Intensive SurfInstructor Course
Fast-track your way to life as a qualified surf instructor in just three weeks. We’ve teamed up with our friends at Newquay Activity Centre to offer this internationally recognised co-ed course.
Why choose this course
In just three weeks, you can earn your ISA Level 1 Surf Instructor Award (the industry standard for teaching surfing in the UK and worldwide), along with your Surf Coach Safety and Rescue Award. Once you’ve completed both, you’ll be ready to kickstart your dream job as a surf instructor. You’ll be trained by a team of experts led by 3x British Champion Alan Stokes, in the heart of Newquay, the surf capital of the UK. Throughout the course, you’ll be alongside students from Women+Waves and Newquay Activity Centre, creating a diverse and supportive group dynamic that enriches your learning experience.
What to expect
Our focus is on teaching you how to coach beginner surfers, with a dedicated team of instructors guiding you every step of the way. Alongside mastering technical and safety skills, you’ll develop the soft skills necessary to build confidence and trust with your students. By the end of this comprehensive training, you’ll be ready to teach and support beginners, adapt classes to their needs, and ensure a safe, enjoyable experience in the water.
Quick facts
About the course
To supplement our Intensive Surf Instructor Course, we have a couple of in-house accommodation options available to add on as extra. We have two apartments, both within walking distance to the beach and both stylishly fitted out with all modern conveniences.
Kickstart your dream life on the beach as soon as possible
Ordinarily, it would take around six months to gain the qualifications and skills on offer. Enrolling in our instructor academy gives you the chance to kickstart your dream life on the beach as soon as possible!
Pre-requisites
You don’t need any previous qualifications to enrol on the Intensive Surf Instructor Course. If you’ve never tried surfing, our intensive course is geared towards getting you up to speed in three weeks. If you’re already up and riding then you’ll work on improving your skills, and becoming a better all-round surfer and coach. If you’ve already got a suitable lifeguarding qualification, you can join the course for two weeks at a discounted rate.
Requirements
If you can tick all of the following requirements, then you’re in a great position to start:
What’s included
Accommodation
To supplement our Intensive Surf Instructor Course, we have a couple of in-house accommodation options available to add on as extra. We have two apartments, both within walking distance to the beach and both stylishly fitted out with all modern conveniences.
Who Will I Be Sharing With?
You will be in an apartment with fellow students from the course and we will do our best to place you with people of similar ages, backgrounds and interests. Because of this we are unable to guarantee which flat you’ll be in until close to the course start date.
Costs
The cost of accommodation is not included in the course price. Accommodation cost is £795 for the course duration and is due 8 weeks prior to the course start date. There is a £100 Security Deposit, made payable in cash on arrival. This will be held by the landlord until the final inspection, if there is no damage and the property is cleaned to the agreed standard it will be refunded.Apartment details
Newquay Bay Apartment
Fore Street, Newquay
Newquay Bay Apartment is a modern, quiet, two twin bedroom property. It has been recently refurbished with a modern kitchen and bathroom. The apartment is a two-minute walk to Newquay Harbour and has idyllic ocean views. Located in Newquay Town Centre, it's a stone's throw from an abundance of coffee shops, restaurants and surf shops.
Sunset View Apartment
Pentire Avenue, Newquay
The luxurious Sunset View Apartment overlooks Pentire Headland and benefits from plenty of natural light. This two twin-bedroom property is in one of the most peaceful spots in Newquay, just minutes from both Fistral and Crantock Beach. It boasts a large lounge, two bathrooms, a balcony and spacious kitchen/diner.
Why choose us
Itinerary
Please note, sometimes we need to be flexible as some activities will be weather and condition dependent – but don’t worry, we’ll always do our very best to ensure you get the very best out of the trip! All our surf days and suggested activities are completely optional – you can enjoy as much or as little as you desire. This is not a boot camp!
Day one
We’ll introduce you to our awesome staff, show you around the centre, and spill the beans on the course. You'll also meet the other trainees, which will be a mix of Women+Waves and Newquay Activity Centre students, who will be joining you on this 3-week adventure!
The practical side kicks off with a surf lesson from our pro instructors at Newquay Activity Centre.
Day two
Dive into the pool first thing to show us your swimming skills, gearing up for Lifeguard training. Then, beach time with the legendary Alan Stokes for surf skills and progression planning. Brace yourself for your first video analysis session alongside intro to logbooks and surf theory.
Day three
More surf skills, and how to present a surf lesson, then a second round of video analysis and surf theory with Alan. The afternoon brings a chance to speak to the folks at The Wave Project. Who will be talking through their work in Surf therapy and explaining how you can get involved.
Day four
Back with Alan for more lessons fine-tuning and polishing your surf skills. Dive into another surf theory session and a dose of video analysis. In the evening get ready for a Surf Skate Workshop, all about how surf skating can be used as a coaching tool and how to run your own.
Day five
The day starts with an Adaptive Surf Workshop led by Adaptive ISA Coach, Freddie. Get a peek into how to make surf lessons more accessible and what’s covered in the Adaptive ISA qualification. Later on, hit the beach for some shadowing with the Newquay Activity Centre surf instructor team.
Day six
Time to kick back or catch some waves! You’re welcome to shadow ongoing Surf Lessons at Newquay Activity Centre or with Women + Waves.
Day seven
A day to relax. You’ve earned it!
Day eight
Here’s where Surf Coach Safety or Beach Lifeguard training kicks off. Dive into the module intro and theory, and then hit the beach to run through water safety and rescue techniques.
Day nine
Intro to First Aid in the classroom and beach-based training, including board and tube rescues.
Day ten
Classroom sessions on first aid and resuscitation, followed by ‘run, swim, runs’, rescue scenarios, and beachside casualty aftercare. Fancy some extra first aid wisdom? Join our Q&A session in the evening.
Day eleven
Wrapping up the final First Aid and Basic Life Support Training. Then, brace yourself for rescue scenarios, blending first aid, rescue know-how, surf coaching, and group management skills.
Day twelve
The big day! Your individual First Aid assessment and Beach Rescue and Water Safety assessments are on the agenda for today.
Day thirteen
Surf lesson shadowing with the Newquay Activity Centre surf instructor team.
Day fourteen
A day for some R&R. We’re all about that balance!
Day fifteen
Starting the final week with an optional dawn surf coaching session. Then, hitting the classroom for day 1 of the ISA Surf Coaching qualification with the legendary Barrie ‘Baz’ Hall.
Day sixteen
Day 2 of the ISA Surf Coaching Qualification. You will be assessed on your lesson delivery and learning some final tidbits of surf coaching wisdom. In the evening, join the Surf Photography Workshop, and find out how to up your instructor game by using surf photography and videography as a coaching tool.
Day seventeen
Surf skills development with Alan Stokes, followed by video coaching and analysis. Now's the time to get that epic surf footage for your surf skills segment.
Day eighteen
The final day of surf coaching with Alan Stokes. He’ll be dropping some final pearls of wisdom in the water. This day is all about wrapping up and getting those logbooks finished off, so we can get them submitted.
Day nineteen
Road trip alert! To conclude your course we head up to The Wave in Bristol to geek out on WaveGarden technology and learn about the future of inland Surfing. After chatting with The Wave staff, feel free to ride those epic waves, with our staff will be there to snap pics or coach you in the water.
