Sports and Fitness Short Course
About this course
What is the Sports and Fitness Short Course?
The ASDAN Sports and Fitness Short Course is a flexible, portfolio-based sport and fitness course for learners aged 13 and over. It accredits between 10 and 60 hours of practical activities and skills development.
Learners can participate in a wide range of indoor, outdoor, team and individual sports and fitness activities. These could include basketball, badminton, swimming, cycling, climbing, rugby, fitness circuits and other activities suited to learners’ interests and abilities.
The course covers sports participation, health, fitness and nutrition, researching sport, sport in the community, coaching and officiating, environmental sustainability and careers in the sports sector.
Activities can include designing and evaluating a training programme, tracking fitness and performance, giving and receiving peer feedback, researching sporting events and venues, exploring the roles of coaches and officials, volunteering in sport and investigating career pathways.
Through practical participation, research and reflection, learners develop confidence and wellbeing alongside ASDAN’s six core skills: learning, communicating, decision making, thinking, team working and self-awareness.
Challenges can be interpreted and adapted to suit learners’ individual abilities, needs, interests and learning environments.
Delivery format: Sports and Fitness Short Course is available through Equitas, ASDAN’s digital learning platform, or in student book format. Some Equitas challenges differ from the student book version. Use one format per learner group. Equitas challenges can be downloaded.
| Learner age | 13+, 14+, 14–16, 14–25, 16+, 16–19, 19+, Adults |
| Level (indicative for non-regulated courses) | Entry 3, Level 1 |
| Key Stage | Key Stage 5, Key Stage 4, Key Stage 3 |
| Education setting | Mainstream school, Justice system (including youth offending), Further education, Community Education, EOTAS, PRU, Academy / Multi-academy trust, Voluntary sector, Training provider, Adult education, Independent school, Social services, Secondary |
| Guided learning hours | 10–20 hours, 20–60 hours |
| Regulated | Non-regulated course |
| Certification | Externally certificated, digital or hard-copy (additional fee) |
| Location | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, International (including Channel Islands and Ireland) |
| UCAS points | No UCAS points available |
| Pathway | Personal Effectiveness |
Helpful information
Who is the Sports and Fitness Short Course for?
Short Courses are widely used in formal and non-formal settings, for learners aged 13 and over. Although ASDAN’s Short Courses are designed for learners working at Entry level 3 to Level 1, they can be adapted for learners working above or below these levels. The focus is on completing challenges and developing skills.
Facts and figures
- Flexible programmes of learning accessible to learners at a range of levels
- Internally moderated
- Accredits 10–60 hours of activities
- Can count towards up to three credits for the Personal Development Programmes
- Can support skills development for ASDAN’s Personal Effectiveness Qualifications and may contribute to recognition of prior learning where standards are met in full
Requirements
Each learner must have their own registration. Learners must present evidence of their activities in an organised portfolio.
This should include:
- a record of the challenges completed, with supporting evidence
- recording documents showing how the learner planned and reviewed their activities
- a summary of achievement highlighting skills development
- a personal statement.
Equitas organises evidence against each challenge within the platform.
We have created guidance for members delivering ASDAN Short Courses, including planning, requirements, quality assurance and certification.
Course content
The Sports and Fitness Short Course accredits up to 60 hours of involvement in various sporting activities. The challenges are flexible enough to include any combination of sports and fitness activities, from basketball to badminton, swimming to cycling, and rock climbing to rugby.
There are some key differences between the challenge content in the original Sports and Fitness Short Course student book and the version available on Equitas. These include updated module titles, revised challenge content and outcomes, and additional new challenges.
For consistency, we recommend that members choose one format to use with all learners within a group. Copies of the challenges available on Equitas can be downloaded and used directly with learners.
The Sports and Fitness Short Course comprises seven modules:
- Sports participation
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Researching sport
- Sport in the community
- Coaching and officiating
- The environment
- Working in sport
For guidance on running ASDAN Short Courses, please see our step-by-step guides:
ASDAN training supports educators to deliver this course successfully. Sessions provide an introduction, alongside guidance on planning, delivery, assessment and internal quality assurance. Training is not mandatory but is strongly recommended.
