Grading - How is 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 throughout the term with the divers and make assessments on how they are doing in these throughout the term. They do this using a Mobile App called Course Pro which parents can access to see their progress.

The last week that coaches can update the grading on the system is 3 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 Course Pro App allows coaches to select one of 4 markers for each of the skills. These are:

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.

Good - The skill is nearly ready, more often than not they get it right but occasionally still needs some correction on fundamental technique 

Pass - Consistently (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 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 through the levels they are more likely to take more time to pass these as it takes longer to learn the more complex skills. There are sometimes some stumbling blocks for divers where they find certain skills very difficult or scary - this can also delay the passing of a level. So there is no definitive answer here it will be very personal to each 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 don't hesitate to contact our Recreational Liaison Laura (Laura@stardiving.org) and she can assist you with this. 

Stuck on a skill? 

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

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