Junior Climbing

Reach for your potential

Climbing is perfect for kids.  It boosts their confidence, their agility, coordination & balance, and is great for their fitness. Westway Climbing has some of the best facilities and coaching in the country and we have the one of the biggest junior programmes in the UK.

Many of our juniors have gone on to compete at regional, national and even international level with the GB team.

Most of all we want juniors to enjoy climbing at whatever level they choose to do this fantastic sport!

A registration and consent form must be completed for all juniors prior to them using the climbing wall, this can be printed and completed in advance below.

If you are a competent adult climber and your rope competency check is up to date you may bring a maximum of two children to rope climb/ boulder with you.

Find the climbing session for you:

• Keen to Progress Your Climbing
• Climbing Holiday Camps and Pay & Play
• Climbing Parties
• Private Climbing Tuition
• Advanced Climbing

Keen to Progress your Climbing

Got the climbing bug?

Wild Climbers (5–6 years old)

For children aged 5-6 who are really committed to learning to climb, there’s Wild Climbers club, where kids will get to climb with the same coach and friends each week. Space at the club is limited so you’ll need to book in advance for each term. The club takes place with a ratio of one instructor to four children

NICAS – National Indoor Climbing Award Scheme (7-11 years old)

For kids that are mad about climbing they’ll get a chance to do weekly sessions with the same coach and progress through a structured syllabus.

National Indoor Climbing Award Scheme (NICAS) gives your child the skills they need to become a competent, confident climber. It’s a chance to achieve an award, meet other young climbers and develop their team work. This scheme takes place with a ratio of one instructor to six children.

There are five NICAS levels and each level takes at minimum six weeks. Each child needs to pass Level 1 before moving up. To progress they need to demonstrate the skills they have learnt on when they pass a level, they’re awarded a certificate and move on to the higher level with a new group.

NICAS Level 4 & 5 are advanced sessions for students who’ve passed Level 3 and want to begin learning lead climbing (they don’t have to move on to Level 4 – its fine for them to stay in their Level 3 group).

NICAS (12+ years old)

This is the same as the 7-11 year old programme but where possible we try to reduce the ratio of instructors to kids down to one instructor to four children.  

Each climber needs a NICAS book that gives them all the background on each level and allows instructors to track their progress. These books can be purchased in store.

For any enquiries or assistance contact us online or call us on 0208 969 0992 (press option two for climbing).

Westway NICAS Junior Climbing Terms & Conditions

Climbing Camps and Pay & Play

Family Climbing

Now it’s your turn to drive the kids up the wall! Our expert coaches are on hand to get the family climbing together in a safe, friendly and fun environment. Open to all levels from novices to experienced climbers. Juniors must be accompanied by an adult and vice versa.

You can book online, by calling us on 020 8969 0992 or emailing [email protected]

Holiday Camps

This holiday let the kids drive themselves up the wall! These exciting, action packed climbing sessions are perfect for kids of all ages and abilities. Westway climbing centre provides a fun, safe environment for kids to take part in bouldering, top roping and belaying.  Your only problem will be keeping them on the ground when we hand them back.

Our climbing holiday camps are 90 minutes long, and run daily throughout all school holidays at 9:00am, 11:00am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm.

Holiday Camps are open to booking only one week in advance of upcoming holidays. To book in any of the sessions above use our online system, please make sure each child is booked in on their own account. If you are not a member, you can sign up for free and book using our app or online.

For assistance give us a call on 020 8969 0992 (press option two for climbing) or contact us online.

Advanced Climbing

Take your junior climbing to the next level

The pride of Westway’s coaching team. One of the most established junior climbing teams in the country. Recent members include; Molly Thompson-Smith, current Team GB member and World Cup medallist and Buster Martin who recently became the second Brit to climb a grade f9a+.

The squad’s junior athletes compete at the highest level regionally, nationally and internationally; including four current GB team members and two Irish nationals.

We run our Squad selection trials annually. We accept climbers from age 8+. If you would like more information regarding our performance program please contact us online or call us on 0208 969 0992 (press option two for climbing).

Junior Climbing Test (14–17 years old)

This is a competency test for junior climbers to demonstrate that they have the skills and awareness to use the wall unsupervised.  Candidates must be able to demonstrate that they can belay, arrest falls, use ground anchors and troubleshoot a series of typical climbing errors as a minimum.  This must be booked in advance.

There are two types of junior test the Top Rope Junior Test and Lead Climbing Junior Test. Young climbers need to have successfully completed a Top Rope Junior test before they are able to take a Lead Climbing Junior test.

To book or find out more please visit us in centre. Alternatively contact us online or call us on 0208 969 0992 (press option two for climbing).

Training Academy (8 years+)

This session is for students who have a real aptitude for climbing and shown they’re keen to get on in competition.  This session focuses on establishing good climbing movement patterns and improving physical literacy.

Junior Climbing Squad (10 years+)

For students with serious talent on the wall.  In the Junior Climbing Squad you’ll focus on the technical, tactical, physical and psychological aspects of climbing.  As well as ability, you’ll need a positive attitude, motivation and regular attendance.

You’ll be expected to compete for the Westway Climbing Centre in a whole range of competitions at regional, national and international level. Members can be promoted from Pay & Play, Club or Training Academy sessions.