Partner Guidance: Implementing Lower Age Groups in Clubs
This guide is for operators introducing children and young people into group exercise, youth fitness, family classes and intergenerational formats. It focuses This guide is intended to support practical operational planning. Partners should use the appendix as a reference point to refer their own safeguarding and compliance considerations, alongside their own policies, insurance and local compliance processes for detailed legal requirements.
Purpose and Opportunity
Introducing lower age groups into clubs gives partners a clear opportunity to build a life long pathway into physical activity, strengthen junior membership, create new off-peak usage, support school and community partnerships, and help young people transition confidently into adult group exercise. The aim is not simply to lower the minimum age on existing classes; the aim is to create safe,age-appropriate, youth-relevant experiences that feel designed for young people rather than diluted for them.
Partners should position this as a structured youth participation pathway, supported by clear operating standards, safeguarding processes, qualified instructors, appropriate supervision, risk assessment, insurance checks, and class formats that match the needs, maturity and confidence of each age group.
Core Principles for Implementation
• Make it feel designed for young people. Lowering the age range is only effective when the class environment, language, coaching, music, visuals and timetable positioning communicate that young people are welcome and prioritised.
• Use local school-stagelanguage where possible. This is often clearer than age-only bands because young people want to attend with peers and parents understand school-stage terminology. Partners should translate stages locally and avoid relying on a single UK-wide school-year model; translate the offer into the language used locally.
• Start controlled, then scale. A pilot for secondary-age groups can be easier to implement quickly, especially where school or local authority partnerships are still being developed.
• Keep young people visible to the instructor. In mixed-age formats, young people should be positioned front and centre so the instructor can coach safety, technique, load, confidence and safeguarding effectively.
• Match the class to capability, not just age. For example, some 14-year-olds may be athletic and technically confident; others may be new to exercise. Use assessment, induction, and progressive options.
• Protect instructor choice. Not every adult group exercise instructor will want to teach young people. Select instructors who are enthusiastic, appropriately trained, safeguarded, and confident.
• Do not rely on common sense alone. Spell out setup, supervision, adaptations, equipment use, changing room arrangements, photography permissions, and escalation procedures.
Recommended Age Pathway
2–5 years /Early years
Recommended Approach: Purpose-designed play, music, movement and parent supported activity.
Example Formats:
BORNTO MOVE™ earlyyears, nursery sessions,parent-and-child movement.
6–11 years / Primary stage Local equivalent school stage
Recommended Approach: Child-specific group exercise, movement skills, rhythm, confidence and fun. Gym equipment is not recommended for younger children.
Example Formats:
School sessions, after-school clubs, holiday activity, BORN TO MOVE™.
11–13 years /Early secondary stageLocal equivalent school stage
Recommended Approach: Supervised youth group exercise and carefully selected studio activity. Gym use should be supervised and supported by induction.
Example Formats:
BORN TO MOVE™, dance, mindfulness, core, supervised junior fitness sessions.
14–15 years /Older secondary stageLocal equivalent school stage
Recommended Approach: Progressive access into selected adult programme formats where appropriate, with adaptations, technique focus and clear supervision.
Example Formats:
Youth-only classes, school group classes, family classes, selected group exercise with modified load and intensity.
16–17 years /Young adult transitionLocal equivalent school stage
Recommended Approach: Transition towards young adult access, with local policy, induction, safeguarding and insurance requirements followed.
Mainstream group exercise, young adult classes, intergenerational formats, peer-based training.
Timetable Models
A. School or Stage-Based Classes
These sessions are designed for a specific school year, key stage or local education stage. They work well where a partner is collaborating with schools, Active Schools teams, local authorities, youth services or community organisations. The group is peer-only, which can reduce self-consciousness and create a stronger sense of belonging. For UK-wide planning, partners should translate the offer into the language parents and schools use locally, for example England Years 7–11, Scotland S1–S4, Wales year groups, or Northern Ireland school years.
• Best for: secondary school pilot programmes, 13–16 years, England Years 9–11, Scotland S3/S4 or local equivalent, school transition projects, girls’ activity programmes, youth confidence building.
