What is CPD (Continuing Professional Development)?

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) refers to the ongoing learning, training, and skill development that coaches, teachers, and business owners undertake throughout their careers. For children's activity providers, CPD is not just about maintaining qualifications — it is about staying current with best practice, improving the quality of your provision, and developing your team's capabilities.

Most national governing bodies require a minimum amount of CPD for coaches to maintain their qualifications and licence status. Swim England, for example, requires coaches to log CPD activities and complete a revalidation process. British Gymnastics has a similar requirement through its coaching licence system. CPD activities can include formal courses and workshops, mentoring and peer observation, attending conferences, completing online learning modules, reading professional publications, and reflecting on your own practice.

For business owners, investing in your team's CPD has direct commercial benefits. Better-trained coaches deliver higher-quality sessions, which improves retention and word-of-mouth referrals. CPD also supports staff satisfaction and retention — coaches who feel they are developing are more likely to stay with your business. Build CPD into your annual budget and timetable: allocate time for training days, budget for course fees, and create a CPD log for each team member.