Name

Coachwise 1st4sport

Legal name

UK Coaching Solutions Limited

Website

https://1st4sport.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Sport Qualifications

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Referee, Umpire & Coach Education/Certification Academies (MPAKAJAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sports Compliance, Governance & Integrity Services (Safeguarding, Anti-Doping, Match Integrity) (MPAKAKAM)

Keywords

• Vocational sport qualifications
• Coaching certification awards
• Apprenticeship end-point assessments
• Fitness instructor training
• Equine vocational qualifications

Headquarters

HQ city

Leeds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Qualification Certification and Delivery Fees: Revenue is generated through fees charged to recognised centres for qualification certification, delivery, and assessment services. Centres apply to become recognised and pay for qualification offerings.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

1st4sport is an awarding organisation that develops and awards Ofqual-regulated vocational qualifications, technical qualifications, and apprenticeship end-point assessments for the sport, physical activity, and health and leisure sectors. The portfolio spans 134 qualifications across 39 sports/activities, from Entry Level 2 through Level 5, delivered through a network of 223 recognised centres and 28 national governing body partners, with many qualifications CIMSPA endorsed.

Product overview

1st4sport is a portfolio of vocational qualifications, technical qualifications, and apprenticeship assessments for the sport, physical activity, and health and leisure sectors. The portfolio comprises six product categories: Activity and Leadership qualifications (multi-skills development, school sport support, activity leadership); Coaching qualifications (sport-specific coaching across 30+ sports including gymnastics, judo, rowing, rugby league, equestrian, snooker, basketball, netball); Education and Training qualifications (assessing, internal quality assurance, teaching); Equine qualifications (from entry level horse care through to senior equine groom diplomas and racehorse management); Health, Leisure and Fitness qualifications (gym instructing, personal training, spectator safety, nutrition, first aid); plus End-point Assessments and an Endorsement Service for third-party learning solutions. The qualifications range from Entry Level 2 through Level 5, are regulated by Ofqual (England), Qualifications Wales, and CCEA (Northern Ireland), and many are CIMSPA endorsed. 1st4sport is a brand of UK Coaching Solutions Limited, the trading arm of UK Coaching charity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 1st4sport Activity and Leadership Qualifications Qualifications preparing learners for work as activators across a range of activities and sports environments, supporting multi-skills development, school sport, and activity leadership.
• 1st4sport Coaching Qualifications Coaching qualifications across 30+ sports providing fundamental knowledge and skills for sport-specific coaching roles, delivered through recognised centres and in partnership with national governing bodies.
• 1st4sport Education and Training Qualifications Vocational and technical qualifications covering assessing, internal quality assurance, and teaching for the further education and skills sector.
• 1st4sport Equine Qualifications Equine qualifications covering horse care, racehorse care, equestrian coaching, and horseracing industry knowledge, from entry level through senior groom diplomas, developed in partnership with British Horseracing Authority and British Equestrian Federation.
• 1st4sport Health, Leisure and Fitness Qualifications Qualifications for the health, leisure, and fitness sector including gym instructing, personal training, spectator safety, nutrition, and first aid at work.
• 1st4sport End-Point Assessments Apprenticeship end-point assessment service providing experienced and qualified assessors throughout England, with access to tools, resources, and support to apprenticeship training providers.
• 1st4sport Endorsement Service Service for endorsing third-party learning solutions including workshops, conferences, seminars, and other educational products that support the sport, physical activity, and health and leisure sectors, with endorsement valid for three years.
• 1st4sport Recognised Centre Services Service enabling organisations to become recognised 1st4sport centres to deliver qualifications, including centre portal access, quality assurance, and ongoing support.
• 1st4sport Certificate Services Certificate ordering and management service providing replacement certificates and verification for learners who have completed 1st4sport qualifications.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Badminton EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational governing body partnership for badminton coaching qualifications.
• British GymnasticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for gymnastics coaching qualifications including artistic, rhythmic, trampoline, TeamGym, and tumbling disciplines.
• British Horseracing AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for equine and racing qualifications. Technical experts from BHA provided advice in qualification development.
• British JudocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational governing body partnership for judo coaching qualifications.
• British RowingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for rowing coaching qualifications (fixed and sliding seat) and strength and conditioning for rowing.
• England NetballcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for netball coaching qualifications at Levels 1-3.
• England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for cricket coaching qualifications including Foundation, Core, and Advanced Coach programmes.
• Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Level 5 Diploma for Personal Development Practitioners supporting elite athletes.
• Boccia EnglandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for boccia coaching qualifications.
• World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for snooker coaching qualifications Levels 2-3.
• British Wheelchair BasketballminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for wheelchair basketball coaching qualifications.
• Motorsport UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for motorsport coaching qualifications.
• UK PolocrosseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for polocrosse coaching qualifications.
• British TaekwondominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for taekwondo coaching qualifications.
• British ShowjumpingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for showjumping coaching qualifications.
• British OrienteeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for orienteering coaching qualifications.
• ParkourUKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for parkour and freerunning coaching qualifications.
• The Bikeability TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for cycle training and bikeability qualifications.
• British DressageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for dressage coaching qualifications.
• Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIMSPA Professional Standards Endorsement for qualifications. Multiple qualifications are mapped against professional standards and award CPD points.
• British Equestrian FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmbrella partnership for equestrian coaching qualifications across all disciplines including dressage, showjumping, eventing, endurance, carriage driving, western, and polocrosse.
• Rugby Football LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for rugby league coaching qualifications at Levels 2-3.
• Basketball EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for basketball coaching qualifications at Levels 2-3.
• UK CoachingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent charity and brand owner. UK Coaching Solutions Limited is the trading arm of UK Coaching, the UK-registered charity leading the development of coaching. All proceeds go back to UK Coaching to invest in developing coaching.
• MNU (MNU - Micronutrient/Nutrition Institute)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partnership for Level 5 Diploma in Advanced Nutrition Science.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• CIMSPA (Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity): Professional standards body for the UK sport and physical activity sector. 1st4sport qualifications are mapped against CIMSPA Professional Standards, making CIMSPA a key partner and ecosystem anchor rather than direct competitor — but their endorsement framework shapes the addressable qualifications market.
• UK Coaching: Parent charity of UK Coaching Solutions Limited (which operates 1st4sport). Not a peer in the competitive sense — but is the brand and mission umbrella under which 1st4sport operates, providing visibility and shared resources.