• Timetable slots: after school, early evening before adult peak time, school holiday blocks, Friday afternoon youth sessions, weekend youth clubs.
▪ Operating note: use clear pre-class briefings, consent, induction, emergency contact details and local school-stage communication rather than broad age-only messaging.
B. Family Classes
Family classes allow a young person to attend with a parent, guardian or trusted adult. These formats can reduce anxiety for first-time participants, provide reassurance to parents, and support family activity habits. The instructor remains the coach in the room; adults should not override load, intensity or technique guidance.
• Best for: introductory group exercise, technique-led strength, cycling, dance, mindfulness and family wellbeing sessions.
• Timetable slots: weekend mornings, school holiday mornings, early evening family slots, Sunday afternoon reset classes.
• Operating note: communicate that the instructor coaches the class, progressions are based on the young person’s ability, and parents are supporters rather than performance drivers.
C. Intergenerational or Mixed-Age Classes
Mixed-age classes can work well when the purpose is clear and adult members understand the setup. These should not simply be adult classes with young people added quietly. The class should be described as mixed-age or intergenerational, with young people placed where the instructor can see and coach them effectively.
• Best for: family participation, community wellbeing, young people transitioning into adult classes, supervised participation with adult members.
• Timetable slots: quieter off-peak daytime, early evening, weekend community slots, seasonal campaign classes.
• Operating note: adults should be briefed that young people are front and centre for safeguarding and coaching. Regular adult participants should be told in advance if usual studio positioning will change.
D. Youth-Only Club Classes
Youth-only club classes provide a strong entry point for young people who already hold junior memberships or are not yet confident enough to enter adult classes. These can be commercial club-based sessions, not just school-linked delivery.
• Best for: junior membership retention, confidence building, teenage engagement, 13–16 pilots, England Years 9–11, Scotland S3/S4 or local equivalent, and young people seeking resistance and functional training.
• Timetable slots: after school, 4:00–5:00pm, 5:00–6:00pm, Friday youth fitness, Saturday teen training, holiday blocks.
• Operating note: create a class identity that feels credible to young people. Avoid childish naming or visuals for teens.
5. Gen Alpha Insights: Designing an appropriate class
For Gen Alpha and younger teen audiences, the experience must feel relevant, visual, social, flexible and credible. They are unlikely to respond to an offer that feels like an adult class with the age reduced. The class should feel like it belongs to them: the room, music, visuals, coaching language, class name and timetable slot should all reinforce that they are the intended audience.
• Visual identity matters. Teens are more likely to engage when the class space feels current, energetic and shareable. Projection, digital screens, lighting and movement-led graphics can transform a studio without permanent refit costs. Youth relevant assets can be accessed via LM Connect.
• Avoid childish cues for older groups. Branding that works for early years will not land with 13–16-year-olds. Older youth formats should feel closer to a festival, music, dance, training or performance environment.
• Give them ownership. Youth participants should understand where they stand, how the class works, what choices they have, and how they progress.
▪ Use youth voice where appropriate. Ask young people what helps them feel confident, included and motivated, then and use that feedback to shape future class themes, music styles, format choices and progression options.
• Build in choice and variety. Use genre-led options such as dance, combat, cycling, mindfulness, strength, core, athletic training and functional movement.
• Make progression visible. Young people respond well when they can see how confidence, technique, movement quality and capability improve over time.
• Use social moments safely. If photography or social sharing is allowed, it must follow safeguarding, parental consent and facility policy. Planned post-class photo points or projected backdrops can help create excitement without disrupting the session.
6. Class Setup and In-Room Operations
Before considering setting up a class and adding to your timetable.
• Confirm the age or school-stage eligibility for the session.
• Parent/guardian written or digital consent and a completed Health Commitment Statement are mandatory for all participants under 16 years of age, Including emergency contact details.
• Check insurance, safeguarding and risk assessment requirements are in place for under-18 participation.
• Confirm the class risk assessment, equipment suitability, instructor qualification and instructor willingness to deliver to young people.
