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1st4sport
Centre Recognition
Seven Steps to Becoming a 1st4sport Recognised Centre and Delivering Your First Qualification
Thank-you for choosing 1st4sport.
To deliver a 1st4sport qualification, your organisation must complete our approval process to become a recognised centre. This ensures that our qualifications are delivered by a well-qualified and experienced workforce in centres that are equipped with the necessary resources and expertise.
Becoming recognised and approved to deliver qualifications can be a daunting process – especially if you are new to it! But don’t worry, we will be there for you every step of the way to support you through the process. By the end you will be approved to deliver a 1st4sport qualification.
Before you start the process
Please identify one qualification to be part of your centre approval application. Once you're approved, you can then add further qualifications to your offer by applying for further qualifications as an existing centre.
Below is our step-by-step guide outlining how you can become a 1st4sport recognised centre and be approved to deliver your first 1st4sport qualification.
If you are already recognised by another awarding organisation, you should find our processes very similar. The supporting documentation you already have in place for other awarding organisations can be updated and used with your application to 1st4sport.
For your convenience, most of our recognition and approval procedure is carried out online. However, we are always happy to help you with any queries and can be contacted by email via [email protected].
If you are already a recognised centre for 1st4sport and would like to add further qualifications into your provision, please see Four Steps to Becoming Approved to Deliver an Additional Qualification.
If you're a centre new to 1st4sport, the centre recognition and qualification approval process usually lasts about a month. So, if you have a date in mind for your first course, please make sure you allow enough time to complete the process. Following the steps below will ensure that we receive all the required information and can process your application promptly.
Choose the qualification you are interested in delivering.
If you’re not already a 1st4sport recognised centre, the first step to becoming one is identifying the qualification that you want to become approved to deliver. You can find all the regulated qualifications available in a range of categories by visiting the ‘Qualifications’ section of the website.
Before applying, please make sure you have reviewed the qualification documents and that you can evidence that your workforce and resources meet the requirements of the qualification.
Email [email protected], identifying the qualification you are interested in delivering, and that you also need to gain Recognised Centre status with 1st4sport.
Once you’ve chosen the qualification you want to become approved to deliver, we will make sure your organisation meets the criteria to become:
- recognised as a 1st4sport centre
- approved to deliver your chosen qualification.
To do this, we’ll initially ask you to complete a short online form, after which we’ll contact you and share the conditions your organisation must meet, as well as those you want to quality assure and assess for your centre.
If you decide to proceed with an application after reviewing the criteria, you must pay a one-time Centre Recognition Fee of £500.
Once payment has been confirmed, we will invite you to complete your application and fill in our centre recognition and qualification approval application form.
You will need to submit several pieces of documentation during this stage, including:
- your policies and procedures
- evidence that your workforce is appropriately qualified to deliver and assess the qualification you wish to deliver.
The qualification guidance documents will contain all the evidence and information we need for qualification approval.
Your application will be reviewed by 1st4sport.
We aim to review applications within five working days of receipt. If we require additional information, we will return the application to you. You will be sent an automated email, informing you that it has been returned.
Please review the comments contained in both sections of the form that you completed, respond to the feedback and resubmit the form to us.
1st4sport confirm to you the outcome of your submission.
You will be notified that your application is updated to either:
- fully complete
- closed as declined.
Fully complete:
Your applications is confirmed as fully complete and will be marked as ‘application agreed’. This means that your recognition and approval status is pending, subject to the outcome of a recognition and approval external verification visit.
Closed as declined:
If your application is closed as declined, this means that your organisation was not eligible to become a 1st4sport recognised centre based on the information provided.
You will be able to review the feedback provided in the application documentation and consider your options for delivery. At this stage, your application will be closed and will not be able to progress further.
Any future application would have to be restarted from the beginning.
If your application is confirmed as fully complete, you will be contacted by an external quality assurer (EQA) to arrange and conduct a recognition and approval visit within 20 working days.
The EQA team will decide if this is face-to-face or online. It will be your responsibility to facilitate this activity and work with your EQA to ensure your final approval does not get delayed.
The purpose of this visit is to confirm your compliance with the Recognition and Approval Criteria. Following the EQA visit, a report will be available outlining your suitability to be a 1st4sport recognised centre.
Recognised centre status is granted.
The EQA will report the outcomes of their visit to the 1st4sport Quality Management Team. Within five working days of receipt of their report, we will confirm your status as a 1st4sport recognised centre to you via email. You’ll then be approved to deliver the qualification you applied to deliver.
At this stage you will be able to register your learners onto the qualification and apply for any additional qualifications you wish to deliver.
We look forward to welcoming you as a 1st4sport recognised centre.
Apply Today
Know the qualification you’re interested in delivering? Reviewed the qualification documents? Start your application.
Email us