Sport: Sport and Physical Activity: Coaching Pathway Diploma Level 3 Full-time

You’ll investigate how sport works in practice — from tactics, rules, and regulations to the wider benefits of an active lifestyle. You’ll look at strategies that support improvement, examine current challenges that affect participation, and explore how behaviour and external factors can influence athletic performance. As part of your development, you’ll also create a personalised career plan that outlines your ambitions and the steps required to achieve them.

A key element of the course is gaining hands‑on experience. You’ll have opportunities to work with sports academies and external partners, applying what you’ve learned in real coaching environments. This practical exposure helps you understand how to communicate effectively, organise sessions, and manage different types of participants, giving you a strong insight into the demands of the industry.

Course themes:

• Exercise, health and lifestyles
• Preparing for a career in sport and physical activity
• Sports coaching
• Work experience
• Coaching special populations
• The athletes lifestyle
• School sport delivery

You will be assessed through discussions, group presentations and activities, written assessments, practical demonstrations, fitness tests, logbooks and diaries and observations.

• Four GCSEs at grade 4 or above including either English Language or Maths.
• You will need to be actively involved in playing, officiating or coaching as part of a team for the Barnsley College Sports Academy during the course.
• You will be committed to completing a minimum of 60 hours of work

Sports qualifications can lead to a range of careers, including working as a sports coach, fitness instructor, sport development officer, health and wellbeing co-ordinators or a PE teacher