Training is included in ASDAN membership for organisations joining or renewing after 1 April 2026, excluding tailored INSET.
Book training in the members area
ASDAN members can also take part in our special interest groups. These online sessions focus on specific areas of practice and provide opportunities for discussion, collaboration and networking with other members.
All registration costs are per learner. Each learner must have their own registration. Registrations are valid for three years from the date of purchase.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Short Course student book | £12 |
| Short Course Equitas learner registration and digital learning platform login | £12 |
| Short Course PDF certificate | Free |
| Short Course printed and foiled certificate (optional, per learner, per Short Course) | £3.75 |
Volume pricing for Equitas Short Courses
We offer scalable pricing for Short Courses on Equitas. This pricing applies only to new registrations made together in a single transaction for the same Equitas Short Course:
- 1–9 learners: £12 per registration
- 10–19 learners: £8 per registration
- 20–29 learners: £6 per registration
- 30+ learners: £4 per registration
Products
Course resources
Sports and Fitness Short Course - 1A1, 1A2, 1A3: Peer review template
This peer review template can be used to support challenges 1A1, 1A2 and 1A3 of the Sports and Fitness Short Course. Learners are asked to work with others and take part in two different sports or activities over a period of time, before writing peer review statements for each other.
Sports and Fitness Short Course - 2A1: Supervised fitness programme participation log
This participation log can be used to support challenge 2A1 of the Sports and Fitness Short Course. Learners are asked to take part in a supervised fitness programme to improve their physical fitness and keep a record of their participation.
Sports and Fitness Short Course - 3A3: Investigate a major sporting competition (Wimbledon)
This PowerPoint can be used to support and structure challenge 3A3 of the Sports and Fitness Short Course. Learners are asked to investigate a major sporting competition, in this case the Wimbledon tennis championships, and produce an illustrated report. This PowerPoint includes a starter activity, prompts to help learners complete their research task and a report bingo plenary activity.
Sports and Fitness Short Course - 4A2: The impact of social media
This mind map template can be used to support challenge 4A2 of the Sports and Fitness Short Course. Learners are asked to consider how social media has changed communication between sportspeople and fans, before discussing whether or not this is a good thing.
Sports and Fitness Short Course - 6B1: Kit of the future design templates
These design templates can be used to support challenge 6B1 of the Sports and Fitness Short Course. Learners are asked to design a kit of the future for a sport or activity of their choice.
Sports and Fitness Short Course - 3A6: Comparing the costs of home and away sporting events
This worksheet can be used to support challenge 3A6 of the Sports and Fitness Short Course. Learners are asked to find and compare the costs of attending a sporting event or match at home and away.
Sports and Fitness Short Course - 5A4: What would you do if...? quiz template
This quiz template can be used to support challenge 5A4 of the Sports and Fitness Short Course. Learners are asked to demonstrate their knowledge of the rules or laws of a sport or activity of their choice by devising a quiz. Learners should come up with 10 questions to test what you would do if you were the official in different situations.
Sports and Fitness Short Course - 7B4: Sports volunteering log
This volunteering log can be used to support challenge 7B4 of the Sports and Fitness Short Course. Learners are asked to complete a period of volunteering to support other people's safe enjoyment of a sport or activity.
Evaluation chart (individual)
This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week individual activity. Learners are asked to mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt; at the end of the project the learner should join up the marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Evaluation chart (group)
This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week group activity. Each member of the group should choose a different colour and mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt. At the end of the project, each group member then joins up their marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Planning a group or team task
This resource can be used when planning a group or team task. It links particularly well to ASDAN's Short Course programmes.
Self-evaluation template
This generic self-evaluation template can be used by learners to evaluate almost any group activity. Learners are asked to record how they felt about the activity and pick out the best and worst bits, before reflecting on what they could do better next time. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Teamwork health check
This generic teamwork health check template can support a wide range of group activities. Learners are asked to come up with a list of agreed ground rules for good teamwork, then rate each group member's performance against these criteria. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Short Courses summary of achievement and personal statement : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses summary of achievement and personal statement : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 1 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 1 : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 2 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 2 : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 3 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 3 : Word version (mandatory)