The 1st4sport Level 1 Award in Coaching Cycling (QCF) is awarded by 1st4sport Qualifications and has been developed in partnership with British Cycling – the national governing body for the sport – and with the support of the UK Source Group for Cycling.
The 1st4sport Level 1 Award in Coaching Cycling (QCF) is regulated at Level 1 on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). For further information on the regulated status of the 1st4sport Level 1 Award in Coaching Cycling (QCF), please log on to The Register of Regulated Qualifications website. For further information on the UK Coaching Certificate (UKCC), visit the sports coach UK website.
Is the 1st4sport Level 1 Award in Coaching Cycling (QCF) for me?
The 1st4sport Level 1 Award in Coaching Cycling (QCF) is designed for adults (over 16 years of age) with little or no experience in coaching cycling and offers an opportunity for aspiring cycling coaches to support the development of cycling by contributing to the administration, management and/or coaching in school or community-based cycling clubs.
It will provide you with an introduction to offering the principles/practice of safe, ethical and effective management and coaching of cycling sessions to adults and young people, using activities included in the British Cycling Go-Ride Gears 1 and 2 Coaching Workbook. The qualification is a component of British Cycling’s UKCC-endorsed coach education programme.
Students in further or higher education studying sports-related qualifications might also wish to pursue this vocational qualification to support their interest in the sport, as a rung on the coaching ladder.
Why should I study the 1st4sport Level 1 Award in Coaching Cycling (QCF)?
- To gain the skills required to introduce people to the sport in a safe and ethical manner.
- Cycling is recognised both as a competitive sport and an excellent vehicle for the delivery of a variety of key skills to young people.
- To support the growth of the sport across its breadth, from the aspirant champion to the cycle commuter.
- As an introduction to coaching and the start of a potential lifetime engagement with helping to develop the performance of others.
What can I use the 1st4sport Level 1 Award in Coaching Cycling (QCF) for?
Holders of this Award are encouraged to support the development of cycling by contributing to administration, management and/or coaching in school- or community-based cycling clubs. The British Cycling Go-Ride programme facilitates the delivery of school- and community-based cycling opportunities for young people and the development of local partnerships. Go-Ride includes a programme of fun coaching activities designed to introduce young people to a range of cycling disciplines, in a safe and traffic-free environment.
The Go-Ride coaching activities take place in Go-Ride registered clubs and schools throughout the UK. In schools, the programme can be delivered as a curricular and/or extra-curricular activity. The Go-Ride coaching activities are also delivered by British Cycling licensed coaches for local authorities and commercial operators as part of summer cycling activity schemes.
From time to time, British Cycling also conducts specific coaching programmes that require licensed coaches to deliver Go-Ride coaching activities; for example, the Physical Education, School Sport and Club Links programme, or activities associated with major events such as the Tour of Britain or the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Successful learners are eligible to seek employment in appropriate paid or voluntary coaching roles. They should look to develop their learning and knowledge of cycling by working with other, more experienced coaches. Following a period of practice as a qualified coach, learners may choose to develop their skills by participating in continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities offered within cycling and other coaching-related organisations. In addition, they may choose to follow a programme of training, such as the 1st4sport Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Cycling (QCF).
All qualified coaches are encouraged to align to their governing body of sport and take advantage of professional and educational services, such as coach licences and CPD, offered by the British Cycling Coach Education Programme.
What will I learn?
Your learning programme will develop your understanding of:
- how to establish and maintain an effective, fair and equitable
coaching environment - the principles of coaching
- how to establish and maintain a safe coaching environment
- how to plan coaching activities
- how to plan for a safe coaching environment
- how to prepare facilities and equipment for coaching activities
- how to prepare participants for coaching activities
- how to conduct planned coaching activities
- how to support participants’ behaviour and performance
- how to conclude coaching activities
- how to evaluate coaching activities
- how to develop own coaching practice
- planning cycling coaching activities
- planning for a safe environment
- preparing facilities and equipment for cycling coaching activities
- conducting planned cycling coaching activities
- supporting riders’ behaviour and performance
- concluding cycling coaching activities
- evaluating cycling coaching activities
- developing own coaching practice.
How will my learning programme be structured?
Learning programmes are usually designed by the recognised centre that delivers the qualification. They may, therefore, vary in length and format. Depending on your needs, delivery centres can offer intensive courses or a series of learning events over a period of days or weekends. Whatever the timescale, all learning programmes should include the following phases:
- an induction to the qualification and your programme of learning and assessment
- a learning programme that will be divided into two parts: the main course of training, after which you will be required to practise your coaching, and the gathering of evidence prior to a final assessment
- a programme of assessment spread across the course, culminating in a final assessment of you delivering a coaching session observed by an appropriately qualified assessor.
At the end of the programme, you will be provided with formal feedback on your performance and an action plan for your further development.
What will my assessment involve?
The 1st4sport Level 1 Award in Coaching Cycling (QCF)assessment will require you to have:
- an appropriate understanding of the Level 1 knowledge units and the specific technical knowledge underpinning the coaching of cycling at this level, which will be assessed via performance, simulation, tasks and assignments
- collected the information needed to plan activities on a minimum of two types of riders (including type, ability and specific needs)
- produced pre-prepared individual session plans for a minimum of two Go-Ride Gear 1 or 2 sessions that are appropriate to the needs of the riders. Each session should be planned to be approximately one hour in duration. (All sessions must be drawn from the Level 1 Technical Syllabus for cycling, and the Go-Ride Gears 1 and 2 Coaching Workbook)
- prepared for and delivered a 15-minute Go-Ride Gear 1 or 2 activity session, coaching at least one cycling technique from the Level 1 Technical Syllabus for cycling
- evidence of a recorded evaluation of the delivery of a 15-minute Go-Ride Gear 1 or 2 activity session, coaching at least one cycling technique from the Level 1 Technical Syllabus for cycling.
How much will the qualification cost me?
Recognised centres offering this qualification determine their own fees and they will vary from centre to centre. The fees charged should entitle you to a programme of learning and assessment, registration and certification for the qualification, a 1st4sport Qualifications’ Learner Pack and appropriate learning resource. For further information on the costs of courses, please contact a recognised centre.
What do I do next?
The qualification is delivered by 1st4sport Qualifications’ recognised centres, not all of whom offer open courses to members of the public. Your first port of call to access a course should be to contact the governing body of sport.
For information on where to access a learning programme for the 1st4sport Level 1 Award in Coaching Cycling (QCF),or for more information on the sport of cycling, please contact:
British Cycling
Stuart Street
Manchester
M11 4DQ
Email: info@britishcycling.org.uk
Web: www.britishcycling.org.uk
Alternatively, contact 1st4sport Qualifications via email at enquiries@1st4sportqualifications.com or by calling 0113-290 7610.
