
HNC Community Coaching for England (HTQ)
Key details
Award
Higher National Certificate / Higher Technical Qualification
UCAS Course Code
C006
Fees
£6,360 per year
Awarding Body
Pearson
Course Length
1 year
Course Start Date
September 2026
Course overview
The HNC in Community Coaching for England (HTQ) is designed to equip you with the practical skills, knowledge, and work-related competencies needed to operate effectively within the sport and active leisure industry. The programme focuses on developing your coaching expertise with an emphasis on participation, inclusion, and engagement, while helping you drive innovation and quality in your personal practice and within organisations.
You will gain a blend of theoretical understanding and hands-on experience, including enhanced work placements that reflect the dynamic and rapidly evolving nature of sport and physical activity. The course emphasises practical coaching and education skills, alongside strategies to support participation rather than solely performance-focused outcomes.
This programme addresses a niche in the industry, providing a vocational alternative to sports science degrees that often focus mainly on theory. You will be well-prepared for roles that require delivering inclusive, engaging, and sustainable sports and physical activity programmes within a variety of community and organisational settings.
Why study with us?
What you’ll study
In this one-year course, you will build the essential knowledge and practical skills to operate confidently within community coaching and the wider sport and active leisure sector. You’ll explore the foundations of nutrition, psychology, anatomy, fitness, and coaching practice, while developing your professional skills and understanding of how to create inclusive, engaging, and effective sessions for a range of participants. Modules include:
- Nutrition
- Fundamentals of Sports Psychology
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Professional Skills
- Coaching Practice and Skill Development
- Training, Fitness, Testing
- Lifestyle Coaching
- Community Coaching
Following successful completion of this HNC course, students can progress to HND Sport and Exercise Science.
Future careers
Upon completing the HNC Community Coaching for England course, you’ll be well-equipped for a wide range of rewarding careers, or further study such as the HND Sport and Exercise Science, including:

SPORTS COACH
Salary: £15,000-£45,000+

PHYSIOTHERAPIST
Salary: £20,000-£60,000+

PERSONAL TRAINER
Salary: £13,000-£40,000+
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Facilities
With state-of-the-art recording studios and dedicated edit suites, our facilities are designed to mirror professional studio environments, with industry-standard equipment. These study areas are available beyond timetabled hours, allowing you to refine your skills and develop your projects independently.
Explore our creative resources in more detail using our interactive 3D map:
Fees and entry requirements
Tariff Points: 48
BTEC Level 3 Ext. Diploma: PPP
A-Level: DD
Tuition Fees
This course is £6,360 per year. Find out how to secure student finance here.
Course Related Costs
Please see the Course Factsheet for details on other course-related costs.
Funding and Bursaries
Please see Additional Funding and Bursaries for more information.
Click here to view the full Course Factsheet.
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How to apply
Apply for this course through the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), using the UCAS Hub. UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for the full-time undergraduate courses at University and Colleges in the United Kingdom.
Please search for ‘West Suffolk College‘ as the institution name on UCAS.
Progressing students at Eastern Education Group
If you are already a student within the Eastern Education Group (West Suffolk College, Abbeygate Sixth Form College or One Sixth Form College), or have been within the last three years, you can apply directly through our Internal Application Form and save up to £1,000 off your first-year tuition fees*.
*This course is Subject to Validation.
**The College offers a discount to students who have studied a full-time qualification within the Eastern Education Group in the past three years. Fixed discounts of £1,000 on the first year of a degree course and £500 for first year of a HNC, HTQ or HND course. Students are only allowed to benefit from one discount within any three-year period. Higher or degree apprenticeships are not eligible for this award. The College reserves the right to remove this offer at any time. Other terms and conditions are not affected by this offer.
Disclaimer: There is no need to apply for this award. Full terms and conditions as outlined apply. The progression discounts are in place for students applying to start at University Centre at Eastern Education Group for entry in the same year as their application. Students must be enrolled and in attendance at University Centre at Eastern Education Group.



