Assistant Coach Qualification: Your Questions Answered

Places on our first cohort for the new Assistant Coach qualification are now full. You can still apply for our second cohort, who will begin their course in September 2024.

Below you can find answers to frequently asked questions about the qualification - if you've got a question not answered here, get in touch with us at coaching@iceskating.org.uk

Assistant Coach: Qualification Critiera

Frequently Asked Questions:

How old must I be to apply?

You must be minimum 16 years old at the point of beginning the qualification. For Cohort 2 (currently open for applications) this will means applicants must be 16 by 1st September 2024.

How do I apply?

You need to complete an application form and upload it to your Sport80 profile.

How long will it take me to complete the Assistant Coach qualification?

It will take you approximately nine months from start to finish (a little longer if you need to resit your assessment).

What is included in the cost?

The cost includes:

• modules and guidance freshly updated to reflect industry best practice

• the applicant’s license fee for their first year once qualified
  

• written and practical exams (including Competency Test if needed)

• education from experts in the field at the BIS Coaching Convention or a dedicated Education Day (cohort-dependent)

• multiple professional development courses

Find out more about exactly what the course involves here.

What does the Competency Test involve?

The Competency Test will assess your ability to demonstrate necessary skating skills in a safe and controlled manner while maintaining awareness of the rink and skaters around you.

To pass, you should be able to competently perform all of the required elements of Skate UK levels 1-8, while demonstrating situational awareness (for example, being able to stop in a controlled manner to assist a participant, or to avoid potential collisions).

The Competency Test is only required for applicants who do not already hold a Level 1 National Skills test. This is to allow skaters from all backgrounds to begin their coaching journey here as long as they can demonstrate the necessary skating skills.

What if my rink doesn't do Skate UK, or runs an older version of Skate UK?

You do not have to be based at a BIS-approved rink to apply for or successfully achieve this qualification.

The learn to skate programme at your rink should still cover the fundamentals of ice skating that must be learned and demonstrated in order to qualify; this learning must then be made evident in your recorded mentor hours. The Skate UK app may be helpful for tracking exactly what you need to cover.

What are 'cohorts' and why are they capped at a limited number?

Your cohort is the group of people studying the course at the same time as you. We limit the number of people in each group to ensure we can deliver the course to a high standard, providing you with quality contact time from instructors and staff and better value for money.

What are the plans for future cohorts?

Our first cohort is full, but you can still apply for cohort 2, who will begin their course in September 2024.

Once places on this cohort are full, applications will be paused until they reopen for our third cohort (due to open on 1st Sept).

Subsequent cohorts will be announced at a later date.

I'm a qualified BIS Level 1 coach - can I upgrade to the Assistant Coach qualification?

Yes, if you are a qualified Level 1 Coach, you can upgrade to the Assistant Coach qualification by completing our Bridge The Gap process. You can find out more about this here.

I'm currently working towards my BIS Level 1 qualification - can I change to the Assistant Coach qualification?

Unfortunately, no. However, once qualified you can attend "Bridge The Gap" sessions held by BIS to allow you to become a recognised Assistant Coach.