Parent's Guide to British Gymnastics Recreational Preschool to Teens 2026/27

British Gymnastics replaced its old recreational award schemes with Rise Gymnastics, its programme and award scheme for recreational gymnasts. The Core Proficiency awards were decommissioned in June 2022, and clubs that used them were given a matrix to move gymnasts across to Rise. Rise also took over from the Pre-school and Advanced Proficiency Awards, FUNdamentals and Jump into Gymnastics.

Rise is only available through British Gymnastics member clubs, partners and partner schools.

The Trampoline Proficiency Award is separate and still runs, with 15 award levels: 1 to 5 for pre-school and beginners, 6 to 10 for gymnasts from age 5, and 11 to 15 for competitive gymnasts aged 11 and over.

Rise Gymnastics has three phases, each with its own award scheme:

Gymnasts progress through each strand independently, and earn a medal and certificate for each level. Discover themes also have their own certificates for effort and attendance.

Clubs choose which phases and strands they deliver, and can start a gymnast at any point based on their physical, social and emotional maturity. Excel level 3 overlaps with the national development pathways in several disciplines, so gymnasts can move across into competitive pathways.

If your club uses Rise Gymnastics, you can use the Rise Home Portal. Parents and carers can see their child's progress, get a notification when the coach logs progress, and receive an email when their child completes an award.

Coaches record and assess progress in the Rise Coach Portal, and each award level comes with a medal and certificate.

British Gymnastics requires:

• Level 2 in the discipline is the minimum to coach on their own. The person designing and directing the programme must hold at least Level 2 in that discipline. A Level 2 coach running a club must also complete the British Gymnastics Club Management module within a year.
• Level 1 / assistant coaches may only work under the supervision of a qualified coach, coaching the skills in their syllabus while a Level 2 (or above) directs the session.
• Unqualified assistants can help with demonstrations and warm-ups, but can't coach, support skills, teach progressions, supervise children or run classes, and must be supervised by a Level 2+ coach at all times.
• Coaches must only coach the disciplines, and up to the level, they're qualified for.
• Criminal records check: every coach working with children must hold a British Gymnastics-approved criminal records check (DBS in England and Wales, PVG in Scotland, AccessNI in Northern Ireland).
• Safeguarding training: coaches over 18 must complete a British Gymnastics-recognised safeguarding course. Level 1 coaches under 18 must complete British Gymnastics Foundation Safeguarding.

Coaches must stay on the premises and be immediately available throughout the session.

The coach in charge must always risk assess the session and set a ratio that is reasonable, safe and effective. British Gymnastics recommends:

There should always be at least two responsible adults in the gym: one a qualified coach, and the other not one of the gymnasts. Ratios may need to be lower for disabled gymnasts, and one-to-one support may be needed.

British Gymnastics recommends:

• Pre-school classes: no longer than 45 minutes.
• Children under 8: sessions no longer than 2 hours.

Where under-8s take part in activities lasting two hours or more, the provider may have to register with the local authority. British Gymnastics recommends clubs with classes for this age group tell their local authority they exist, to avoid any uncertainty.

British Gymnastics' dress code for training and events:

• Clothing that allows free movement but isn't so loose it becomes a hazard.
• No buckles, clasps or raised adornments on clothing.
• Long hair tied back.
• Bare feet or gymnastics slippers. Socks without gym footwear aren't allowed on polished or slippery floors.
• Trampolining: socks or suitable gymnastics footwear (not trainers).
• Fingernails short enough to be safe; the coach decides.
• Glasses: flexible frames, an elastic sports band or contact lenses to reduce the risk.

Clubs should be sensitive to religious dress, but safety comes first: clothing the coach considers a hazard must be changed, or the gymnast may not be able to take part.

At British Gymnastics competitions, the discipline's own competition dress rules apply. British Gymnastics' competition attire policy removes gender-specific requirements, so girls may wear shorts or leggings, for example.

No. British Gymnastics' policy is that jewellery and body-piercing adornments aren't safe in gymnastics or trampolining, in training or at events. Any jewellery that can be removed must be removed.

• A gymnast wearing jewellery or piercings must tell the coach and take them out.
• Newly pierced ears: stud earrings must be covered with protective tape, and removed as soon as possible (normally after six weeks).
• Can't be removed (for example a ring that won't come off, or a dermal piercing): it must be covered with protective tape so there's no risk.
• Religious or medical jewellery: clubs should be sensitive, but safety comes first, and the coach can require changes or stop participation. Examples in the policy:
  • a medical (e.g. diabetes) bracelet or a Sikh kara can be worn if covered with a sweatband (taped in place) during activity, and the coach must be told about a medical bracelet;
  • necklaces, religious or otherwise, are not allowed while taking part.

Coaches must also remove all jewellery while spotting or physically supporting a gymnast.

In Scotland, Scottish Gymnastics publishes its own body piercing and adornments policy, which clubs there follow.

Only if the club invites you. British Gymnastics says a club can invite a gymnast's parent, carer or personal assistant into the gym to help, depending on:

• coach-to-gymnast ratios;
• health and safety;
• the club's safeguarding policies and procedures; and
• venue and session logistics.

If you are invited, you're not there to coach. You can only give extra physical support where appropriate, under the direct supervision of a suitably qualified coach.

The exception is parent-and-child pre-school classes, which are designed for a parent or carer to take part alongside their child.

Not usually, but British Gymnastics recommends getting medical advice before taking part for these conditions:

• Detaching retina: some activities could cause the retina to fully detach.
• Confirmed Atlanto-Axial Instability (AAI): British Gymnastics' AAI form must be completed by a medical professional and checked by the club.
• Rodded back: mobility may be restricted, which can affect some activities.
• Brittle bones: higher risk of fractures, so high-impact activities need to be considered and risk assessed.
• Certain types of dwarfism may also need medical approval.
• Pregnancy: some activities (such as lying on the stomach or core work) aren't suitable.

Clubs must risk assess activities and consider adaptations before your child attends. Talk to the club before the first session about any impairment or condition and the support your child needs.

After a debilitating injury, British Gymnastics' guidance is that medical approval should be sought before a gymnast returns to training or competition.

British Gymnastics policy is that a gymnast must be at least 9 in the calendar year of an event that leads to a national or UK final. For younger gymnasts it recommends:

These guidelines are there to stop very young children being put under too much pressure. Some disciplines set a higher national minimum (for example, 10 for women's artistic national events).

If your child doesn't want to compete, British Gymnastics also offers festivals (including GymFusion), reward schemes and other non-competitive opportunities through clubs.