Learning and Teaching Committee

Subject: Proposals from Loughborough College for the validation of Foundation Degrees in (a) Sports Coaching and (b) Sports Performance (Motorsport Driving)

Origin: Validation Panel

The initial report of the Validation Panel on the above proposals concludes in the case of the FD in Sports Coaching with a recommendation that validation be approved subject to the College satisfying a series of conditions, and in the case of Sports Performance (Motorsport Driving) with a refusal to validate the programme as presented and an invitation to the College to submit revised proposals in the light of the panel’s critical observations.

The College has responded with revised documentation to address the panel’s concerns on both programmes. The documentation has been scrutinised independently by the members of the panel and the subject advisers; their comments have been drawn together by the AD(T) of SSH and the PDQ Team Manager and discussed with the PVC(T) as panel Chair. A summary has been produced and forwarded to the College for further action. The outstanding issues on Sports Coaching are minor points which will involve adjustments to the programme documentation. Similar adjustments will be required to the programme documentation for Sports Performance (Motorsport Driving), but in this case there are a small number of more substantive issues requiring further attention (eg suitability of certain methods of learning teaching and assessment for DL students, arrangements for reassessment at end of Part A) . It is proposed that there be further discussions between the AD(T) of SSH and the PDQ Team Manager and the College programme team to ensure that these are appropriately resolved.

In the light of the actions taken by the College, and the panel’s response, it is now recommended

(a) Sports Coaching

That the proposed programme leading to a Foundation Degree (FdSc) in Sports Coaching be validated for an initial period of five years from 2006/07, subject to the College making final adjustments to the programme documentation as requested, to the satisfaction of the AD(T) SSH.

(b) Sports Performance (Motorsport Driving)

That the proposed programme leading to a Foundation Degree (FdSc) in Sports Performance (Motorsport Driving) be validated for an initial period of five years from 2006/07, subject to the College making further adjustments to the documentation and addressing the issues identified by the panel as requested, to the satisfaction of the AD(T) SSH and the PVC(T).