SkillsActive has worked with awarding organisations and national governing bodies of sport to develop eight coaching qualifications based on national occupational standards (NOS).

The qualifications are based on common units, ensuring all learners achieve the same outcomes and can work to the same standard.

Award in the Principles of Coaching Sport

The Award in the Principles of Coaching Sport provides the foundation knowledge for people interested in becoming a coach, or wanting a general introduction to coaching.

The Award is a knowledge-based qualification with no practical assessment and is available at levels 1, 2, and 3.

Learners can progress to coaching qualifications in a specific sport at the same level, or to a higher level Award in the Principles of Coaching Sport.

Any awarding organisation approved by SkillsActive can deliver the Award in the Principles of Coaching Sport, and it can be delivered across a number of sports.

Award and Certificate in Coaching Sport

To qualify as a coach, the minimum qualification a person needs is the level 1 (Award in Coaching [Name of Sport]). There are also level 2 and 3 Certificates available in Coaching [Name of Sport]. All three qualifications include knowledge and practical elements.

Some units are contextualised for a particular sport but use the same base template, ensuring uniformity across sports.

The Award and Certificates include the whole of the Principles of Coaching Sport qualifications; learners who complete the Principles of Coaching Sport qualification at the same level only need to complete the contextualised sport units.

Learners can progress to the Diploma in the same sport (where available), to a Certificate in a different sport, or to level 3 coaching qualifications.

These qualifications can only be delivered by awarding organisations working in partnership with a Sport England recognised NGB.

Diploma in Coaching

The Diploma in Coaching [Name of Sport] is a full competence qualification available at level 2 and 3. It replaces the former NVQ qualifications and must be assessed in the workplace and over time.

The Diploma includes contextualised units based on a common template, plus the whole of the Principles of Coaching Sport qualifications. The contextualised units need to be credit rated for each sport.

The Diploma does not include the contextualised units from the Certificates, but learners who achieve the Certificate in the same sport at the same level can use evidence from their Certificate towards the Diploma.

Learners can progress to the level 3 coaching qualifications.

These qualifications can only be delivered by awarding organisations working in partnership with a Sport England recognised NGB.

More information

To learn more about these coaching qualifications, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.