UK’s largest children’s coaching company supports new Diplomas
SkillsActive Press Release: Date: For immediate use
SkillsActive is proud to announce Premier Sport has joined the Diploma Employer Champions Network (DECN) to support the Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure.
Employers have shown great support for the development of the Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure in a bid to create what has the potential to become the ‘flagship’ qualification for all 14-19 years olds wanting to enter the sport and active leisure sector.
David Batch, CEO of Premier Sport says: “Our mission statement is to 'provide opportunity to many as the first choice provider of primary school PE & sport in the UK'. The opportunities available aren't just for teachers, schools and parents, they are also extended to young people who wish to begin careers or even businesses with Premier Sport. Education and continued learning is a key element of our ongoing staff development and the Diploma's compliment the Premier Sport ethos.”
Premier Sport is the nation's largest children’s coaching company with a team of 300 qualified coaches delivering over 20 different sports every day across the UK. The programme is based on and linked to the national programme of study for PE at Foundation, KS1 and KS2. Currently more than 100,000 children participate in coaching activities at a Premier Sport events every week.
Fiona Mortlock, Chair of Diploma Development Partnership for the Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure:
“Premier Sport’s commitment to providing qualified coaching staff in UK schools ties in well with our two headline ambitions set with the government – to leave a lasting legacy of grass-roots participation in sport and to see 50% of the nation active and healthy by 2020.”
The Diploma Employer Champion Network (DECN) currently has more than 90 members and is led by Sir Alan Jones of Toyota, and consists of employer volunteer champions across different UK sectors.
Welcoming David to the Network, Sir Alan Jones said: “The Champions’ Network promotes the benefits of the Diploma to employers, and demonstrates that well-respected employers are integral to the design and delivery of the qualification. It is great to have David and Premier Sport on board, working together with schools and colleges to improve educational opportunities for young people."
The Diploma employer champions play a vital role of further encouraging and providing advice to other employers in the industry wanting to get involved and take part in generating future employees who will have a solid sector-relevant foundation combined with work-related skills and competencies to meet business needs.
The Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure development partnership would like to encourage more employers in the industry to get involved and pledge their support. For more information on how to please visit the employer pages on www.skillsactive.com/saldiploma
Further information on Premier Sport is available at www.premiersport.org.
For more on the Diploma employer champion network please visit www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19
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For more information please contact Bernadette Muller from SkillsActive’s media team on: 020 7632 2000 or email bernadette.muller@skillsactive.com
Notes to the Editor:
The Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure
Currently in the second year of development, the Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure will be available for first teaching from September 2010.
The Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure will provide students with knowledge and understanding of the sport and active leisure industry. The Diploma combines both theory and hands on experience that gives students the opportunity to gain a fully rounded education through a number of learning methods within the environments of both the classroom and the workplace.
The development of this Diploma will assist the sport and active leisure industry by providing well rounded future employees, who will be well informed about the sector upon employment or further education.
The Diploma will be taught at three levels; foundation, higher and advanced. Each level incorporating principal learning based on developing the skills and knowledge of the sport and active leisure industry, generic learning based on fundamental teachings in English, maths, ICT, additional and specialist learning to focus study on a particular topic within the industry in more depth. The Diploma also incorporates a minimum of 10 days experience of work, wherein students have the opportunity to gain work-related skills and also a project wherein students are able to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and understanding of processes developed throughout their studies.
The diploma development partnership (DDP) is made up of employers, sector skills councils (SSCs), sector skill bodies (SSBs), higher education (HE), further education (FE), training providers, awarding bodies, schools and key stakeholder professional bodies, led by SkillsActive as the convening SSC.
For more information please visit www.skillsactive.com/saldiploma.
