Level 4 Coaching Rugby Union – 2015/2016 Course
APPLICATION AND ADMISSION DETAILS
The Level 4 Course in Coaching Rugby Union has been developed in line with UK Coaching Certificate
(UKCC) criteria and applications are now invited for the 2015/16 course.
The course is postgraduate in nature and it is intended that coaches on the course receive academic
credit for achieving Level 4 in partnership with a Higher Education (HE) institution (subject to
achieving the required standard of a prescribed supplementary module and paying the HE
administration and management fee - amount to be confirmed).
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Applications are invited from coaches who should note that:
 All applicants must ensure they are available for all of the course dates
 Applicants should complete and return the Expression of Interest form by Friday 9th January
2015
 Expressions of Interest forms should be emailed to [email protected] and
[email protected]
 Expressions of Interest forms will be screened by the Selection Panel (Kevin Bowring, Dick
Tilley, Dean Clark and Nick Scott), and places will be offered to successful candidates in
February 2015
LEVEL 3 COACHES WORKING IN THE TALENT DEVELOPMENT, PERFORMANCE AND ELITE STRANDS OF
THE RFU COACH DEVELOPMENT MODEL ARE WELCOME TO APPLY. COACHES WHO HAVE APPLIED
PREVIOUSLY MUST RE-APPLY IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED.
COSTS
The cost of the Level 4 course is £2750 plus VAT. First payment (50% of total course fees) should be
made following confirmation of acceptance by the Selection Panel and prior to the start of the course,
with the remainder to be paid on 1st September 2015. The fee includes all tuition fees; assessment
costs; resources; 7 nights’ accommodation and full board; certification, in addition to 1 to 1 support in
the candidate’s coaching environment. There will be an additional charge for any coach who wishes to
take the opportunity of receiving academic credit for their qualification.
COURSE DATES
Level 4 2015/2016 Projected Course Duration and Workshop Dates
Pre-course Preparation –
February, March, April 2015
Induction
16th April 2015
Workshop 1 – 3 days 2 nights –
12th/13th/14th May 2015
Workshop 2 – 2 days 1 night –
24th/25th June 2015
Workshop 3 – 3 days 2 nights –
14th/15th/16th July 2015
Workshop 4 – 2 days 1 night –
November 2015 or February 2016 (dates tbc)
Workshop 5 – 2 days 1 night –
April/May 2016 (dates tbc)
Presentation Day and Viva –
September 2016 (dates tbc)
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Results –
October 2016
ADMISSIONS – CRITERIA AND PROCESS
The Application Procedures above and the Admission Criteria and Admission Process below, for
acceptance and entry onto the course, need to be carefully studied and understood by all applicants.
Admission Criteria
The Admission Criteria identify the minimum requirements for entry onto the UKCC-endorsed Level 4
course. These criteria apply whether the Home Nation Union is considering candidate coaches via an
application process (advertising and awareness), or a selection/nomination process. If the number of
places available is exceeded by the number of candidates with the minimum admission criteria, or the
applicant has a non-standard profile, the selection process may utilise an Admission Process interview.
Admission to the UKCC Level 4 Rugby Union course will normally require evidence of the following
criteria:
1. UKCC endorsed Level 3 Award or equivalent
A Home Nations Rugby Union Level 3 qualification will be considered acceptable, but candidates will
be expected to demonstrate attendance at, or involvement in, extensive CPD.
2. Appropriate experience of talent development, performance or elite coaching in Rugby Union
The level of player being coached defines coaching in the talent development, performance or elite
environments as articulated in the RFU Coach Development Model. This is normally; Directors of
Rugby closely engaged in elite player development at major rugby playing schools; Academy, or Age
Group National coaches; National League Head coaches, or those coaches in the Championship or
Premiership. Age Group Representative Team coaching is not normally considered to be sufficient if
this is the candidate’s sole experience.
Although we do not specify that the candidate must have Head Coach experience, those who do not
will be asked to demonstrate their familiarity with the full range of coaching responsibilities.
In summary the following or equivalent will be expected:
 Appropriate experience following a Level 3 award, or
 Significant Performance or Elite coaching experience
3. Evidence of a capacity for extended study at postgraduate level
Where candidates do not have an undergraduate degree or appropriate diploma, they will be required
to demonstrate, (through an employment CV, previous studies, and evidence of producing
documents/plans), that they are likely to be able to cope with the demands of the programme.
Candidates may be asked to demonstrate this capacity by pre-programme study and/or production of
papers/assignments.
4. Demonstration of currency, involvement in the sport, and commitment to the game
 Applicants will be expected to evidence a programme of CPD since their Level 3 coaching
award.
 Applicants should be ‘practising coaches’ throughout the period of the programme. (This
cannot be guaranteed in advance, but applicants will be made aware that the absence of
an appropriate coaching attachment may result in a suspension from the programme.)
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Candidates need to provide 2 written references from senior coaching figures within
rugby.
Applicants need to provide a personal statement about their commitment to the game
and availability for the Level 4 course and its assessment requirements
Coaches should be prepared to agree that selected parts of their work may be published
by the RFU, thus recognising it as original and valid research developing other coaches
Candidates will be able to present evidence of these criteria in the 4 page application form.
Candidates may contend that their experience in coaching or another activity compensates for one of
the above criteria; however, requests for consideration of Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning
(APEL) e.g. in sports science, will not normally be accepted.
In circumstances in which there is a non-standard profile, i.e. where a potentially strong application
lacks some of these criteria, or the Home Nation admissions panel wishes to explore further the
coach’s application, they will be invited to an interview.
The interview will:
 Review the application form
 Explore the coach’s motives for attending the programme, and their capacity to identify
its potential impact on their coaching practice
 Invite the applicant to demonstrate their awareness of current strengths and weaknesses
in their coaching practice, including examples of how previous learning (e.g. CPD) has
impacted on their practice.
 Invite evidence to support acceptance of a non-standard application.
Admission Process
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Expressions of Interest received (closing date for these is Friday 9th January 2015)
Consideration of Expressions of Interest by Selection Panel
Selection of students
Invitation to successful coaches and action plan for unsuccessful applicants
Final confirmation of acceptance on the course
Payment of course fees
Cohort entry established
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