• Brief young people on class etiquette, safety, hydration, technique, intensity, equipment use and how to ask for help.
• For equipment-based sessions, complete an induction on setup, safe use, load selection and what equipment is not appropriate.
During the Class
• Position young people where the instructor can see them clearly, ideally front and centre in mixed-age formats.
• Use simple, age-appropriate coaching language and check understanding.
• Coach technique before intensity, especially in resistance, functional, combat, cycling or high-intensity formats.
• Use options, regressions and progressions throughout; avoid one-size fits-all load or intensity.
• Monitor confidence, exertion and fatigue. Encourage young people to take breaks and self-regulate.
• Keep the experience positive, confidence-building and enjoyable; long-term engagement is the goal.
After the Class
• Invite feedback from young people, parents and instructors.
▪ Record any incidents, near misses, safeguarding concerns or operational issues in line with the operator’s reporting and data-retention procedures.
• Review attendance, repeat bookings, confidence indicators and progression opportunities.
• Decide whether participants should remain in the same format, progress to another class, or receive additional induction.
7. Programme and Format Options
BORN TO MOVE™
How to Use It:
Use as the dedicated child and youth movementpathway from early years through secondary age groups.
Operational Considerations :
Purpose-designed for children and young people. Can be used live or digitally, with tracks selected to match the group’s developmental stage.
Dance / movement
How to Use It:
Strong entry point for confidence, expression, rhythm and social connection.
Operational Considerations :
Use youth-relevant music, visuals and coaching. Suitable for school, club and family formats.
Mindfulness / mobility / balance
How to Use It:
Useful for wellbeing, SEND-inclusive activity, recovery, confidence and lower-intensity options.
Operational Considerations :
Consider quieter slots, calmer environment and accessible language.
Strength and technique
How to Use It:
Use for older teens where appropriate, with light loads, technique focus and clear progression.
Operational Considerations :
Avoid maximal lifts. Use individual assessment, induction and instructor supervision.
Functional / athletic training
How to Use It:
Use circuit-style, team based or skill-based formats for teenagers seeking challenge and variety.
Operational Considerations :
Prioritise movement quality, longer setup,equipment demonstrations, safe progression and alternative equipment.
Mixed adult programme access
How to Use It:
Selected group exercise programmes can supporttransition into adult participation when age, capability and guidance align.
Operational Considerations :
Must not be treated as a simple age reduction.Communicate clearly, position young people visibly, coach adaptations andconfirm insurance.
8. Safeguarding, Insurance and Compliance
Partners remain responsible for local compliance, safeguarding, insurance, staffing policy and facility procedures. Lower age group implementation should sit within the operator’s existing safeguarding and risk management framework, not outside it.
▪ Ensure the facility has an effective safeguarding and child protection policy, supported by clear and procedures.
• Appoint or identify the designated safeguarding lead and escalation process.
• Ensure instructors and relevant staff have safeguarding training appropriate to their role.
• Complete appropriate checks such as DBS or local equivalent where required.
• Inform the public liability insurer that children and young people will be participating in activities.
• Confirm instructors hold appropriate insurance for working with under-18s and, where relevant, under-16s.
▪ Use Health Commitment Statements, parent or guardian consent for under-16s, emergency contacts and any other local consent processes required by the operator.
• Review changing room, photography, social media, supervision and incident-reporting procedures.
• Ensure equipment is age-appropriate, size-appropriate, well maintained and risk assessed.
• For youth or mixed-age delivery, confirm supervision arrangements, privacy boundaries, no lone-working controls, changing arrangements, photography and filming rules, and music suitability before launch.
▪ Keep detailed legal, safeguarding and insurance checks inUse the appendix or local operator procedures as the compliance reference point, so the main guidance remains simple, operational and easy for partners to apply.
9. Instructor Readiness
Instructor selection is a critical success factor. Partners should identify instructors who actively want to work with young people, can create connection, understand safeguarding boundaries, and are confident adapting movement, equipment and intensity. Instructors who do not want to work with younger groups should not be forced into delivery.
