Students at Ripon Grammar School are being taught vital skills that could help them save a life one day.
Nine sixth formers and five Year 11 students are working towards National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ), the most widely recognised lifeguard qualification in the UK & Ireland and a requirement for most lifeguarding jobs.
Trainee lifeguard Neive Zenner encourages others to consider the course:
She said:
“My advice would be, don’t be scared of throwing yourself into everything. You may feel embarrassed to shout across a pool, however the confidence you gain is worth it.”
Course tutor Myles Strudwick, who has been involved in lifeguarding and lifesaving for 20 years, both nationally and internationally, agrees:
He said:
“I am passionate about the development of skills in this area for anyone at any age, and nobody is too young or too old to start taking part.
“Even if it’s not something you use every day, the skills covered might just be enough to save a life one day. And it’s a strange – but thankful – feeling when that happens.”
Henry Grice-Holt, plans to work at Camp America during his gap year, where he hopes the qualification will help him get a lifeguard role.
The 17-year-old, who aims to study medicine after RGS, inspired him to apply.
Henry, who plans a career in medicine after RGS, pointed out that the most important thing he had learnt was how to perform CPR with the use of a defibrillator:
“I have also been taught how to safely get someone who is unconscious out of the water and get them in the recovery position.”
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Neive, 17, said she was taking the course to help her get an interesting part-time job while at university. The accomplished swimmer added:
“Practical lessons allow you to have hands-on experience and basic first aid training, while theory provides you with the information you need to apply to lessons and even life situations.
“The most important skill I have learnt is communication, I found myself speaking out and answering questions in theory lessons, this then transferred to our pool sessions where we worked in teams relying on verbal skills.”
Henry and Neive use their Wednesday afternoon enrichment period – when sixth formers can take a break from studies to enjoy a range of other activities – to gain their qualification, which involves lessons for two hours a week at the school’s swimming pool, with additional home study.
Year 11 pupils have been taking their lifeguarding classes after school.
As well as being qualified in pool lifeguarding and supervision, with integrated defibrillation and anaphylaxis training, there is the option for the students to gain a First Aid at Work qualification and students, who began the course in November, will gain their qualifications at the beginning of April.
Ripon’s Olympic hero Jack Laugher has missed out on his bid to win a second successive gold in the synchronised three-metre springboard diving.
Laugher and partner Daniel Goodfellow finished seventh in this morning’s event, which was won by China.
The duo from the City of Leeds Club triumphed at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in May at the FINA Diving World Cup. But they were unable to replicate the same form in the same pool today.
Laugher, who grew up in the Ripon area and attended Cathedral Church of England Primary and Ripon Grammar School will now focus on the men’s individual three-metre springboard event, which takes place on Monday and Tuesday next week.
In his home village of Littlethorpe, Jack’s mother Jackie Laugher (pictured above, centre) and Sylvia Grice (left) who taught him to swim, watched in their respective front rooms, while Sylvia’s daughter Helen Mackenzie (right) who taught him at Ripon Grammar School, also tuned in at her Ripon home.
Laugher remains a Ripon hero, having become the first GB diver to win gold and silver medals at an Olympic games.
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With the Tokyo games now underway, a portrait of Olympic gold medallist diver Jack Laugher is providing inspiration to Ripon Grammar School students.
The former RGS pupil became an Olympic champion alongside partner Chris Mears at Rio 2016, when the duo made history in three-metre springboard synchronised diving.
Having become, with Mears, the first GB Olympic divers to win gold, he went on to take silver in the men’s individual three-metre springboard competition.
The painting by artist and RGS parent Fiona Scott, which features Jack holding his medals from Rio, now has pride of place at the school.
The school, along with sports fans across Great Britain, will be cheering him on as he competes in Tokyo.
An inspirational painting – artist Fiona Scott (right) with, from the left: RGS headmaster Jonathan Webb, Dan Brown and Eliza Polito
The synchronised event will be broadcast live on the BBC on Wednesday morning (7am UK time).
The individual event begins with the preliminary round at 7am UK time on August 2, with the semi-final and final respectively starting at 2am and 7am UK time, on 3 August.
Headmaster Jonathan Webb is thrilled to have the stunning oil painting of the Olympic gold medal winner hanging in school, particularly as it was installed just before the games. He said:
“Students and staff are all very excited and we’ll all be willing him on.”
Ms Scott, who arranged a sitting with Laugher at Leeds Aquatics Centre, said he was delighted to hear the painting was now on show at his old school.
Keen swimmer Darcy Harper was among the students who met the sporting hero when he returned to RGS to present prizes to pupils three years ago.
The 15-year-old, who has competed in national schools finals, said:
“I found it inspiring to hear his story and how far he’s come.”
Laugher, who left RGS in 2013, has also inspired Dan Brown, who has represented RGS in county swimming championships, athletics and tennis.
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The 14-year-old, who is aiming for a career in sport, said:
“He has shown how it’s possible to combine a professional sporting career while managing his schoolwork, which I really admire.”
Eliza Polito, a 14-year-old swimmer and runner, added:
“I think it’s so cool to know that Jack Laugher came to this school and has gone on to achieve so much.”
Artist Ms Scott’s daughter Lily Wainwright is a Year 10 boarding student, whose two older brothers also studied at RGS.
The Laugher painting was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Portrait Painters‘ annual exhibition in London in May last year before the exhibition was cancelled due to covid.