assessment. Few of us can remember every detail of every climb we have done, but this is no reason to avoid using the logbook. List examples of the variety of experiences you have gained and give details of the most notable (or exciting) days out. The information you give does not have to be verified by a third party but will form the basis for discussion at training and assessment.

7 CONSOLIDATION PERIOD
Candidates will generally see many new ideas and techniques during training and will therefore need some time to practise and evaluate these before taking the assessment. During this period of consolidation, candidates are advised to climb at as wide a range of venues as possible, both as an individual and when assisting the supervision of others. MLT recommends that all but the most experienced candidates allow a minimum of six months between training and assessment. There is currently no time limit on the validity of a training course and some candidates may take several years to complete the award.

have registered
have attended a training course
have gained further experience
be proficient in the use of climbing walls
be competently leading Severe grade climbs on outdoor crags on leader-placed protection.
have led a minimum of 40 climbs on outdoor crags on leader-placed protection at a variety of venues.
hold a valid First Aid Certificate

8.2 During the assessment course, which is two days long and includes evening sessions, candidates will be tested in accordance with the syllabus requirements. The assessment takes twenty hours (often a concentrated weekend) and is run by an approved course Provider who is either a Mountaineering Instructor or a Mountain Guide. Lists of all approved providers are available from the Training Boards.

8.3 Assessors work on a ratio of 1:4 (or less). The overall course size can range from two candidates to eight. Larger courses have dual benefits; the varied experience of the candidates provides individuals with better opportunities for comparing skills whilst ensuring that each candidates receives the opinion of two assessors.

PASS: where a satisfactory knowledge and application of the syllabus and the necessary experience, skills, knowledge and attributes were demonstrated. The Course Director issues a pass page and numbered sticker.
DEFER: where the performance was generally up to standard but complete proficiency has not been attained in one aspect of the syllabus.Some form of reassessment will be required.
FAIL: where the performance has been generally weak, or the necessary experience and attributes have not been shown. Further training may be recommended before a complete assessment is taken.

8.5 In all cases the result will be discussed with candidates and recorded in their logbook (the page is inserted by the Course Director /Provider). Candidates who are deferred or failed will receive specific written feedback, including an action plan. This will include the reasons for the result, recommendations on the additional experience needed and details of the format for subsequent re-assessment.

8.6 In considering the decision of the assessors, candidates are asked to listen to all elements of the final interview and wherever possible to raise any concerns at that time. If, on reflection, the discussion and the written report do not fit your impression of the assessment and your performance, then they should contact the Course Director / Provider for additional clarification, in writing if necessary.

8.7 In the case of a deferral, candidates are encouraged to return to the original assessment Provider but can be re-assessed by any assessment Provider approved by Mountain Leader Training. Practical re-assessments cannot take place withing three months of the initial assessment. All deferrals must be completed within five years of the original assessment. Only two re-assessments are permitted before having to take the entire assessment again.

9.1 Experienced climbers who already have substantial experience of supervising groups on single pitch cliffs and climbing walls may apply to the Secretary of their home nation Training Board to be exempted from attendance at a training course. There is no exemption from assessment.

9.2 Before applying for exemption, candidates should consider the following points:

The training course is not a climbing course. It introduces candidates to the skills necessary for introducing novices to single pitch rock climbs.
It includes material which might be unfamiliar to even experienced climbers

be registered with the specific scheme
complete an exemption application form
submit a copy of the completed logbook experience pages with the exemption application form and fee to the appropriate home nation Training Board.
Exemption application forms and details of fees are available on request from the home nation Training Boards.

is climbed without intermediate stances
is described as a single pitch in the guidebook
allows climbers to be lowered to the ground at all times
is non-tidal
is non-serious and has little objective danger
presents no difficulties on approach or retreat, such as route finding, scrambling or navigating.

11.1 Mountain Leader Training is committed to promoting equal opportunities for all participants in climbing and mountaineering. Candidates, trainers and assessors should express a positive attitude towards equal opportunities and act as positive role models.

12.1 For the mountain leader, First Aid is an essential skill and the ML assessment requires a current first aid qualification. The minimum requirement is that such a course must involve at least two full days or sixteen hours of instruction and include an element of assessment. Candidates are further expected to undertake such additional elements of first aid training as are consistent with their work in wild and remote country, including emergency assistance and evacuation techniques. It is the responsibility of award holders and/or their employers to evaluate their likely work and the type of situations that they can reasonably expect to encounter and to maintain current appropriate first aid training and qualifications.

