British Canoeing Awarding Body is the only regulated and recognised awarding organisation for paddlesport. Our work and compliance with Ofqual, Qualification Wales and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment ensures the highest standards of quality assurance and standardisation, providing assurances to both participant and deployer.
Our qualifications are also mapped to the professional standards of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) aligned to coaching national standards.
Our governance structures
To ensure we are confident in both the qualifications’ content and quality assurance, BCAB has comprehensive systems in place to scrutinise and support our work.
Governance and Risk Committee
A sub committee of the Paddle UK Board, with responsibilities for issues of governance, compliance and risk. This committee scrutinises and approves the Awarding Body statement of compliance and future compliance to the regulators Ofqual, Qualification Wales and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment.
BCAB Committee
The Awarding Body Committee supports the Board in its responsibilities for Paddle UK Coaching and Qualifications to comply with the regulators Ofqual, Qualifications Wales and the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment. Members of the committee have expertise in regulatory matters, providing knowledge around National Qualification frameworks and occupational standards.
External Quality Assurer
As part of the quality assurance process, the BCAB External Quality Assurer scrutinises and supports Delivery Centre activity as well as assessment decisions. Both desk based and field visits are carried out to ensure standardisation of assessment criteria is being met.
Delivery Centres
Four Delivery Centres cover the home nations as well as international activity, responsible for recruitment, training providers, authorising courses, maintaining quality and standardisation stipulated by the Awarding Organisation.
Other support networks:
Coaching and Leadership Strategy Group
The Coaching and Leadership Strategy Group (CLSG) deals with all matters associated with the co-ordination of Coaching and Leadership across the UK. It is responsible for ensuring that the Paddle UK Coaching and Leadership System meets the needs of members; for determining and being responsible for the strategy of Paddle UK coaching activities in the UK; for managing external relationships on coaching matters and reporting to the Paddle UK Board in relation to these activities and matters.
Coaching Administration Group
The Coaching Administration Group supports the Coaching and Leadership Strategy Group in its responsibilities for Paddle UK Coaching and Qualifications. It assists in developing and implementing qualifications and awards for Paddle UK within their National Associations.
Technical Groups
The Technical Groups provide advice and recommendations to the Director of Coaching and Qualifications on technical developments within each discipline to help shape the qualifications and awards for Paddle UK. There are ten technical groups comprising of six to eight members with specialist expertise within the activity.
Safety Advisory Panel
The purpose of the Safety Advisory Panel is to provide guidance and advice to Paddle UK, the National Associations and the wider paddling community, to support safe practice in all aspects of paddlesport. Members of the safety panel have been selected for their expertise in safety, providing specific activity knowledge as well as representation from each National Association.
