Coach Education and Development updates 

Across the country, more people than ever are stepping up to lead, inspire and develop athletes. Over the past six months, demand for our coaching qualifications has surged, and we’ve responded with a packed programme of courses and development opportunities. From entry-level roles to advanced pathways, we’re building a system that makes it easier for clubs to grow coaching capacity and for coaches to keep learning.

Building the future of coaching  

It has been great to see such growth in coach education over the past year, with thousands of coaches stepping forward to gain new skills and qualifications. As we move into the next phase, we’re introducing innovative roles, piloting advanced qualifications, and rolling out tools to make it easier for coaches to connect and learn. From a refreshed Coaching Assistant pathway to a brand-new learning management system, these changes are designed to simplify the journey, boost club capacity, and support coaches at every stage of their development.

• Explore our latest coaching qualifications and find a course near you.
• Check out upcoming coach development events this autumn and winter.

What are the top priorities for the next 6 to 9 months?   

Introducing a new coaching role by enhancing the Coaching Assistant qualification, making it easier and faster for clubs to build coaching capacity. 

• Introducing a new coaching role by enhancing the Coaching Assistant qualification, making it easier and faster for clubs to build coaching capacity. 
• Piloting an Advanced Coach qualification in October 2025, an exciting new way of delivering coach education and development for experienced coaches. 
• Launching a new ‘Find my coaching support’ tool to help coaches connect and access support - similar to our current ‘Find a Club’ or ‘Find a Guide’ tools. 
• Launching a new learning management system to simplify course booking, record learning and relicensing. 

Introducing a new coaching role 

We’re restructuring the current Coaching Assistant qualification into two distinct roles: Assistant Coach and Sessional Coach.  

• Assistant Coach: This role will be awarded after completing online modules and knowledge tests, allowing coaches to begin operating in clubs sooner under direct supervision. 
• Sessional coach: To progress to this role, coaches will complete practical coaching, reflective practice, and risk assessment. Once qualified, they will be able to coach independently – provided they follow prescribed sessions or recognized activity cards. 

We hope that these changes will help clubs significantly boost their coaching capacity, increasing the number of athletes they can support at this level and simplify the process for coaches at the entry level, while ensuring safety and quality.   
 

Advanced Coach qualification

We have now selected a cohort of 20 coaches to access bespoke support as part of the pilot for the Advanced Coach qualification. Delivered by a team of expert coach developers, this programme focuses on coaches working within our junior and Youth Talent Programmes.

The programme was launched last month after a comprehensive selection process, and is built around a curriculum designed to strengthen skills and knowledge in areas critical to supporting athletes on the pathway.

Each coach developer will work closely with two coaches to create a tailored development plan, building on existing strengths while addressing priority areas for growth. Progress will be tracked over 6-12 months through reflective logs, culminating in an independent assessment for the Advanced Coach qualification.  If successful, we plan to rollout this programme annually through our talent programmes.

New ways for coaches to connect 

We recently launched the first edition of our quarterly e-magazine, Coaching Vision.

Each edition will feature: 

• Interviews with coaches. 
• Coach development and coach education updates. 
• Articles on different events and areas of coaching. 
• Links to helpful resources and websites. 
• Shout-outs to celebrate coaching achievements and share best practices. 

We’d love your feedback on our new Coaching Vision magazine! if you haven’t received a copy, or know other coaches who haven’t, please check that your communication preferences are up to date. You can do this by logging into your myAthletics portal, selecting ‘My Profile’, and ensuring you’ve opted in to receive coach updates.

As mentioned earlier, we are launching a 'Find My Coaching Support' tool, designed to help coaches connect with mentors, coach developers, technical advisors, and co-coaches in their area. This initiative aims to foster collaboration and make it easier for coaches to access the right support for their ongoing development.

How do digital systems fit into all this?   

Our current systems are outdated and fragmented, which is why we are replacing them with a unified learning management platform.  

The new system will centralise training, compliance, and development opportunities into one intuitive platform. Coaches will be able to track their progress, explore next steps, and be recognised for ongoing learning, whether formal or informal. This system will also enhance the relicensing process by recognising self-reflection, mentoring, and informal learning, and finally allow us to modernise our licensing process by introducing a digital licensing scheme.

We’ve now selected a provider and are working hard behind the scenes to get the system up and running by next summer.

Why this work matters

  
As we look ahead, these changes represent a major step forward in how we support coaches and clubs. Chris Jones, CEO of England Athletics, shares his perspective on why this work matters:  

"When we assumed responsibility for coach education licensing and content production in late 2023 we were determined to listen to our coaches and to do all we could to provide them with the best possible experience, both through an improved qualification pathway, and by introducing more coordinated non-qualification based development opportunities for people to further their ongoing learning. This recognises that coaches want to continue to learn and develop beyond just attending a qualification based course."

In partnership with our home country partners in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, we conducted consultation with our coaching audience to help shape this plan that is now taking effect, and whilst some aspects will take longer to deliver than others, Chris states he is content with the progress we are making.

"We need to continue to challenge ourselves to ensure that our offer to coaches - those in the system and those thinking about taking their first steps into leading, assisting, and coaching - is adaptable, flexible, high quality, affordable, and relevant to the audiences with whom they are working. Digital is central to this naturally in this modern world so investment not only in content, but also systems is crucial if we are to widen and deepen the pool of qualified individuals available to work with our aspiring athletes of differing abilities and ambitions. We also need to continue to broaden the diversity of our coaching workforce, and this is central to our thinking at all times."