🤸 Understanding Performance Gymnastics Awards: What They Are & Why We Use Them in Our Classes

Our Performance Gymnastics Awards are a core part of how we support, motivate and celebrate every gymnast in our general classes — from our tiniest pre‑schoolers to our confident improvers. They give children a clear, structured pathway through the sport, helping them see their progress, feel proud of their achievements and stay excited about learning new skills.

🌟 How the Award Scheme Works

The Performance Awards are organised into four main categories — Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond — with Bronze being the starting point and Diamond the most advanced.

Within each category, gymnasts work through six levels, beginning at Level 1 and progressing to Level 6. Each level contains ten skills, covering:

• Core gymnastics shapes and fundamentals

• Strength and conditioning

• Flexibility

• Balance and coordination

• Early apparatus‑based skills

When a gymnast completes a level (e.g. Bronze Level 1), they earn a certificate. When they complete all six levels in a category (e.g. Bronze Level 6), they receive a medal — a milestone that feels incredibly rewarding.

For our youngest athletes, we also offer Pre‑School Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards, with a medal awarded at the completion of Gold. These early awards help children build confidence, coordination and familiarity with the gymnastics environment.

💡 Why We Use Performance Awards in Our General Classes

The award scheme is more than a checklist — it’s a carefully designed developmental pathway that supports every child’s progress, regardless of age or experience.

• Artistic foundations

The awards include skills inspired by artistic gymnastics, such as vault and beam elements, giving children a taste of real apparatus work from the very beginning.

• Modern training tools

Skills are designed around today’s gymnastics environment, using equipment like flick modules, beam pods and soft blocks. This makes learning safer, more accessible and more fun.

• Holistic development

Alongside gymnastics skills, the awards build strength, flexibility and coordination — essential foundations for long‑term progress and injury prevention.

• Teamwork & confidence

Pair and group balances appear at every level, helping gymnasts develop trust, communication and social confidence.

• Clear progression pathway

The scheme spans from pre‑school basics all the way to some advanced skills (such as round‑off flicks and handspring vaults). This gives gymnasts a visible journey through the sport, helping them stay motivated and proud of their achievements.

💙 What This Means for Your Child

By working through the Performance Awards, your child is:

• Building strong, safe foundations

• Learning skills in a structured, age‑appropriate way

• Developing confidence through achievable milestones

• Celebrating progress with certificates and medals

• Gaining independence and ownership of their learning

• Enjoying a fun, supportive environment that values effort as much as achievement

The awards help us ensure every gymnast — whether they train once a week or several times — has a clear pathway, consistent goals and plenty of opportunities to shine.