How to Start Gymnastics in the UK: A Parent and Beginner Guide

Starting gymnastics in the UK is usually straightforward: find a suitable club, book a beginner or recreational class, and see how your child gets on before thinking about anything more structured.

The practical steps

1. Find a club. British Gymnastics runs an official club finder for affiliated clubs and leisure-centre classes. In Scotland and Wales, the national governing bodies — Scottish Gymnastics and Welsh Gymnastics — list their own registered clubs, and Scottish Gymnastics advises parents to send children only to clubs registered with it. See choosing a gymnastics club for what to check.
2. Ask the practical questions. Scottish Gymnastics suggests asking: do you take beginners? Is there a free taster session? Do I need to book, or is there a waiting list? How much does it cost? Can a disabled child take part? What should they wear? Can I stay and watch?
3. Book a beginner or recreational class. Most clubs run these for children with no experience, so there’s no need to “try out” first.
4. Go to a first session. See what to wear to a first class.
5. Decide whether to continue, and how. Most children stay in recreational classes for enjoyment and fitness; some later move towards a competitive pathway — see British Gymnastics pathways and levels.

Checking a club is safe

Registration with a national governing body is a useful filter, but the basics are still worth checking, and all of them can be checked by asking:

• Coaches. Under British Gymnastics’ safety guidance, Level 2 is the minimum qualification to coach independently, and Level 1 or assistant coaches must work under a qualified coach’s supervision. Coaches working with children need a British Gymnastics-approved criminal records check and a recognised safeguarding course.
• Welfare. Welsh Gymnastics says the clubs it lists have a nominated Welfare Officer. Ask who it is at your club.
• Ratios. British Gymnastics recommends no more than 16 gymnasts per coach in a normal class, and at least two responsible adults in the gym.

The NSPCC’s five questions for any children’s sports club are a good starting point: Have the staff been checked? Does the club have a safeguarding policy? What happens if there is an accident? Who can you talk to? What training is there? See choosing a gymnastics club and safety, safeguarding and wellbeing.

What a first class is like

A first class rarely needs any specialist kit. British Gymnastics’ dress code, which affiliated clubs follow, asks for:

• clothing that doesn’t restrict movement and isn’t loose enough to be a hazard — a leotard, or fitted leggings or shorts with a fitted top;
• no buckles, clasps or raised decorations;
• long hair tied back;
• bare feet or gymnastics slippers;
• no jewellery that can be removed, and newly pierced earrings covered with tape.

If you can, watch part of the session. A good trial lets you see how corrections are given, whether the group size matches what you were told, whether landing mats are in place and whether the equipment looks well maintained. See what to wear to a first class for the full jewellery rules, including medical bracelets and religious items.

Rise Gymnastics: the recreational programme

British Gymnastics’ current recreational programme is Rise Gymnastics, which has been gradually replacing older award schemes. It has three phases:

Children earn certificates and medals as they progress, and the programme offers a route into festivals and competitions for those who want it. Exact age bands vary between clubs and leisure centres, and not every provider runs every phase, so check locally.

How long, and how many?

British Gymnastics’ safety guidance sets some useful benchmarks:

• Session length. It recommends that classes for pre-school children last no longer than 45 minutes, and sessions for children under eight no longer than two hours.
• Pre-school ratios. For a pre-school class without parents, it recommends eight children per coach; for parent-and-child classes, a maximum of 20 children per coach.
• Two adults. At least two responsible adults should be present in the gym, one of them a qualified coach.

Membership and costs

Costs vary by club and area, so ask each club directly. Expect a class fee, and in most clubs a national governing body membership, which includes insurance — ask the club what’s needed and when. Kit costs are usually small at first: most beginners need nothing beyond suitable clothing, and items such as competition leotards or handguards only come up later. See the kit guide.

If your child wants to compete

Competing is optional, and many children never do. For those who want to, British Gymnastics’ safety guidance recommends how far young gymnasts should go, to avoid putting very young children under excessive pressure:

Within a club, gymnasts who show interest and aptitude may be invited into a squad training group with more structured coaching. See your first gymnastics competition and British Gymnastics pathways and levels.

Disabled children

British Gymnastics expects disabled people to be included in existing classes where it’s appropriate, and its guidance reminds coaches that they don’t need an extra qualification to do so. A club can decline only on reasonable, evidenced grounds — such as a medical reason, or an unacceptable level of risk — and some clubs run classes specifically for disabled gymnasts. If this applies to your child, raise it when you first contact the club.

Adults

Gymnastics isn’t only for children. A growing number of clubs and leisure centres run adult classes with no prior experience assumed, and British Gymnastics has its own adult gymnastics programme. For adults who want to compete, the Adult Gymnastics British Championships are open to anyone 18 or over in the year of competition. See adult gymnastics in the UK.