13-Week Outdoor Activity Instructor Course in Newquay

Please send a booking request today to organise your payment using the booking form below. Just select your start date and chosen package (course only or course + accommodation) and we will get right back to you to confirm your spot!

When booking one of our instructor courses there are three easy options for payment:

1. Pay in Full – Pay the full amount in one, that’s it, you’re done!
2. 50/50 – Pay 50% deposit and the remaining 50% at an agreed date
3. Monthly Payment Plan – Pay an initial holding fee (of as little as £250 and we can then set up monthly payments to come out on the 1st of each month.

We can’t guarantee your place until we have received a payment from you. To hold the place for more than 24 hours we require a non-returnable holding fee. This can be as little as £250 and will be deducted from your final payment for the course.

Once you have made a payment, you’ll then be sent a confirmation email with booking details on. Full payment must be received 12 weeks prior to the course start date.

Yes definitely! We pride ourselves on being super welcoming and friendly. Most of our students arrive solo and leave with friends for life.

That’s not a problem, but we would recommend enrolling on our Foundation Surf Training course which has been developed to build water confidence amongst those with less experience in the ocean, or those in need of a refresher.

Through a combination of classroom and practical ocean sessions, you’ll develop a solid base of knowledge about surf theory, the beach environment, hazards, and rescue techniques that will help you excel in the ocean, whether you’re there for work or leisure.

You can see more information and book this at the bottom of this page.

As you can imagine you will be learning lots of technical skills from our team. Some are harder than others and we think surfing may be the most difficult to learn from scratch. However, we have proved this to be achievable for first-time surfers during the course.  If you don’t pass the surfing skills within course time, you have a further 10 months to make the grade.

If you think you may benefit from a few extra sessions before or during the course, please check out our Foundation Surf Training course which has been developed to build water confidence amongst those with less experience in the ocean, or those in need of a refresher. You can view and book this at the bottom of this page.

It’s not a problem if you’ve never SUP’ed kayaked or canoed before. We’ve got plenty of time to perfect your skills, and if you don’t think you’re quite ready for your assessment our team will come up with a pathway to get you there and support you along your journey.

If you think you may benefit from a few extra sessions before or during the course, please check out our surf lessons and get in touch, we will discuss how this works. Please bear this in mind for any other technical skill that you think could need improvement.

To work at our centre as a surf instructor, you need to gain an SLSGB Surf Coach Safety Award. In order to complete this award, you need to be able to swim 200m in under 5 minutes. This is quite achievable for most standards of swimmers.

Please Note: At many activity centres you do not need this qualification in order to deliver kayaking, coasteering or stand up paddleboarding sessions

As a result of feedback from previous courses we have developed the Foundation Surf Training course which has been developed to equip you with the lifeguarding skills you need to pass this section of the course.  You can view and book this at the bottom of this page.

During the course, to help you achieve the right swimming standard, there will be both sea and pool sessions built into the course. We also strongly advise you to train in the swimming pool prior to the course.

If you are looking for a career in lifeguarding, you will need to pass the National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification. To do this you will need to complete 400 metres in an indoor pool in under 7 minutes 30 seconds. Although the NVBLQ is an excellent qualification to achieve, this is only necessary if you are interested in becoming a beach lifeguard. This assessment can be quite tough and will require most people to undertake prior swimming training to achieve the targeted time.

Both assessments are mid-way through the course so you will have a decent amount of time to train in the lead-up. If you are currently wildly out on those swim times, you may need additional sessions in your own time and/or consider getting some coaching or joining the swim fit sessions at our local swimming pool.

The National Governing Bodies (NGBs): British Canoeing (BC), Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS), Surf Life Saving Great Britain (SLSGB) and International Surfing Association (ISA) are all recognised worldwide.

Because of the UK’s internationally recognised standard of quality, many countries including Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Middle-East, Canada and most European countries all look favourably at qualifications gained by award-winning British providers like ourselves. Trainees also use their NGBs to get employment with UK companies operating abroad.

• Start Time: 09:00
• Finish Time: 16:00.

Please note that these times are approximate and will be subject to change. For example, we may need to start earlier to catch a tide or we may finish later due to sessions overrunning. We will inform you about this when possible so you can plan ahead. Please let us know on a week-by-week basis if you won’t be available outside the hours of 09:00- 16:00.

We try our utmost to make our instructor courses enjoyable and informative. We hope that our students want to gain as much knowledge as possible during this time of learning and that hopefully flexibility will come from the passion to learn. You will get out of this course whatever you put into it and we appreciate your enthusiasm for making the most of the available resources.

The outdoor activity sector is experiencing significant growth both in the UK and internationally. Achieving the right qualifications and experience could open doors to instructing adventures worldwide, offering you a chance to transform your life with a rewarding, healthy, and active career along beautiful coastlines.