• Identify instructors interested in youth, family and intergenerational delivery.
• Check qualification, programme training, safeguarding training and insurance requirements.
• Provide a briefing on age-appropriate coaching, class setup, studio positioning, equipment adaptations and communication with parents.
• Encourage instructors to use longer setup and debrief time for youth classes, especially in strength or functional formats.
• Give instructors permission to adapt, pause, regress, split tracks, use hybrid formats or combine BORN TO MOVE™ content with existing qualified practice where appropriate.
10. Practical Implementation Plan
1. Agree the priority age group. Start with the most achievable audience, such as 13–16 years, Years 9–11, Stages S3/S4, or another defined local school stage, while primary-school partnerships are developed.
2. Map the local pathway. Identify where young people move from school activity, BORN TO MOVE™, youth-only classes, family classes and selected adult programmes.
3. Review compliance. Confirm safeguarding, insurance, risk assessments, consent, induction, facility policy and changing room procedures.
4. Select instructors. Identify willing, trained and suitable instructors; confirm safeguarding and insurance requirements.
5. Choose formats and timetable slots. Decide whether to run school, family, intergenerational, youth-only or hybrid formats.
6. Create the class identity. Use age-relevant naming, visuals, room setup, music, projection and communication.
7. Communicate clearly. Tell parents, young people, schools, adult members and instructors exactly what the class is, who it is for, and how it will operate.
8. Run a soft launch. Pilot with a controlled group before a full campaign launch.
9. Review and scale. Track attendance, repeat participation, feedback, incidents, instructor confidence and progression into other classes.
11. Example Timetable Options
Mon–Thu 4:00– 5:00pm
Audience:
Secondary-age youth, using the local equivalent school stage.
Example Class:
Youth strength, dance, core or BORN TO MOVE™
Why it works :
Captures afterschool demand before adult peak time.
Mon–Thu 5:00–6:00pm
Audience:
Secondary-age youth, using the local equivalent school stage.
Example Class:
Teen training, cycling, combat inspired movement, technique-led strength
Why it works :
Good bridge between school and evening timetable.
Friday afternoon
Audience:
School or community groups
Example Class:
School group exercise block
Why it works :
Useful for partnerships and end-of-week youth engagement.
Saturday morning
Audience:
Families
Example Class:
Family fitness, dance or cardio class
Why it works :
Supports parent child participation and weekend habit building.
Sunday afternoon
Audience:
Intergenerational
Example Class:
Community movement, mobility, wellbeing or family class
Why it works :
Lower-pressure slot with broad family appeal.
School holidays
Audience:
Children and young people
Example Class:
Holiday movement camps or taster sessions
Why it works :
Builds awareness and supports parents during holiday periods.
Off-peak studio space
Audience:
Youth-only pilot using the local equivalent school stageChildren and young people
Example Class:
13–16 teen fitness club
Why it works :
Makes better use of quiet capacity while growing youth membership.
12. Recommended Partner Messaging
When communicating the offer, partners should avoid positioning youth participation as a reduced version of adult fitness. Instead, use language that signals confidence, progression, belonging and relevance.
• “A class designed for young people to build confidence, movement skills and fitness in a safe, coached environment.”
• “A youth fitness pathway that helps young people progress from school activity into club-based group exercise.”
• “Family fitness sessions where adults and young people move together, with the instructor coaching safe options for everyone.”
• “Teen training sessions focused on technique, confidence, music, movement and progression.”
• “Mixed-age classes where young people are safely coached and supported alongside adult members.”
13. Key Watchouts
• Do not place young people into adult classes without clear communication, studio setup and instructor readiness.
• Do not assume every instructor is suitable or willing to teach under-18s.
• Do not let parents coach over the instructor in family or performance-style sessions.
• Do not use load, intensity or equipment that is inappropriate for the individual young person.
• Do not market older teen classes with assets, names or visuals that feel designed for children.
• Do not overlook adult members’ expectations when changing studio positioning or creating mixed-age classes.
• Do not rely on a single class launch; build a pathway and review it regularly.
