Our new Skate4Life lessons are weekly lessons that take place throughout the year on a continuous basis. Each lesson is thirty minutes, and is available Weekend mornings or Monday and Thursday evenings. We have a range of lesson courses from beginners to advanced figure and dance. Skate tots lessons are suitable from age 3 plus.

The programme is structured to follow the British ice skating (BIS) criteria for skating which allows non-skaters to become competent skaters who can display a variety of skating techniques. A programme of intensive crash courses is also available throughout most school holidays for those seeking extra ice time. 

You can hear Cora's inspiring Skate4Life journey:

How do I monitor progress?

Adults/parents that have signed up to the Home Portal system, are able to log online to check how well they are progressing. Progress is updated on the site 24hours following a lesson. Adults/parents that are not on the Home Portal system will need to contact reception for information about their progress. Certificates and badges will be available to purchase from reception on completion of each stage

Where do I go next?

Once the skater has developed the core range of skills required to be confident, competent and safe on the ice. There may also be the opportunity to join one of the skating clubs and private one to one lessons aiming to compete in official BIS competitions. The potential is the same as all other specialised sports. Where making the GB Olympic squad may be one person’s goal, another may want to skate in the professional Disney on Ice shows. 

Things to know

Prices

Monthly direct debit lesson plans – six month minimum term includes unlimited public skating

Monthly direct debit lesson plans – 30 day minimum term includes unlimited public skating

Includes all the benefits of our six month minimum term membership but can be cancelled with thirty days’ notice.

Quarterly lesson plans

All quarterly lesson plans are for a 13 week consecutive period and excludes public skating.

How to book

Please contact a member of our team to book lessons.

Levels

Level 1

• Moving forward
• Sit and stand independently
• Moving forward (10 steps) and two foot glide (with dip)
• Stationary snowplough stop
• Moving forward snowplough stop
• Moving forward (10 steps) and two foot glide into a forward lemon
• Introduction to moving backwards

Level 2

• Moving forward 10 steps – curve left and right
• Moving snowplough stop or t-stop
• Moving backwards (toes turned in)
• Two-foot turns on the spot (twisting action)
• Forward and backward lemons (minimum 5)
• Introduction to forward one foot glide in a straight line

Level 3

• Forward stroking (with correct push, glide and free leg position)
• Backward snowplough stop
• Forward to backward two-foot turns
• Forward outside and inside edges one foot glides
• Forward two-foot slalom
• Introduction to backward stroking

Level 4

• Forward open chasses
• Backward stroking
• Forward outside edges
• Forward inside edges
• Two-foot 3-turn

Level 5

• Forward crossovers
• Forward outside 3-turn
• Backward open chasses
• Stepping from backward inside to forward inside edge
• Backward two-foot slalom

Level 6

• Backward crossovers
• Backward outside edges
• Backward inside edges
• Forward inside 3-turn
• Stepping from backward outside to forward outside edge

Level 7

• Forward outside 3-turn with control, equal entry and exit edge plus backward crossover
• Forward outside continuous edges
• Forward inside continuous edges
• Forward inside mohawk with control and equal entry and exit edge
• Bunnyhop + drag combo or two-foot jump + drag combo (hockeyskates)

Level 8

• Backward outside or inside continuous curves
• Forward change of edge, outside to inside
• Forward inside mohawk – backward crossover – step forward inside edge
• Forward crossover step wide & backward crossover step wide
• Forward outside 3-turn, backward crossover with a sustained landing position

Bronze Freestyle

Jump element

• Three/waltz jump
• Single salchow

Spin element

• Upright spin (min 2 revs)
• Flexibility element
• Forward spiral (any foot any pattern)

Skating element

• Backward inside pivot movement (min 1 rev, both directions)

Skating exercise

• Forward perimeter stroking (with correct pushing technique)

Non-test exercise

• Educational tool (to aid with correct execution of toe loop take off) mazurka (landing forward via a bunny hop movement)
   

Silver Freestyle

Jump element

• Toe loop

Spin element

• Backspin (min 1 rev)

Flexibility element

• Forward outside or inside spiral (any foot)

Skating element

• Forward inside pivot movement (min 1 rev, both directions)

Skating exercise

• Serpentine forward inside mohawk, landing position, forward crossover
• Forward outside curves

Non-test exercise

• Educational tool (to aid with correct execution of loop jump take off) ½ half (landing forward via a bunny hop movement)

Gold Freestyle

Jump element

• Loop jump

Spin element

• Upright spin (min 5 revs with correct entry & exit)

