Sport & Leisure BTEC Introduction  Diploma (Edexcel)

Duration  1 year

Minimum entry There are no formal entry requirements for this course, however an interest in sport and leisure is a must as is a wiliness to take part in many practical sports.

Possible combinations No other academic courses are needed as this is a full time programme which includes lots of practical, theory work and the development of literacy and numeracy skills through sport.

Skills developed (by studying Sport & Leisure you will extend your skills in the following areas)

• Practical ability in many sports 
• Sports leadership
• Producing written work
• Researching information
• Sports Analysis
• Customer Service
• Knowledge and understanding of the leisure industry in the UK

Enrichment opportunities During this course you will have an opportunity to visit local and national sport and leisure organisations such as Guildford Spectrum and Skirmish Paint Balling Ltd. There are also opportunities to complete a nationally recognised coaching award, for example, FA level one.

This course actively encourages students to be part of a college sports team. There are many to chose from, for example, football, badminton, basketball, ultimate frisbee, rugby, hockey, volleyball and table tennis. 

Recent results There has been a 100% pass rate in BTEC Introductory in Sport and Leisure at the College since it’s introduction, with the majority of students achieving high grades.

What does the course involve?
Sport and Leisure is an ideal subject for students who wish to gain an insight to the Sport and Leisure industry.  It will also benefit anyone wishing to develop their knowledge and understanding of many different sports through practical and written tasks. You will investigate a range of job opportunities in both sport and leisure sectors and the qualifications needed for these.

This subject involves the group planning and organising a sports event, you will also have the opportunity to demonstrate your customer service skills through coaching sessions in a
variety of sports.

Specific Content
You will be required to study all eight units to achieve the BTEC Introductory Diploma level one qualification. The course offers a huge variety of both practical and theoretical
approaches to learning.  

Units 1 + 2:  Working in the Sport and Leisure Industry
You will learn that the Sport and Leisure industry is a fun but extremely competitive industry in which to work. The unit helps you to become aware of the wide range of job opportunities there are in different types of organisations and how these may affect current lifestyle habits.   

Unit 3:  The Healthy Body
An understanding of how the body works, current trends within the population and how we can combat certain unhealthy trends is essential to a career in the sports. This unit involves
investigating major muscles, the skeleton, the heart and the respiratory system and how they affect sports performance. Also this unit will include learning about current initiatives to
increase sports participation within your local community and nationwide.

Unit 4:  Personal Effectiveness
This unit will help you understand what skills and qualities you have at the moment and which ones you may need to develop for your dream job within the Sport and Leisure industry. You will also produce a CV and an action plan to ensure you achieve them.

Unit 6: Financial Studies
The Sport and Leisure industry relies heavily on volunteers to manage and run events such as Sunday league football or even just organising trips out for groups. This unit covers the
essentials of personal finances, budgets and the reasons why it is important to stay within your means. 

Unit 7:  Organising Sport Events
Many sports coaching jobs require you to organise competitions to promote different sports. In this unit you will develop your knowledge of the range of competition types that are available and learn how to organise fixtures and results tables through practical application. At the end of the unit you will be working as a group to plan and deliver a sport or leisure event of your choice.

Unit 9:  Taking Part in Sport
Practical knowledge and experience of many different sports is essential to any career within the sports coaching. This unit explores many traditional and non-traditional sports, for example, Football, Ultimate Frisbee, Handball, Dodgeball, Rugby and Lacrosse. Whilst taking part you will develop an understanding of the major rules and regulations whilst learning how to be an effective official.

Unit 10:  Customer Service
As the Sport and Leisure industry is customer service orientated, it is critical that you learn in this unit about the importance of delivering good customer service. Through coaching sessions, sports events and role play you will have the opportunity to develop your own customer service skill and techniques for dealing with challenging customers.

How will I be assessed?
All assessments are continuous and based on a “coursework” approach. Students will be able to produce evidenced through a variety of assessment activities including: reports, role plays, PowerPoint presentations, leaflets, posters etc.

Each unit is graded Pass, Merit or Distinction.

Where could the subject take me in the future?
This Diploma course is designed to equip you with the knowledge, skills and qualities needed to progress in the Sport and Leisure industry or to continue within education. Please note a minimum of a merit is required on the BTEC Introductory Sport and Leisure to progress on to a level two qualification.

What the Students say
‘We have learnt many new sports which were fun. When I first started college I never knew there was a sport called Ultimate Frisbee, now we are arranging a competition for students vs staff – it is great! ‘

‘This year has really shown me what I can do, I have even passed my literacy and numeracy level one qualifications and came out with a Distinction for the BTEC Introductory in Sport and Leisure. I can’t wait to progress next year.’