Professional standards library

Employer-led standards for every job role in sport and physical activity.

This library contains full versions of CIMSPA professional standards.

Occupational professional standards

The role of a Personal Trainer is to coach clients (on a one-to-one and small group basis) towards their health and fitness goals through the planning and delivery of creative and personalised exercise programmes and instruction, nutritional advice and overall lifestyle management.

Personal Trainer professional standard

01/02/2018

V1.1

Personal Trainer – mapping template

13/04/2022

V1.4

The role of the Gym Instructor is to engage, facilitate, educate and support clients in the gym environment.

Gym Instructor professional standard

18/02/2018

V1.1

Gym Instructor - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

A Coach will improve a participant’s experience of sport and physical activity by providing specialised support and guidance aligned to their individual needs.

Coach professional standard

01/06/2018

V1.0

Coach - mapping template

02/09/2022

V3

Aspiring Managers are individuals employed in the sport and physical activity sector who do not have management experience or responsibilities in their current role who have aspirations to fulfil management (team leader/coordinator/supervisor) responsibilities in the future.

Aspiring Manager professional standard

18/06/2018

V1.1

Aspiring Manager - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

Entry Managers are employed in the sport and physical activity sector as individuals operating in a first-line management position, who are able to work independently under some supervision and direction.

Entry Manager professional standard

01/06/2019

V1.1

Entry Manager - mapping template

20/06/2022

General Managers are individuals employed in the sport and physical activity sector who are experienced managers.

General Manager professional standard

01/06/2019

V1.1

General Manager - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

The role of the Senior Manager is to lead, plan and implement initiatives to achieve organisations strategic priorities.

Senior Manager professional standard

01/02/2022

V1.0

Senior Manager - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

The role of the Swimming Teacher is to plan, deliver and evaluate a series of swimming lessons providing a safe learning environment.

Swimming Teacher professional standard

01/10/2017

V1.0

Swimming Teacher - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

The role of the Lifeguard is to facilitate a safe aquatic environment to enable users to participate in a range of aquatic activities.

Lifeguard professional standard

01/10/2017

V1.1

Lifeguard - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

A Coaching Assistant will improve a participant’s experience of sport and physical activity by supporting a coach to provide specialised support and guidance aligned to their individual needs.

Coaching Assistant professional standard

01/06/2018

V1.0

Coaching Assistant - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

The role of the Recreation Assistant is to support, enhance and deliver the operations of a leisure facility. These operations typically service sport and physical activities across a facility, for example: swimming pools, water slides, saunas, activity areas and sports pitches.

Recreation Assistant professional standard

01/10/2017

V1.0

Recreation Assistant - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

The role of a Pool Plant Operative is to manage the pool plant and surrounding amenities. Ensuring a safe working environment is regularly maintained and all legal requirements are adhered to.

Pool Plant Operative professional standard

01/02/2019

V1.0

Pool Plant Operative - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

The primary role of the assessor is to assess candidates’ performance and/or related knowledge in a range of tasks and to ensure that the competence and/or knowledge demonstrated meets the required standards and learning objectives.

Assessor professional standard

01/03/2021

V1.0

Assessor - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

The role of the Assistant Swimming Teacher is to provide a fantastic experience to people learning to swim by delivering fun, safe and inclusive swimming activities.

Assistant Swimming Teacher professional standard

01/02/2019

V1.0

Assistant Swimming Teacher - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

Coach developers are expert support practitioners who plan for, implement, and sustain strategies and interventions in support of skilled performance in sport coaching.

Coach Developer professional standard

01/03/2021

V1.0

Coach Developer - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

The role of the Strength and Conditioning Trainer is to coach, engage, facilitate, educate and support participants in multiple training environments, including but not limited to: weight training facilities, sports halls, health and fitness gym facilities and outdoor spaces.

Strength and Conditioning Trainer professional standard

01/01/2019

V1.0

Strength and Conditioning Trainer - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

The Health Navigator Professional Standard seeks to support frontline employees within the sport and physical activity industries as they engage, signpost and support new or returning participants to physical activity or other lifestyle interventions.

Health Navigator professional standard

19/09/2019

V1.0

Health Navigator - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

Core Group Exercise Instructors are fitness professionals who teach, lead, and motivate groups of individuals through intentionally-designed, pre-choreographed exercise classes.

Core Group Exercise Instructor professional standard

01/10/2017

V1.0

Core Group Exercise Instructor - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

A Graduate Strength and Conditioning Coach will improve a participant’s experience of sport and physical activity by providing specialised support and guidance aligned to their individual needs.