Flexibility element

• Backward outside or inside spiral (any foot)

Skating element

• Simple step sequence

Skating exercise

• Serpentine forward outside 3-turn, backward crossover
• Forward inside curves

Non-test exercise

• Educational tool (to aid with correct execution of flip take off) ½ flip (landing forward via a bunny hop movement)

Platinum Freestyle

Jump element

• Flip jump

Spin element

• Sit or camel spin (minimum 2 revolutions

Routine

• A simple routine without music combining 7 elements from the bronze, silver, gold & platinum of which 5 must be executed without major error, showing multi-directional skating with smooth transitions throughout, consisting of:
• 2 different jumps, 2 different spins, 1 spiral, 1 pivot, 1 simple step sequence

Non-test element

• Educational tool (to aid with correct execution of lutz take off) ½ lutz (landing forward via a bunny hop movement)

Bronze Dance

Upright spin

• Minimum 2 rotations

Forward or backward spiral

• Any foot / any pattern

Forward alternating simple (open) chasse’ and slip chasse’ x3

• Both directions/feet on circle

Backward alternating simple (open) chasse’ and slip chasse’ x3

• Both directions/feet on circle

Forward progressive runs

• Both directions/feet on circle (foxtrot rhythm)

Combo steps

• A series of 5 linking steps/turns

Silver Dance

Forward inside twizzle movement

• Minimum 1 revolution, both directions/feet

Forward outside & inside swings

• Both directions/feet (waltz rhythm)

Serpentine forward simple (open) chasse’ x3

• Both directions/feet (waltz rhythm)

Forward outside 3-turn x2 with a sustained backward outside edge

• Both directions/feet

Backward progressive runs

• Both directions/feet on circle (foxtrot rhythm)

Introduction to dance pose

• Spiral, attitude, crouching pose, ina bauer, lunge/drag, t-pot, spread eagle

Gold Dance

Dance pose

• On an edge

Forward continuous closed chasse’ x3

• Both directions/feet on a circle

Serpentine backward simple (open) chasse’ x3

• Both directions/feet (waltz rhythm)

Backward outside swings

• Both directions/feet (waltz rhythm)

Backward inside swings

• Both directions/feet (waltz rhythm)

7 dance step sequence

• (swing rhythm)

Platinum dance

Forward cross rolls

• (blues rhythm)

Backward cross rolls

• (blues rhythm)

Set of two twizzles

• Different edge entry, minimum one rotation on each twizzle

Upright spin

• Minimum 5 revolutions, with correct entry and exit

Backward outside closed mohawk

• Both directions/feet

9 dance step sequence

• (any rhythm)

Stage 1

During this level the skater will be learning how to get used to skates on their feet and how to stand up on their own in skates.

• Sit and stand on ice with help.
• Walk forwards 10 steps in skates (off ice).
• March on the spot (on ice).
• Little man on the spot (on ice).
• Stand independently on ice for 10 seconds.

Stage 2

On this level the skater will learn how to get their balance on the ice by marching on the spot and across the ice.

• March forwards 10 steps on the ice.
• Sit and stand on the ice independently.
• March around on the spot both directions.
• March forwards 10 steps and Aeroplane.
• March forward and little man.

Stage 3

On this level the skater will be learning how to stand and sit on the ice independently and start to learn how move backwards on the ice.

• Introduction to gliding.
• March backwards 5 steps.
• Skate forwards including head, shoulders, knees and toes..
• Introduction to Stop (toes in / out).

Stage 4

On this level the skater will be learning how to do a full width of the ice pad. They will also be learning the movement of a turn on two feet.

• Forward stroking full width.
• Snowplough or T-stop.
• March backwards full width.
• Skate forwards 10 steps and 3 forward lemons.
• Forward skating to backwards march.

Stage 5

During this level the skater will be learning how to skate backwards the full width of the ice pad, as well as learning how to do a two foot jump from marching.

• Skate backwards full width on the ice.
• Skate backwards to forward skating.
• Skate forwards then two foot glide on a curve.
• Forward slalom.
• Two foot turn from standstill.
• One foot glide (left and right).

Stage 6

On this level the skater will be able to skate correctly using the correct use of the blade as well as starting to learn how to stop.

• Advanced forward stroking.
• Forward stroking into a two foot turn.
• Skate backwards to one foot forward glide.
• Forward swizzles full width.
• Introduction to side cross overs.
• Skate backwards 10 steps and 3 backward lemons.
• Sequence of steps.