NPTC Tree Climb and Aerial Rescue
Course overview
This course is designed to prepare a novice climber for the NPTC City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate of Competence in Tree Climbing and Aerial Rescue.
Training is for 5 days, followed by a 1-day assessment. Start time 09.00, finish time 17.00. These days may not follow consecutively.
Courses are taught by experienced, highly-skilled tutors who attend specific annual industry training programmes. The arboriculture workshops are fully resourced with a wide range of harnesses to choose from. The proactive approach of the department ensures that all harnesses and related tools and equipment are up-to-date with modern technology and current legislation.
Work takes place on the Merrist Wood estate, where a range of open-grown trees will be selected and classified, to suit all abilities. The estate’s 400 hectares of woodland, some of which is ancient woodland, provides the ideal location to study this course.
A reasonable level of fitness is required.
Merrist Wood has developed an excellent reputation for arboriculture expertise and coupled with our award-winning Learning Philosophy, we are able to offer a practical education, tailored to your needs.
The course includes:
- risk assessments of tree climbing operations
- legislation related to tree climbing
- selecting, inspecting, and using a range of tree climbing equipment and techniques
- pre-climb tree inspection
- climbing a tree safely, moving around the crown and descending to the ground
- carrying out aerial rescues from different situations
Following your training an independent Assessor will assess you against criteria set by City & Guilds. If you require any additional support, please ensure this is declared on your enrolment application or you call the Contact Centre once you have enrolled.
Should you fail the assessment you will need to book a new assessment date. Fees for an additional assessment will be £300. Please contact Jess.Herbert@activatelearning.ac.uk
Your certificate and NPTC card will be issued directly from City & Guilds, not from Merrist Wood College. A link to your certificate will be emailed to the email address supplied at enrolment. To enable you to have an NPTC card you are required to supply a head and shoulders photograph to the Contact Centre once you have enrolled.
Without a photo you will not receive a card.
You will need to bring your own Personal Protective Equipment:
- *Chainsaw protective helmet (complying with EN 397)
- *Chainsaw protective gloves (complying with EN 381-7)
- *Chainsaw protective boots (complying with BS EN ISO 20345:2004 and bearing a shield depicting a chainsaw
- Personal first-aid kit, including a large-wound dressing.
*The items marked with an asterisk should bear the chainsaw logo and show the chain speed to which they have been tested.
You could go onto our other arboriculture courses or, following successful assessment, climb trees commercially.
Other courses offered at Merrist Wood College include:
- Felling
- Aerial Chainsaw use from Rope and Harness
- Manually Fed Wood Chipper Operations
- Chainsaw Refresher Day
- Arboriculture (Tree Management) Level 4, Award, Certificate and Diploma
Catering facilities may or may not be open on site, therefore you are more than welcome to bring a packed lunch and drinks.
The cost includes all instruction, assessment, and use of equipment but not use of personal protective clothing.
Please note: PPE can no longer be hired from the College.
A map of the college will be supplied in your joining instructions. Please ensure you arrive early to locate your meeting place and ensure a prompt start time. You must report to the Harris Centre reception and sign in (opens at 8.30am), they will issue you with a lanyard that must be worn whilst you are on campus. Once you are signed in you need to go to the Short Course Centre at the bottom of the drive. There is parking in the Equine car park.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What time does the course start?
The course starts 9am.
You must report to the Harris Centre reception and sign in (opens at 8.30am), they will issue you with a lanyard that must be worn whilst you are on campus. Once you are signed in you need to go to the Short Course Centre at the bottom of the drive. There is parking in the Equine car park.
What time does the course finish?
The course finishes at 5pm.
Depending on when your assessment is, you may finish earlier on your assessment day.
You must return your lanyard to the Harris Centre reception and sign out (closes at 5pm) or hand your lanyard to the assessor.
What happens if I need a replacement certificate?
Please contact Customer Services at City & Guilds and request a replacement.
Email – lbs_information@cityandguilds.com
Tel: 02476 857300
My certificate hasn’t arrived?
Please contact Customer Services at City & Guilds and request a replacement.
Email – lbs_information@cityandguilds.com
Tel: 02476 857300
Is there a restaurant on site?
There are two catering outlets on site. These are only operational during term time. You are more than welcome to bring your own packed lunch and drinks.
Alternatively enrol by phone quoting OC02CS0A012Q
Meet the tutors
We want our learners to feel welcome, safe and at ease when attending our classes, especially if this is your first time attending an adult education class or if you're coming back to education after a break.
If you're interested in one of courses, meet our tutors first! You'll see they have similar passions and interests and, most importantly, the right qualifications to help you make the most of your time and money.