Direct peers

• Active IQ: UK awarding organisation specialising in active leisure, fitness, and sport qualifications. Directly comparable niche focus to 1st4sport with overlapping qualification portfolio in gym instructing, personal training, and leisure management — competes in the same CIMSPA-aligned qualifications space.
• Highfield Awarding Body for Compliance (HABC): UK awarding organisation providing regulated vocational qualifications across sectors including sport, leisure, and first aid. Overlaps with 1st4sport in first aid and health/leisure qualifications, competing for the same training provider customers.
• NCFE: UK awarding organisation offering vocational qualifications including in sport, active leisure, and health/fitness sectors. Closely comparable in business model (regulated qualifications delivered through approved centres) and competes head-to-head for college and training provider contracts.
• YMCA Awards (now part of NCFE): Awarding organisation for fitness and sport qualifications including gym, personal training, and leisure qualifications. Now operating within NCFE but historically a direct competitor to 1st4sport in the same qualification categories.
• Innovate Awarding: Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation offering vocational qualifications across multiple sectors including sport and active leisure. Directly comparable regulated business model with centre-based delivery competing for the same FE college and training provider contracts.
• TQUK (Training Qualifications UK): Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation with a broad vocational portfolio including sport, fitness, and leisure qualifications. Competes with 1st4sport in the same FE/training provider channel with comparable centre-based delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Pearson (BTEC): Global awarding organisation whose BTEC brand competes directly with 1st4sport in further-education sport and exercise science qualifications. Operates with significantly larger portfolio and international reach, though sport-specific depth is less than 1st4sport's.
• City & Guilds: Major UK awarding organisation offering vocational qualifications across multiple sectors including sport, active leisure, and health/fitness. Directly competes with 1st4sport for college and training provider qualifications, but operates at much larger scale with broader sector coverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/1st4sportdotcom
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1st4sport-qualifications
• Facebookfacebook.com/1st4sport

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Coachwise 1st4sport