The BAPA Accreditation Scheme

Setting the standard for over 35 years

BAPA is an approved scheme provider for the AAIAC Adventuremark and LOtC Quality Badge for the Adventure Activity sector.

BAPA is the awarding body for the LOtC Quality Badge for the Leisure and Recreation sector.

BAPA offers members three different types of accreditations according to the type of activities they provide. Members are accredited after they have evidenced compliance with the criteria set out in the Code of Practice through inspection.

Centre Accreditations

To obtain and retain their membership of BAPA, members are required to submit their centres for inspection by BAPA’s independent inspectorate. All inspections are biannual with a self declaration required in the interim year.

The type of accreditation required depends upon the category of membership and the accreditation sought.
Please see details below for: 

Non-residential Adventure Activity venue
Residential adventure activity venue
Recreation and leisure venues

The accreditation fee charged by BAPA includes a BAPA Certificate of Accreditation. Details of these fees are sent to members when renewing their annual subscriptions. Inspections are biannual and if the member has multiple venues we aim to inspect half each year. New venues are inspected in their first year of operation. Feedback is supplied following the inspection and a certificate to support a successful outcome.

Overseas Adventure Activity Centres – Accreditations as above but in addition to the current fees members will need to cover additional expenses attaching to inspectors’ time, travel, accommodation, and meals. When possible BAPA will schedule ‘accreditation tours’ to keep extra charges to a minimum to all members.

Preparation for Accreditation

IMPORTANT Members are advised to carry out and record their own detailed self-assessments, based on the current inspection criteria. This will ensure that a venue is prepared for the inspection process and all documents are available to the inspector.

It is the Member’s responsibility to provide copies of all relevant documentation required by the accreditation scheme for scrutiny at the time of accreditation. If some documentation is not available on the day of inspection the provider will be given a time phased action pla to achieve the criteria and complete the inspection process.  The accreditation will be deemed “pending” until the documentation has been verified.

Members should clarify with their centre staff before accreditation whether the inspector need to be referred to head office for some documentation or whether all requirements are accessible on the centre.

Requirements for All Activities

Members must demonstrate that their operation is based on local operating procedures, resulting from risk assessment and:

Demonstrate conformance to Adventure Activity Licensing Authority (AALA or National Governing Body (NGB) guidelines where they exist at an appropriate level.

OR

Where appropriate AALA/NGB guidelines do not exist, show that BAPA activity criteria are being followed as a minimum standard.

OR

If neither AALA/NGB nor BAPA guidelines are available, members must show that their local operating procedures are prepared as a result of appropriate technical advice and risk assessment procedures and are being adhered to and are adequate for the activity provided.

For adventure activities, operating procedures should identify contingency plans when the normal operation of the activity is not possible. Additionally, the operating procedures should identify the conditions (weather etc) at which the activities will be suspended, and not resumed without the specific authority of the centre manager/chief instructor subject to the judgement of the chief instructor.

The role of the chief instructor/lead instructor is recognized as being critical to the safe operations of all activities. All members must have a chief/lead instructor for each activity identified with the appropriate competence demonstrated by qualifications and/or experience as identified in the code of practice and this person should be on site during normal activity periods. The chief or lead instructor should provide support to activity instructors where appropriate, and constantly review the operating procedures and ensure this meets with current best practice for the activity.

Where a member uses an outside sub-contractor to run activities, it is the member’s responsibility to ensure that all activities are compliant with BAPA guidelines, and where necessary meet the requirements for AALA licensing, LOTC or other accreditation schemes.

  Cost of Accreditation

Accreditations are charged per venue and Members will be advised of the costs at the beginning of each membership Year. A venue is defined as ‘a venue used for a range of activities by a BAPA member. The venue may offer overnight accommodation or be a day activity provider.’

An additional charge may be made for inspecting separate accommodation and facilities unless on the same or adjoining site.

Length of Accreditation

BAPA accreditation, Adventuremark and LOTC badge are all valid for two years from the date of inspection:

Adventure Activity / Non-residential – accreditations will normally take a minimum of three hours. A minimum of two but ideally three activities will be observed, including any on the adventurous activities list wherever relevant. The other criteria checked will be as per the inspection report form.

Adventurous Activities / Residential – An accreditation will normally take a minimum of four to six hours.  A minimum of two but ideally three activities will be observed, including any activity on the adventure activities list where relevant.  The activities to be inspected will be selected by the inspector from those being undertaken at the time of accreditation, based on the following criteria:

Advice of inspection Result

Inspectors must clearly indicate both verbally and in writing to the person in charge of the centre or site in question what the recommended result of the inspection is. Where it is considered appropriate by the inspector, verbal advice can also be given to the centre at the end of the inspection for likely future improvements, acknowledging any commercial sensitivities of information, procedures and systems observed from accreditations at other members centres.