14. Next Steps for Partners
1. Choose one pilot audience, such as 13–16 years, Years 9–11, Stages S3/S4, or the equivalent local school stage.
2. Identify one lead site with the strongest studio environment, projection, sound and instructor capability.
3. Confirm safeguarding, insurance, induction and facility procedures.
4. Select two to four instructors who actively want to deliver youth or family sessions.
5. Build a six-to-eight-week pilot timetable using school, youth-only, family or intergenerational slots.
6. Use BORN TO MOVE™ and appropriate group exercise formats to create a progression pathway.
7. Collect feedback from young people, parents, instructors, adult members and school or community partners.
8. Review the pilot and decide how to scale across additional sites.
15. Partner Support and Sharing Success
Les Mills UK is here to support partners as they explore, pilot and scale opportunities for children and young people to take part in safe, age-appropriate and inspiring group exercise experiences. We are passionate about encouraging the next generation into our classes, helping young people feel that movement belongs to them, and creating positive first experiences that can build confidence, community and lifelong activity habits.
Partners are encouraged to reach out to Les Mills UK for support with implementation planning, programme selection, instructor readiness, timetable thinking, school or community opportunities, and the practical considerations needed to bring younger age groups into club environments with confidence.
For instructor recruitment campaigns, partners can use “You’ve Been Spotted” as a positive way to identify young members who show energy, confidence, commitment and that natural spark in class. This can become part of a clear youth career pathway: encouraging young people to move from participant to class helper or ambassador, to trainee instructor, and eventually into paid or voluntary roles within the club’s fitness team, where local age, safeguarding, qualification and employment requirements allow.
We would love partners to share fantastic stories, pilot learnings, photos where permissions allow, instructor feedback and examples of young people engaging positively with Les Mills classes. These stories help Les Mills spotlight great practice, inspire other operators and show what is possible when clubs create meaningful pathways for young people to move, belong and thrive.
Together, we can open the studio door to the next generation, helping more young people move with confidence, feel part of our communities, and discover the life-changing magic of Les Mills classes. Let’s get them moving!
Appendix: Safeguarding and Compliance Reference Point
This appendix gives partners is intended as a practical checklist reference point for partners before launching lower-age, youth, family or mixed-age classes. It should not replace the operator’s own legal, safeguarding, insurance or local authority advice. Partners should check the latest EMD UK safeguarding guidance and align their internal procedures before delivery. Reference: https://emduk.org/safeguarding-children/
• Under-18s remain children for safeguarding purposes, including. This includes 16–17-year-olds transitioning into young adult or mainstream classes.
• Parent or guardian consent and a completed Health Commitment Statement should be in place for under-16 participants, with emergency contact details held securely.
• Before adding classes to the timetable, Operators should confirm the safeguarding policy, designated safeguarding lead, reporting routes, instructor training, DBS or local equivalent checks, insurance cover and supervision arrangements before classes are added to the timetable.
• Instructors teaching under-16s should hold appropriate qualifications, training and insurance for youth delivery. Programme; programme or brand certification should sit alongside the required foundational competence.
• Mixed-age classes should include clear adult member expectations for adult members, privacy boundaries, no unauthorised filming or photography, appropriate changing arrangements and no private direct messaging between adults and youth participants.
• No instructor should be left alone in a closed or isolated studio with a minor. Doors, viewing panels, on-site supervision or other local controls should support safe visibility.
• Instructors should use verbal and visual coaching wherever possible. Hands-on correction should be avoided unless immediate safety requires intervention, and any intervention should be clearly verbalised and visible.
• Music, lighting and studio environment should be suitable for young people, including clean music edits, appropriate volume, and avoidance of disorientating flashing or strobe-style lighting.
• For adolescent strength, functional or higher-intensity formats, prioritise technique, bodyweight mechanics, movement quality, hydration, recovery and gradual progression over heavy loading or high-volume impact work.
• Young helpers, ambassadors or trainee instructors should only support classes where this fits within local employment, safeguarding, supervision, qualification and insurance requirements.
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