Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Setting up a funetics course

For anyone with a wealth of coaching experience and knowledge in athletics or other sports this could be the option for you. This allows you to become a licensed England Athletics coach and enter the coaching pathway directly at a level that is appropriate for your knowledge and experience.

If you meet the pre-assessment criteria our dedicated team of assessors will guide you through a process that enables us to assess you against pre-determined criteria that meets the learning outcomes of our qualifications.

Overview

We are committed to providing coach education and training of the highest quality. The educational offer includes formal taught qualifications, delivered in a learner-centred, inclusive and supportive environment.

Our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme, strives to respond to the wider educational needs of the coaching community. This programme offers the opportunity for applicants who have a wealth of experience in areas related to athletics coaching, to be recognised against our coaching competencies. This will allow applicants to seek to gain an accredited coaching licence at the level determined as competent by an approved assessor.

Assessment

RPL is a process aimed at recognising, assessing and confirming the competencies a learner has obtained from other sources. RPL assessment enables learners, where appropriate, to forgo training (or elements of it) and move directly to having their competencies assessed.

Although RPL is not necessarily a quick process, it aims to provide applicants (learners) with a flexible approach to having their skills and knowledge assessed against the learning outcomes and assessment criteria stipulated within our Coaching Qualifications.

Who can apply?

RPL is open but not limited to:

  • PE teachers or lecturers of relevant discipline areas
  • Holders of a relevant degree such as Sports Coaching
  • Coaches that hold lapsed UK Athletics coaching licences who are returning to the sport
  • Athletics coaches from abroad with a national governing body coaching qualification* (including IAAF qualifications)
  • Coaches from other sports within the UK with a nationally recognized coaching qualification.

*Coaches from abroad who are relocating to the UK and wish to coach on a voluntary basis may need to provide evidence of a work visa or apply for a Temporary Worker – Charity Worker visa (T5).  British Athletics will also require proof of an overseas equivalent to the DBS, and completion of the Mandatory Training (Safeguarding and First Aid Training).

Apply for the Recognition of Prior Learning programme on Athletics Hub

Outcomes

The possible outcomes of RPL process are as follows:

  • Award of Athletics Coach or Coaching in Running Fitness.
  • Award of Coaching Assistant or Leadership in Running Fitness.
  • Requirement to pass assessment components for the coach level qualifications for award of Athletics Coach or Coaching in Running and Fitness. These are an Observed Practical Assessment, Knowledge Test and/or a planning task.
  • Requirement to attend taught delivery and pass assessment components for coach level qualifications for the award of Athletics Coach or Coaching in Running and Fitness (at additional cost).
  • Requirement to attend taught delivery of Coaching Assistant or Leadership in Running Fitness (at additional cost).

It is therefore important that applicants familiarise themselves with the competencies and learning outcomes for these awards prior to commencing an RPL application.

What are the stages of application?

  1. Applicant maps their own qualifications or experiences against specific coaching competency criteria and makes an informed decision as to learning route or RPL.
  2. An Assessor will review evidence submitted against set coaching competency criteria. This stage will take approximately 10 working days.
  3. If further evidence is required an action plan will be created and the type of feedback will be determined by the form in which the evidence is required. The timescales for completion of the action plan will be dependent upon the nature of the evidence that is required, although it is normally expected to be completed within 8 weeks. It is expected that applicants remain engaged with the process to allow the assessment, from application to final decision, to not exceed 6 months.
  4. Qualification awarded where applicants meet the RPL competency criteria. We have appointed assessors who are responsible for implementing the process of assessment and ensuring principles of assessment and rules of evidence are adhered to. The process of RPL assessment is similar to that for any other assessment.
  5. The final steps to receive the coaching licence is to complete the UKA Mandatory Training Module and a disclosure check.