The content of this Pathway has been agreed by Skills Active. This is the only Apprenticeship Pathway in the Education and Information Services sector approved for use in Wales that is eligible for Welsh Government funding.
Learning Programme Content
The Learning Programme provision shall comprise of three mandatory elements:
- Qualifications,
- Essential Skills
- On/off the job training
The total minimum credit value required for the Level 3 Pathway Supporting Teaching and Learning in Physical Education and School Sport is 74 credits.
Entry requirements
This Apprenticeship provides a vocational pathway in to the profession of children’s activity and specifically the role of Senior Children’s Activity Professional.
This programme is suitable for those who wish to gain new skills by changing their careers and retrain to enter the sector at this level. Many people working with children co-ordinating and delivering physical activity and school sport will be expected to hold a level 2 NGB coaching qualification or equivalent but may also have a degree level qualification in related field.
This pathway supports the minimum standards and good practice to work with children in schools, out of school and community environments.
Potential apprentices should have a positive, motivating, can do attitude and be willing to work both as part of a team or on their own. Potential apprentices are expected to have the skills to work with and motivate a variety of different clients they will work with.
Apprentices might also need to undergo police checks for example when working with vulnerable adults and children.
There is no minimum age requirement set for this pathway as it is at the discretion of the employer and the provider to ensure that apprentices recruited have the necessary level of maturity to meet the requirements of the job role.
Apprenticeship pathway learning programme(s)
Level 3: Supporting Teaching and Learning in Physical Education and School Sport
Level 3: Supporting Teaching and Learning in Physical Education and School Sport Qualifications
Participants must achieve one of the following combined qualifications below.
| Level 3 Diploma in Supporting the Delivery of Physical Education and School | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awarding Body | Qualification No. | Credit Value | Total Qualification Time | Combined / Competence / Knowledge | Qualification Assessment Lanaguage(s) |
| Active IQ | C00/1472/7 601/1247/5 | 54 | 540 | Combined | English Only |
Please see Annex 2 for the relationship between the competence and knowledge units within the combined qualification.
Essential Skills Wales (ESW)
| Level 3: Supporting Teaching and Learning in Physical Education and School Sport | Level | Minimum Credit Value |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 2 | 6 |
| Application of number | 2 | 6 |
Essential Skills Wales qualifications assessment languages are English-Welsh
On/Off the Job training
| Pathway | Minimum On the Job Training Hours | Minimum Off the Job Training Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Level 3: Supporting Teaching and Learning in Physical Education and School Sport | 191 | 293 |
On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)
Combined qualification 54 credits - knowledge: 23 credits & competence: 31 credits
A combined programme of on and off-the-job training must be completed as part of the apprenticeship over an average period of 12 months/484 training hours
On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)
- 6 credits/60 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Communication
- 6 credits/60 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number
Other additional requirements
The Apprenticeship will involve working with children/young people and/or vulnerable adults, entrants must complete the compulsory Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check.
Progression
Progression into this programme:
There are no pre-defined entry routes, however learners wishing to progress into this apprenticeship programme could come from a variety of backgrounds with a variety of qualifications. These might include diplomas, GCSEs, A levels, vocational training routes, vocational qualifications and work experience.
Learners can progress into this apprenticeship after having completed an apprenticeship programme in Activity Leadership or Coaching.
Learners can also progress into this apprenticeship if they are already employed in the sector and wish to develop their knowledge and skills to progress their careers.
Learners can also progress into this programme from employment in a different sector as a career change.
Progression from this programme:
Progression from this apprenticeship pathway include providing an introduction to opportunities for them to work as a physical education and school sport professional e.g. as a higher level teaching assistant (HLTA), teaching assistant (TA), sports coach, sports development officer, sports volunteer or sports leader.
This pathway also provides learners with guidance on further opportunities including how to:
- Contribute to physical education and school sport programmes as a sports coach, sports leaders and teaching assistant roles
- Make informed choices about an appropriate career in physical education/activity and school sport including potential of becoming a PE Teacher or Support staff within education (Primary & Secondary)
This pathway can also provide progression into Management and Assessing roles within the sector and across sectors including Sport, Health and Fitness and Leisure.
Equality and diversity
It is important that apprenticeship Pathways are inclusive and can demonstrate an active approach to identifying and removing barriers to entry and progression. Pathways should advance equality of opportunity between persons who share protected characteristics and those persons who do not as identified in the Equality Act 2010.
The Protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity. Marriage and civil partnership is also included although only in respect of the requirement to eliminate discrimination in employment.
Training providers and employers MUST also comply with the other duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to the industry based upon those nine protected characteristics.
Within the Sport and Active Leisure sector, the employers that deliver physical activity to young people and children across Wales face significant skills gaps. Some examples are listed below:
- There is a lack of suitably-qualified, work-ready young people entering the industry for vacant roles that already exist and which will continue to be created during an anticipated period of significant growth during the next three years
- There is a lack of structured vocational progression pathway for new entrants and existing employees in the industry to skill-up and progress within the sector from level 2 upwards.
- There is a leadership and management skills gap for realising the potential of promising talent within the industry to meet the operational and strategic needs of organisational change and expansion
These above mentioned challenges and skills gaps exist due to rapid sector growth through increased funding into Primary school sport and Olympic legacy requirements.
There is also a lack of a good range of existing qualifications to meet the current role requirements hence the development of this new Physical Activity Apprenticeship pathway.
In the past the sector also struggled with a lack of industry commitment to ensuring career progression, formalised management training or succession planning, which is now unsustainable with both legislative changes and the wider remit of the sector supporting key agendas around health, changes to school sport and participation.
By having an open access, prejudice and discrimination free recruitment process to our apprenticeship programmes, we are encouraging anyone interested from any race, religion and ethnicity to enter the sector, and this way we can make a small contribution to trying to ensure the ethnicity balance will improve over a period of time.
Employment responsibilities and rights
Employment Responsibilities and Rights (ERR) is no longer compulsory. But it is recommended that all apprentices (especially the 16 years -18 year group) receive a company induction programme.
Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the Training Provider and Employer to ensure that the requirements of this pathway are delivered in accordance with the Welsh Government Apprenticeships Guidance.
Further information may be obtained from: Welsh Government
Annex 1 Level 3: Supporting Teaching and Learning in Physical Education and School Sport
The learner must achieve 54 credits from 12 mandatory units.
Mandatory Units
- Communication and professional relationships with children, young people and adult
- (knowledge – 2 credits)
- Schools as organisations (knowledge – 3 credits)
- Understand how to safeguard the wellbeing of children and young people (knowledge – 3 credits)
- Understand child and young person development (knowledge – 4 credits)
- Support assessment for learning (competence– 4 credits)
- Plan a physical education and school sport programme (competence - 5 credits)
- Deliver a physical education and school sport programme (competence – 4 credits)
- Review the delivery of a physical education and school sport programme (competence – 3 credits)
- Organise and lead a sport event or competition (competence – 3 credits)
- Preparing for the mentoring role (knowledge – 3 credits)
- Support gifted and talented learners (competence – 4 credits)
- Facilitate community-based sport and physical activity (competence – 8 credits) and knowledge – 8 credits)
Total credits from knowledge: 23 credits.
Total credits from competence: 31 credits.