13.1 The SPA scheme is subject to continuous monitoring, culminating in a formal review once every four years. Candidates with feedback on their courses are encouraged to submit written comments to the Provider or to their Board.

13.2 If for any reason you find it necessary to complain about an aspect of your training or assessment then you should contact the Course Director or the relevant officer within Mountain Leader Training.

• make contact with the Course Provider, explain your concerns and seek clarification.

• if this does not resolve your concerns, contact the Secretary of your board for advice and for details of the appeals procedure. The decision of the board will be final.

14.1 Award holders should follow the National Guidelines issued by MLTUK (see www.mltuk.org). In particular they should note that the award remains valid only where the holder is deployed within the remit of the award and the holder has recent logged experience appropriate to that award. The responsibility of rensuring that leaders receive refresher training must lie with the provider of the service, or the individual in the case of self-employed leaders.

1 TECHNICAL COMPETENCE
Candidates must demonstrate competence in the following areas:

identify equipment suitable for personal and group use at a given venue
demonstrate an ability to evaluate the condition of equipment and ensure appropriate care and maintenance
demonstrate the ability to use climbing wall equipment appropriately

1.2 Anchors
Select suitable, sound anchors in a variety of situations including:

connect self and others to the rope
set up sound belay systems to single and multiple anchors
attach self to the belay system
demonstrate the use of direct and indirect belays
use a variety of different belay techniques/devices competently and choose the most appropriate for a given situation
set up top and bottom rope systems and choose the most appropriate system for a given situation
arrange appropriate runners and belays to protect a seconding climber
hold falls and carry out lowers

abseil without the use of a safety rope
set up fixed and releasable abseils
use a variety of different friction techniques and devices competently and choose appropriately for a given situation
solve common abseiling problems such as tangled ropes, inadvertent locking and pendules
choose an appropriate abseiling site with consideration for:
- ease of take off
- loose rock
- impact on the environment and the climbing resource
demonstrate methods of safeguarding a novice abseiling

interpret guidebooks effectively
choose routes suited to personal ability
move confidently on Severe grade rock climbs
place runners suitable for lead protection
demonstrate a basic understanding of the safety chain & fall factors

understand and observe current access and conservation guidelines
interpret and use effectively the access information given in guidebooks and other sources of information
show an appreciation of and care for all aspects of the climbing environment
show an awareness of, ability to obtain information on and willingness to comply with, locally important crag issues and agreements

demonstrate good practice in the conservation and care of the environment
operate in such a way as to minimise impact on the environment (including the climbing resource)
define problems of conservation and the effects of human pressure on the climbing environment
manage groups so as to leave the crags in an improved condition
demonstrate an awareness of locally important species and the legal situation relating to protected flora/fauna
demonstrate some knowledge of different rock types and crag features

demonstrate an awareness of responsibilities to the general public, environmental agencies, local residents, farmers and the climbing community
demonstrate an awareness of local rock climbing ethics related to single pitch crags
operate a flexible programme of activities so as to accommodate other site users
be aware of the hazards presented to other site users by the actions of a group, and act to minimise these
demonstrate an awareness of the site-specific requirements and agreements relating to different crags, climbing walls and artificial structuresBack to

3.1 Organisation

plan a day's programme of activities to take place at:
- a crag
- an artificial climbing structure
assess the abilities and objectives of the group participating in this plan
check underlying aims and the objectives of the event
demonstrate an awareness of responsibility to any authorising organisation, parents, individual group members, the group as a whole and other site users
demonstrate an understanding of the impact of weather on climbing
have built-in flexibility when planning activities in order to respond to changing circumstances
know how to call for expert help in the case of an accident or injury

Candidates must demonstrate competence in the following areas. They should be able to:

Throughout any training or assessment course there will inevitably be times when all, or some of the party will be operating from, or near the top of the crag. Trainers must ensure that all the candidates are comfortable with the situation they are placed in, and should offer guidance and training in how candidates may to protect themselves appropriately. This should be ongoing throughout the course and should take into consideration that the weather, prevailing conditions and locations will vary.

All Providers, Course Directors and staff involved in the delivery of SPA courses must be aware of and comply with current legislation regarding children and vulnerable persons.