1. sports
2. canoeing and kayaking

The BCU Awards Scheme - 1 to 5 Star
These notes aim to provide an outline to the current (2011) BCU awards and coaching scheme, with advice on
prerequisites and course aims. Full details and the latest information - including awards syllabi and guidance
notes - can be found at the ʻTests & Awardsʼ pages of the the BCU website: www.bcu.org.uk
There is one introductory award (Paddle Sport Start) and five personal skill/leadership awards:
BCU 1 Star, BCU 2 Star
BCU 3 Star
BCU 4 Star Leader, BCU 5 Star Leader
Paddle Sport Start:! #
This is a basic encouragement award and is achievable after approximately 2 hours of paddling experience.
The test can be taken in any canoe or kayak.
BCU 1 Star Award:
The BCU 1 Star is a flat water award that demonstrates an individual has basic boat control and foundation
skills.The 1 Star can be taken in any kind of paddle sport craft (sit-on-top, white water kayak, sea kayak, open
canoe etc.). Candidates are encouraged to experience a wide variety of craft.
The 1 Star award is a clear stepping stone to becoming a paddler. Designed as a basic award, the 1 Star is the
level people would typically reach after an introductory course of six hours quality water time.
BCU 2 Star Award:
The BCU 2 Star is an improvement award that helps paddlers develop fundamental paddle sport skills on flat
water. The emphasis is on gaining a breadth of experience, creating the desired movement of the boat and
developing an understanding into how the paddle, boat and water interact.
The award is obtained by taking the assessment in both a kayak and a canoe. The assessment will take place
on sheltered water: the candidate will demonstrate personal paddling skills, safety and rescue techniques,
leadership and groups skills and theoretical knowledge - as outlined in the relevant syllabus.
This award is significantly different to the old BCU 2 Star, with a change to develop generic movement skills
that can transfer to any discipline and with an assessed journey. Candidates often need a minimum of five
daysʼ paddling experience in each type of craft - developing the range skills listed above - to achieve a
successful outcome at assessment.
Assessment duration: 1 day
BCU 3 Star Award:
This award is discipline-specific with awards in sea kayak, surf kayak, open canoe, white water kayak, and flat
water kayak. The 3 Star paddler will be a competent performer in sheltered to moderate water environments
and have the ability to paddle unsupervised, with similar standard paddlers on sheltered water.
A consistent 2 Star kayak standard of performance is appropriate for anyone starting to work towards the 3
Star sea kayak award.
(Sea Kayak)
At assessment, the level of skill, understanding and knowledge demonstrated (whilst journeying in a moderate
tidal environment as part of a led group with winds no more than Force 4) is of the standard of an able
improving sea paddler and beyond that of the beginner. The candidate will provide evidence of at least 3
different journeys on the sea, of about 3 hours duration (8 nautical miles) each, gained prior to assessment.
Assessment duration: 1 day
www.bcu.org.uk/tests-and-awards/personal-performance-awards/paddlesport-start-i-1-to-3-star/
www.kayakessentials.co.uk
BCU 4 Star Leader Award:
This discipline-specific test is designed to indicate that the candidate has the skill level to safely paddle and
lead other competent paddlers on sections of moderate water. A 4 Star paddler will have the all round paddling
ability, safety, rescue and basic leadership required to undertake trips on sheltered - moderate water with a
group of paddlers able themselves to be able to operate in a self-sufficient manner.
(Sea Kayak)
Successful performance at this level indicates that a candidate has the personal skill level and leadership ability
required to:
Lead a group of 4 (not including themselves) paddlers, on short (six to eight miles, of at least three hours
paddling). Journeys in moderate tidal water environment with winds not exceeding force 4/sea state 4.
Judge the conditions and the standard of the group and make appropriate decisions about the planned route
along with the need to modify plans as required.
The 4* award is a leadership award and not a coaching award. It is not suitable for introducing beginners to the
sport.
Pre-assessment requirements:
The candidate must have completed, prior to assessment, the following:
1-day BCU coastal navigation and tidal planning course
2 days of training in leadership, safety and rescue
A suitable first aid certificate (8 hours minimum)
A minimum of 10 daysʼ personal sea kayaking experience in qualifying conditions (see below) as a member of an independent group.
Assessment conditions: Moderate Tidal Waters/Sea
A stretch of coastline or estuary in close proximity to the shore, with available landings at every 1-2 miles /1 hr
and areas where it is not easy to land. Up to a max of 2 knots tide but not involving, tidal races, or overfalls
Winds of force 4, Beaufort sea state 4 (if offshore the greatest of caution must be exercised)
Assessment will cover the following areas: personal paddling skills, practical navigation, safety and rescue,
leadership, theory. The assessment must be undertaken in a sea kayak.
Assessment duration: 2 days
Go to:
www.bcu.org.uk/tests-and-awards/leader-i-guide-i-helm-qualifications/paddlesport-four-star-leader/
for more details: award syllabus, training notes, assessment notes
www.kayakessentials.co.uk
BCU 5 Star Leader Award:
A 5 Star Award holder has the personal, leadership and safety skills required to lead groups, (in formal and
informal settings) in discipline specific advanced environments.
Successful performance at this level indicates that a candidate has entered a higher level of performance and
knowledge, involving a high level of personal skill and leadership in advanced situations. It is a leadership
award and the appropriate test for paddlers who wish to lead groups of other paddlers in appropriate locations
in advanced tidal waters and in dynamic weather conditions typified by the Climate of the British Isles.
