Grading

How it works

Our recreational divers follow our Star Awards which run from Level 1 through to 10. Each level has a set of skills which the divers need to show they are competent at before they can pass the level. They must pass all of the skills in the level to move to the next one.

The coaches will work on these skills with the divers throughout term and make assessments on how they are progressing. They do this using a mobile app called CoursePro, which parents can access to monitor progress.

The last week that coaches can update the grading on the system is three weeks before the end of the term. After this, badges and certificates are sent out to those who have passed the level and divers may be offered a new class if they need to move up.

The CoursePro app allows coaches to select one of the following four markers for each of the skills:

Not assessed - teacher has not taught this yet or they are not ready to learn it

No pass - they have tried it but it is either unsafe or is nowhere near the correct standard

Fair - They are starting to understand the skill and occasionally get it right but there are still fundamental problems eg. bent legs, arms not getting all the way through, legs apart, bendy entry, etc.

Good - The skill is nearly ready. More often than not the diver gets it right but occasionally still needs some correction on fundamental technique

Pass - Consistent (over more than just one session) and safely does the skill to an acceptable standard with no fundamental technique problems

The levels are curated to help the divers move through the skills safely and with the correct skill chains and movements, which will allow them to learn the harder dives in the higher levels safely and with the correct technique.

How long will it take?

Every diver progresses at a different rate. So while it may only take one child a term to pass a level it may take another a few terms. As the skills get harder as they move up the levels, they are more likely to need more time to pass them as it takes longer to learn the more complex skills. There are sometimes stumbling blocks for divers where they find certain skills very difficult or scary, which can delay the passing of a level. So there is no definitive answer here - it will be personal to the individual diver.

The coaches and your child will be doing their very best to pass the levels, so please be patient with both while they work towards the goals. If you would like some feedback on your child's progress, the coach may be able to help you if they have time after the session. Or please contact our recreational liaison: Laura (Laura@stardiving.org) and she can assist you.

Stuck on a skill?

If your child is stuck or afraid of a certain skill, it may be worth looking into some 121 sessions to see if a coach can give one-on-one attention to help overcome or improve the skill!

Get in touch with Fran (fran@stardiving.org) to book these.