Sport and Fitness

For learners wishing to explore the areas of Fitness, Physical Activity, Health, Wellbeing and Exercise. The course is brand new and designed to allow learners to develop their understanding of a wide range of topics that influence a person's health and wellbeing.

The area of health-related fitness and preventative medicine is ever-growing. This course looks to ensure learners understand these elements as well as the importance of rehabilitation from illness as well as pre-hab to prevent illness. The Exercise and Fitness industry believes this to be a growth area for Exercise professionals where their skills can be positively utilised in a health setting to allow our population to remain healthy through all stages of life.

The course is about exercise, fitness, wellbeing, and health and aims to allow learners to gain confidence in supporting others to maintain good levels in all these areas. Topics like nutrition, anatomy, physiology and exercise prescription will be covered in detail.

CIMSPA professional standards in the following areas will also be covered:

• Gym Instructor Practitioner
• Group Exercise Instructor Practitioner
• Health Navigator

These areas being covered and mapped within the HNC ensures learners are aligned with industry-standard knowledge and qualifications. This course would also suit learners wishing to progress into the fitness industry through gym instruction, fitness classes or personal training.

Qualification requirements are 2 Graded Highers (A-C) as a minimum, but it is important not to underestimate the importance of being fully committed to the course given its content and level.

Attempting the HNC alongside are large number of Highers would not usually be recommended. Instead, this offering will likely suit a learner who has already achieved some Highers and, in their final school year, hopes to achieve this HNC alongside perhaps 1 or 2 Highers.

Level 7 work carries a level of complexity that requires us to use various assessment methods. Some practical assessments will take place along with closed book tests (class-based) and written assignments which require prior research and reading to be completed.

This is a brand-new course and so learners in 24-25 will be some of the first to qualify. With the industry mapping and standards attached, learners could access roles within the fitness industry.

Learners may also wish to consider college as the next step to complete the full Higher National Diploma in Physical Activity and Health (1 year at college after achieving HNC). Equally, the HNC would be a strong addition to any UCAS application.

Previous school leavers have used relevant HNCs to strengthen a Year 1 university application while others have been able to directly access Year 2 of a degree.