Understanding Your IVY Risk Score
Your IVY Risk Score is a dynamic, data-driven indicator of the relative risk your club or instructor account presents based on a wide range of internal and external factors. Powered by our proprietary IVY system – Intelligent Vetting Yield, the score updates over time and plays a crucial role in how we evaluate safeguarding confidence, determine audit priorities, and allocate regulatory attention across the BMABA network.
This system is uniquely developed by BMABA and draws on a combination of verifiable documentation, behavioural insight, and soft signals to build a holistic picture of your compliance posture.
What Does My Score Represent?
The score you see in your dashboard is your “trickle-down rating”.
This means:
If you’re a solo instructor with no one linked beneath you, your score reflects only your own compliance, documentation, and activity.
If you’re an instructor with an assistant, your score reflects both your own and your assistant’s profile.
If you’re a lead instructor with a full club team, your score reflects the combined standing of yourself and every instructor, assistant, or volunteer attached to your account hierarchy.
For example:
A lead instructor overseeing 15 instructors, 2 assistants and 12 volunteers will see a composite score, drawn from dozens of data points across all team members.
The larger the club, the more weight is spread – so the score may be harder to shift upward quickly, but likewise, it is more resilient to sudden drops.
How IVY Builds Your Score
IVY uses a wide matrix of internal and external data. Some of these are directly under your control, and others are gathered through background systems to give a fair and balanced picture of how your club is operating.
Here are some of the core weighted compliance factors IVY considers:
DBS Check Status
First Aid Certification
Safeguarding Qualifications
Instructor Insurance Validation
ID and Address Verification
Club Colours Licensing
Suitability Vetting Level (e.g., authorised to work with children or at-risk adults)
BMABA Platform Engagement (logins, document checks, responsiveness)
Course Completion (training modules completed within MyBMABA)
On top of these, IVY also integrates soft and behavioural signals, including:
Public domain references and complaints
Social media engagement and public profile scanning
External reviews and public trust indicators
Changes to membership status, such as clubs leaving and returning
Frequency and reliability of renewals
All of these feed into a live rolling score, helping us identify where support, intervention, or recognition may be required.
How Long Does It Take for Updates to Reflect?
Any documents you upload (e.g. DBS checks, first aid, insurance etc.) will not update your score instantly.
All documentation must first pass through a human review, if our AI filtered check isn't sufficient. If approved by AI, some checks are then randomly flagged for human review (e.g. 1 in 3), while others are always manually verified, such as DBS certificates.
You’ll usually see updates reflected within 14 working days, depending on queue volume. You can request that we review sooner if you're in a rush to update your score or access services, and you'll be able to see what's PENDING REVIEW on your verification page.
Any verified evidence will be immediately visible within your score. Soft information, such as those gained from background checks, will be visible incrementally based on when and how data is accumulated.
What Is a Good Score?
While scores range from 0% to a capped maximum of 94%, clubs should aim to remain in the green zone (typically above 75%). This is generally considered a low-risk operational position.
Reaching 100% is neither expected nor required – in fact, depending on your club’s structure, it may not be possible. For example, a solo instructor can more easily achieve a higher percentage, whereas a large club with many team members will have a more diluted, balanced score. What's important is maintaining strong, documented compliance, not chasing perfection.
Why Does the Score Matter?
Your IVY score helps us:
Allocate internal auditing resources (e.g. mystery student schemes, safeguarding audits)
Prioritise clubs for onboarding checks, public trust indicators and risk mitigation
Build a more accountable, responsible martial arts community sector-wide
It also gives you, as an instructor or club lead, a clear visual of where your compliance posture currently stands – and how your team may be affecting it.
Key Reminders
Always make sure your team’s documentation is uploaded and validated.
Ensure assistants and volunteers are registered beneath the correct lead instructor so their contributions are reflected accurately.
If your score looks lower than expected, check who is linked beneath your account – you may be carrying scores from inactive or non-compliant members. If in any doubt, please speak with our team who will be happy to help.
Pricing is going dynamic!
We'll soon be basing your renewal price on your club risk score, meaning lower insurance premiums and membership fees for lower risk clubs!