Climbing coaching awards: help climbers move better
Mountain Training's Foundation, Development and Performance Coach awards are for people who want to improve how other climbers move.
In this guide
- What it is: Coaching awards focused on how climbers move, rather than on keeping a group safe.
- What you need first: Foundation Coach: you must be 16, have 6 months of climbing on a variety of walls and be a member of the BMC, Mountaineering Scotland or Mountaineering Ireland. Development Coach needs Foundation Coach training. Performance Coach needs the Development Coach award.
- What you'll learn: Coaching movement, from the fundamentals up to long-term plans for individual climbers.
- How long it takes: Foundation Coach: 1 day of training and a 2-hour assessment. Development Coach: 2 days of training and a 4-hour assessment. Performance Coach: 8 days plus online sessions over 3 to 4 months.
- Cost: Registration is £69 for Foundation and Development Coach, and £103 for Performance Coach. Course prices are set by providers.
- What's next: Climbing competitions (climbing track)
Instructors keep people safe. Coaches make them better.
Foundation Coach
A Foundation Coach helps new and improving climbers with the fundamentals of movement, usually with groups and sometimes under a more experienced Development Coach. It suits wall staff, outdoor instructors and young people who've completed NICAS Level 4 or 5.
- Before training: Mountain Training strongly recommends the FUNdamentals of Climbing 1 workshop.
- Before assessment: the FUNdamentals of Climbing 1 workshop, at least 15 coaching sessions logged since training, reflective notes on at least five of them, and lesson plans ready to show the assessor.
You'll also need a Safeguarding Children in Sport module, and to be experienced and qualified enough to run safe sessions wherever you coach.
Development Coach
For coaches who work with groups over a series of sessions, or with individuals keen to improve. You must be 18, with 12 months of personal climbing.
- Before training: Foundation Coach training (or direct entry through Mountain Training's Accredited Prior Learning process), and the FUNdamentals of Climbing 1 and 2 workshops.
- Before assessment: 40 coaching sessions logged since training, reflective comments on at least 10, progressive lesson plans, a home paper and a safeguarding module.
Performance Coach
The top level, for experienced coaches helping climbers reach mid to long-term goals. Registration is an application, and each yearly training group has a maximum of 12 places.
- To register: the Development Coach award, onsight climbs up to 7a, over 200 hours of logged coaching, FUNdamentals of Climbing 1, 2 and 3 and Physical Training 1, current first aid and safeguarding training, and a DLOG reference.
- Assessment: a portfolio, an interview and an observed coaching session.
Source: Foundation Coach, Development Coach, Performance Coach and Qualifications, Mountain Training, checked October 2026.
Governing body: British Mountaineering Council (BMC) for England and Wales. Leader and instructor awards come from Mountain Training, and coasteering standards come from the National Coasteering Charter, so these are the official places to find out more.
Typical prices, checked October 2026. The club or coach sets and bills the price.
The club map lists some of the UK clubs for this sport. It is a starting point, so check with the club before you travel. To have a coach found for you, use the enquiry form.
