What will I learn?

The Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Sports Coaching and Development is intended for post-16 learners who want to progress directly to employment, including self-employment, in sports coaching and development roles. It is also suitable for those wishing to progress to higher education, where learners have the added advantage of using the qualification to help them obtain part-time employment while studying.

Through studying this course, you will develop:

  • Knowledge of the sports/leisure industry;
  • Coaching and development skills;
  • Knowledge of health and wellbeing;
  • Interpersonal skills (communication; collaboration; negotiation);
  • Intrapersonal skills (self-management; adaptability);
  • Cognitive and problem solving skills (critical thinking; research skills; analytical skills).

What is the structure of the course?

Units Studied

  • Unit A: Careers in the Sport and Active Leisure Industry
  • Unit B: Health, Wellbeing and Sport
  • Unit C1: Developing Coaching Skills
  • Unit D1: Applied Coaching Skills
  • Unit 1: Sport Development
  • Unit 2: Self-employment in Sport and Physical Activity
  • Unit 14 (Optional): Organising Events in Sport and Physical Activities

How will I be assessed?

Assessment

Weighting

Internally assessed tasks and performance 

7 out of 7

Internally assessed units (of which two are mandatory synoptic assessments) include assessment through the research of sporting institutions and businesses, coaching performance and/or technical skills, and the creation of resources/presentations that link closely to the course content outlined.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which further opportunities are available?
This is a career-focused qualification with industry endorsement and accreditation. It enables learners to develop underpinning knowledge, to gain experience as a coach and to build skills to impact positively on sports development programmes.

When combined with another two-year, full time qualification (as part of the IBCP), learners can progress to higher-education degree programmes, such as a BA (Hons) in Sports Coaching and Development, BA (Hons) in Physical Education and Sport, or BA (Hons) in Sports Management.

The qualification is endorsed by the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), which has confirmed that the qualification is fully mapped to its professional standards of ‘Coach’ and ‘Safeguarding and Protecting Children’. CIMSPA’s endorsement of this qualification allows learners to apply for CIMSPA membership after successfully completing this programme, and is therefore recognised by employers as enabling learners to enter employment in the role of Coach in the sport sector.

This qualification can also prepare learners for an apprenticeship within the sports industry, such as sports management, sports analysis, and event planning/management.