Graduate Strength and Conditioning Coach professional standard

01/09/2019

V1.2

Graduate Strength and Conditioning Coach - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

A Tutor will provide support and high-quality education programmes to learners to enable them to achieve the intended outcome of completing the programme/course.

Tutor professional standard

07/07/2022

V1.0

Tutor - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

The role of the Pilates based matwork instructor is to engage, facilitate, educate, and support clients within Pilates classes.

Pilates Based Matwork Instructor professional standard

15/02/2023

V1.0

Pilates Based Matwork Instructor mapping template

15/02/2023

V1.1

Population specialism professional standards

This professional standard outlines the knowledge and skills, required by practitioners involved in the support and delivery of physical activity, exercise and behaviour change for adults who are at high(er) risk of developing or living with one or more long term conditions.

Working with People with Long Term Conditions (LTC) professional standard

01/02/2019

V1.0

Working with People with Long Term Conditions (LTC) - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

This Population Specialism supports an individual who is working with the following people:
  • Core population: disabled people

Working Inclusively - (Working with Disabled People) professional standard

01/01/2021

V1.0

Working Inclusively - (Working with Disabled People) - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

This Population Specialism supports inactive individuals and groups; it aims to enable front line delivery of physical activity with the tools to be able to engage the most inactive people in society and change their inactive behaviour.

Working with Inactive People professional standard

01/05/2019

V1.0

Working with Inactive People - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

This Population Specialism supports an individual who is working with the following people:

  • Core population: children aged 5–18.
  • Specialist population: primary age 5–11, secondary age: 11–18.

Working with Children professiona standard

01/06/2018

V1.0

Working with Children - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

This Population Specialism supports an individual who is working with the following people:

  • Core population: children aged 0-5 years.

Working with Children 0-5 years professional standard

01/06/2018

V1.0

Working with Children 0-5 years - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

This Population Specialism supports antenatal and postnatal individuals and groups:

  • Core population: antenatal and postnatal clients

Working with Antenatal and Postnatal Clients professional standard

31/05/2023

V1.1

Working with Antenatal and Postnatal Clients - mapping template

16/06/2023

V1.2

This CIMSPA Population Specialism allows you to demonstrate your expertise in working with women and girls in a sport and physical activity setting.

Working with Women and Girls - professional standard

17/10/2023

V1.1

Working with Women and Girls - mapping template

17/10/2023

V1.1

Environment specialism professional standards

This Environment Specialism supports an individual who is working and engaging within the local community.

Working in the Community Environment professional standard

01/07/2019

V1.0

Working in the Community Environment - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

This Environment Specialism supports an individual who is working within the school environment (out of curriculum).

Working in the School Environment (Out of Curriculum) professional standard

01/06/2018

Working in the School Environment (Out of Curriculum) - mapping template

20/06/2022

Examples of front-line coaches who work in a high-performance sport environment are individuals employed or deployed in the sport and physical activity sector who coach performance and/or elite athletes/players.

Coaching in High-Performance Sport professional standard

01/11/2019

V1.7

Coaching in High-Performance Sport - mapping template

25/07/2023

V3

Technical specialism professional standards

This Technical Specialism supports an individual who has a need to, within their job role, be aware of and/or implement safeguarding procedures to protect adults and adults at risk.

Safeguarding Adults and Adults at Risk professional standard

01/05/2019

V1.0

Safeguarding Adults and Adults at Risk - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

This Technical Specialism supports an individual who has a need to, within their job role, be aware of and/or implement safeguarding procedures to protect children.

Link

Safeguarding and Protecting Children professional standard

01/06/2018

V1.0

Safeguarding and Protecting Children - mapping template

20/06/2022

V2

This Technical Specialism supports an individual who is specialising in delivering Tai Chi specifically in a Health and Wellbeing setting. This standard has not been designed to cover delivery of Tai Chi outside of this setting.

Tai Chi for Health and Wellbeing professional standard

08/07/2022

V1.0

Tai Chi for Health and Wellbeing - mapping template

08/07/2022

V1

This Technical Specialism supports an individual who is specialising in delivering Qigong specifically in a Health and Wellbeing setting. This standard has not been designed to cover delivery of Qigong outside of this setting.

Qigong for Health and Wellbeing professional standard

08/07/2022

V1.0

Qigong for Health and Wellbeing - mapping template

08/07/2022

V1