Our certificate award programme is what your child follows when learning new skills at Active Gym.
Learn more about how we handle progression in our club, the cost of certificates and what skills your child is working towards.
Introduction to certificates
We started our certificate programme because we wanted to ensure gymnasts always have targets they can aim for. Coaches are aware of the skills needed to achieve a certificate and know what the children in their group are training towards. This allows for smooth progression between skills and session plans that suit your child.
Our certificate programme goes from level 1 up to level 12 and includes 8 skills for each certificate. Gymnasts are tested on certificates by a coach in small groups or one-to-one every other term (alternating with competitions). Seven of the eight skills on a certificate must be completed to a high level for the gymnast to be awarded with that level of certificate on the next awarding day. If a child isn’t able to achieve skills on a certificate, they will have extra time to work on those skills with a coach during the sessions.
Certificate testing runs over a 2-3 week period at the end of which envelopes are sent home to be filled in and returned with £2.00 cash for payment for the certificate earned. Gymnasts are then awarded certificates on the last or second last week of term (dates will be communicated to parents and children).
Certificate testing and achievement
Click the drop downs to find out more information about what happens if your child has just joined the club, achieved their next level of certificate, overachieved at gymnastics or hasn’t quite reached their next level.
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We don’t want to hold back our gymnasts by testing them for our level 1 certificate if they are capable of achieving a higher grade on their first certificate testing, we award gymnasts with the highest certificate level that they can achieve.
Parents can optionally purchase the levels of certificates (£2.00 each) beneath the level that their gymnast has earned if their child is a completionist!
Gymnasts who have joined the club around the time of a certificate testing will not be tested for a certificate at that time.
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Gymnasts will come individually or in small groups to the floor during a session and will work with a coach to see how many skills they can execute to a good standard on the next level of certificates. If 7 out of 8 skills are completed they will be rewarded with their next level at the next certificate awarding.
£2.00 cash payment inside the brown envelope sent home will be required to be brought to your child’s next session to ensure they receive their level certificate.
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We want all of our gymnasts to shoot for the stars! If a gymnast at our club is progressing quickly through the certificate skills, they may be tested for the certificate above the one they are trying to achieve. If successful, two certificates will be awarded at the next certificate awarding day (£2.00 each).
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All gymnasts and children are different and if your child doesn’t quite reach the standards for their next certificate, we don’t want it to be a point of stress for gymnasts. We encourage parents to remind their children that trying their best is what matters most at gymnastics and some children are better than others at different apparatus. For example, a child may not achieve their certificate as it focuses on floor skills, but may be excelling on bars!
We don’t like our children to leave empty handed at the end of the term as we’re so proud of how they are doing. All children who don’t achieve a certificate level will receive a certificate of attendance to congratulate on the effort they have put in during the term. A £1.00 voluntary donation to help us fund the production of the certificates is asked for, but is not mandatory.
We’ll have written down the list of skills needed for your child to be able to achieve their next level. To find out what these skills are please email the club at info@active-gym.co.uk.
Certificate level requirements
Find out what skills are required for your child to achieve their next level. Seven out of the eight skills per certificate must be completed to a good quality to receive the certificate. If you’re unsure what a skill is, please don’t hesitate to ask a coach at the end of session.