Upon completing the Outdoor Activity Instructor Training Course, you'll have the opportunity for an interview to potentially join our dynamic teams at Newquay Activity Centre, Bodyboard-Holidays, or Women + Waves, in a paid instructor role.

Our extensive network of alumni spans the globe, and our connections with surf schools worldwide provide a unique opportunity to pursue the dream of an endless summer, traveling from one hemisphere to another. We also collaborate with international surf schools and centres, aiding those who aspire to build a global career in outdoor activities.

If your ambitions lie elsewhere, numerous other pathways are available, including contract and freelance work. This course empowers you to tailor your career to your personal preferences. We encourage you to engage in a variety of activities to discover your true passion.

Whether you're drawn to exploring a specific area, traveling and working abroad, spending as much time outdoors as possible, advancing into management, or even starting your own centre, our course is structured to help you navigate and choose the path that suits you best.

The decision is yours to make: What direction do you want your career to take?

Given the specialised nature of outdoor activities, we understand that not everyone may possess the specific gear required for the job. If you already have personal equipment like a wetsuit, buoyancy aid, helmet, etc., we encourage you to bring them for use during the course. But if you're new to this and don’t have your own gear yet, don’t worry – we’ll assist you in acquiring the best equipment at the most favorable prices.

We recognise that accumulating all the necessary equipment can be costly, and you might need to postpone this investment. In such cases, our accommodating instructors will lend you equipment from our award-winning activity centre for use during your training. It’s important to take care of this borrowed equipment, as any loss or damage may incur charges.

As the course progresses towards its conclusion and as you look beyond, we advise our students to start assembling their own collection of high-quality, professional outdoor gear. Being well-equipped not only boosts your comfort and confidence in your abilities but also prepares you for immediate work opportunities. Additionally, our strong connections with leading outdoor equipment brands offer trainees access to professional equipment deals, helping you gear up for success.

Our headquarters is conveniently located within walking distance of many key locations used throughout the course. Situated in the heart of Newquay town center, we're surrounded by a variety of parking options, both free and paid. Additionally, we're just a short stroll away from Towan and Fistral beaches, with an array of surf shops and cafés in close proximity.

There will be occasions when we'll need to travel beyond our immediate area to take full advantage of varying conditions and environments. On such days, we strongly encourage carpooling among our students, in line with our Covid guidelines. This practice not only reduces our carbon footprint but also helps in sharing fuel costs. If you're willing to offer rides to fellow students, please inform our instructors. While frequent travel isn't a necessity, exploring different areas occasionally enriches your experience with diverse settings and landscapes.

Our van is always ready to support these excursions with all the necessary equipment. If you find yourself short on vehicle space, do let us know. We can potentially arrange alternatives with advance notice.

We have our own accommodation option in the form of two luxurious flats.  If that doesn’t suit there are loads of accommodation options in Newquay and the surrounding area.

Most pupils stay in one of the following:

• An Air BnB (there is a huge range of options in Newquay).
• Surf Lodge Accommodation (we work closely with Smarties, Escape and Ocean Surf Lodge).
• Hotel or Guesthouse (check Booking.com for the options or drop us a line for recommendations).
• Their van (either wild camping or staying on one of the many local touring parks/campsites).

Just let us know if you’d like advice or recommendations.

Freelance surf instructors generally get paid between £35 and £50 for a two-hour coaching session (which means, with prep and lesson close-down you will work for approx. 3 hours). A professional instructor will deliver three lessons per day. If you take a full-time job or build your own roster of regular clients the pay can range dramatically. Some instructors demand huge sums by offering an awesome service and getting excellent results. Like any job, the more that you put into it, the more that you get out of it.

You’ll need :

• Patience and the ability to work well with others.
• Enthusiasm to learn and train.
• Sensitivity and understanding.
• Leadership skills.
• To be thorough and pay attention to detail.
• The ability to work on your own.
• Knowledge of the English language.
• To be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device.
• The ability to retain important information.
• The ability to remain calm when faced with new situations.

Cover for public liability will be in place whilst you partake in activities with our activity centre, this is to a limit of £5 million. Personal accident cover is available, similar to travel insurance (injuries due to accidents etc) and this is something participants can acquire themselves by looking online if they wish to purchase. Insurance is a topic covered during the course Q&A sessions so that everyone is clear of how this works in the outdoor industry.

We will do our best to place you with people of similar ages, backgrounds and interests. This will vary depending on course participants. You will be sharing a same-sex twin room.

There will generally be ratios of 1:8 (instructor to pupil) for all activity training. However, theory classes may have larger ratios. You’ll often be broken down into smaller groups.

You must be over 18 to join the course. If you are 65 or over, or under 18 we’d love to chat to you about the course before you book, so please drop a message to the adventuro team via the online chat and they will get us on a phone call together.

Just drop the adventuro team a message in the online chat. They will be more than happy to answer any questions and can arrange a phone call or visit to our centre if you wish.