The 5 Star leader has the skills and judgement to select appropriate trips for a range of ability levels, however it
is not a coaching award and not suitable for introducing beginners to the sport.
(Sea Kayak)
This award is intended for paddlers who journey on the sea in areas where tidal races, headlands, open
crossings, swell and challenging coastlines will be encountered. The award should be accessible to all those
people who journey on the sea on a regular basis and should not be seen as the preserve of a few elite
performers. It is envisaged that a committed club paddler, sea kayaking regularly in a suitable range of
situations, sea areas and conditions should be able to obtain this award within a period of three years.
Pre-requisites:
BCU 4 Star Leader Award or old BCU Level 3 Award.
Recognised First aid award (minimum 16hrs)
Evidence of a 1 day BCU open water navigation and tidal planning course or similar NGB course.
Previous Experience:
The candidate must provide documented logged evidence of a minimum of 24 varied, quality, advanced sea
kayak days in 3 different sea areas. This should include at least one multi-day trip.
These will also have involved a variety of different conditions including:
Journeys of a minimum distance of 20 nautical miles in 4 Star conditions
An open crossing of at least 5 nautical miles
Navigation in poor visibility /darkness
Onshore winds reaching at least force 4
Exposure to no landing zones and difficult landings
Tidal streams of at least 4 knots Tide races and overfalls
Paddling in swell and waves
Camping from a kayak
Due to the nature of this test and its important remit for leadership it is required that candidates show 3 days (2
days and 2 nights) of documented and signed evidence of training in leadership, personal skills and safety and
rescue.
Such experience may be gained on a scheduled course or by informal training endorsed by an active level 5
coach. It is also strongly recommended that further endorsed training be undertaken based on the candidates
action plan in different sea areas and a variety of environmental conditions.
Assessment duration: 2 days
Go to:
www.bcu.org.uk/tests-and-awards/leader-i-guide-i-helm-qualifications/paddlesport-five-star-leader/
for more details: award syllabus, training notes, assessment notes
www.kayakessentials.co.uk
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do I have to be a member of the BCU?
No - there’s no requirement to be a member of the BCU to complete any of these skills awards.
There are benefits to membership, including insurance - but it’s not necessary to join prior to assessment.
Is there a BCU assessment fee?
Yes - after assessment for BCU 1-3 Star, there is a fee payable to the BCU for administration and certificate.
When registering to attend a BCU 4 or 5 Star Leader assessment, there is a registration fee to pay at this
stage, to be sent to the BCU with a completed LR Form.
Currently (2011) the fees are £10 for BCU members, £20 for non-members.
What’s an LR Form?
When applying to attend a 4 or 5 Star Leader assessment, you will need to send the BCU an LR Form
(downloadable from our website, www.kayakessentials.co.uk). The LR Form allows the BCU to record your
personal details, check your prerequisites and issue an authorisation to proceed to assessment.
They do this by sending your LR Form back to you, stamped to indicate that this step has been taken.
What do I do with it?
Take the stamped LR Form with you to your assessment - the course director will collect them at the start of
the assessment and send them to the BCU with the course paperwork. No stamped LR Form - no assessment!
Do I need to keep a log of paddling/leading experience?
Yes - you’ll need to bring a summary of your paddling activities at assessment.
This is particularly important for 4 and 5 Star Leader assessments.
Do I need register with the BCU for 3, 4 and 5 Star Training courses or for 3 Star assessment?
No! You should, of course, make sure that your paddling experience is suitable for your chosen course.
How do I find out more information about the awards, course content and assessment process?
Either follow the links in this document or go to the BCU website (www.bcu.org.uk), go to the “tests and
awards” page. Then choose either “personal performance awards” (1-3 Star) or “leader/guide qualifications”
(4 and 5 Star). The navigation for these pages is on the left bar - click on the relevant page and a drop-down
menu appears with the various courses listed.
I’m not a UK citizen. Do I have to complete the paperwork process, including the LR Form?
Yes - UK paddlers typically do this immediately after a 4 or 5 Star training course, in preparation for a future
assessment. Overseas paddlers intending to quickly go on to assessment may not have time to obtain a
stamped LR Form. The BCU allows the forms to be sent in with the training/assessment course paperwork.
You should contact your BCU trainer/assessor to check that this will be possible.
It all seems very complicated!
It’s not really - if you’re planning to attend a BCU 4 Star training course, check that you’re at least at 3 Star
standard and simply book the course. After the training course, get your hands on an LR Form, complete it,
add payment and provide evidence of your completed training course/navigation course/first aid certificate and
send it to the relevant BCU organisation (check with your trainer whether to send it to Canoe Wales, Scotland,
England or Northern Ireland). Then, simply wait for your stamped LR Form to return to you by post.
If attending a course that combines both training and assessment, your BCU coaches will have a responsibility
to ensure that the paperwork is all OK - discuss it with them.
Do I need to hold the previous award? To attend 4 Star training, do I need to have the 3 Star award?
It’s desirable, but not essential. If you’re planning to go directly to 5 Star training, you’ll need to provide the
BCU with evidence of extensive paddling/leading experience in order to miss out the 4 Star assessment stage.
www.kayakessentials.co.uk