Plan and Prepare Coaching Sessions in Sport and Physical Activity

This standard is about planning and preparing individual coaching sessions within an existing programme, curriculum, or organisational framework in sport and physical activity contexts.

It applies to coaches working in environments, including community sport, education-based activity, club settings and structured participation programmes. The coach prepares sessions that are safe, inclusive and appropriate to the participants and context, using agreed schemes of work, session templates, programme guidance and organisational procedures.

1. work in accordance with relevant legislation, organisational policies, and codes of conduct applicable to the coaching context
2. Gather and use relevant information to identify participant support needs, to inform safe and inclusive planning within own scope of practice.
3. clarify session aims and objectives within the agreed programme, curriculum, or framework
4. plan coaching sessions using agreed templates, schemes of work, or guidance
5. Select, discuss and agree activities, equipment and resources that are appropriate to the participants, their needs, goals and the environment.
6. identify and plan alternative activities or approaches to enable coaching sessions to continue safely and effectively in response to changes or constraints
7. identify common hazards associated with the environment and activities
8. take appropriate action to manage risk and maintain participant safety
9. prepare the coaching environment to support safe and effective delivery

1. The legislation, organisational policies, codes of conduct, duty of care, safeguarding responsibilities, and professional standards that apply across different coaching contexts.
2. how participant information informs session planning in different environments
3. The range of participant support needs that may arise and how these influence safe and inclusive session planning
4. The importance of reasonable adjustments and how to make adaptations within your competence.
5. the importance of working to agreed aims, objectives, or curriculum outcomes
6. principles of session structure and progression
7. the importance of contingency planning when preparing coaching sessions, including how alternative activities, resources, or approaches support safety, inclusion, and continuity of delivery
8. common hazards in a range of coaching environments and how to manage them
9. how to prepare facilities, equipment, for sessions in different environments
10. the importance of working within your scope of practice and recognising when to seek guidance, additional support, or refer beyond your competence

Participant support needs

Individual needs that may affect participation, including physical, emotional, developmental, behavioural, or confidence-related factors, and which influence inclusive session planning

Scope of practice

The defined limits of responsibility, competence, and authority within a coaching role, including when to seek guidance or refer beyond those limits

SKASC2 & SKASPC4