What is the Assistant Instructor Training Pathway?
The Assistant Instructor Training Pathway is BMABA's structured programme for developing Assistant Instructors into qualified Instructors. It combines:
BMABA's minimum standards – ensuring baseline competence across all clubs
Your club's requirements – allowing you to customise training to your style and needs
Evidence-based tracking – CPD logs and progress monitoring through MyBMABA
The pathway gives Assistant Instructors a clear route to qualification whilst allowing clubs to maintain their unique teaching identity within a quality-assured framework.
The entire assistant instructor training pathway is provided by BMABA CIC free of charge in its entirety. Some clubs may charge trainee instructors for an overall club training programme, in which they may incur costs at club level, but BMABA provides this pathway without charge or hinderance, with membership fully inclusive in covering all fees.
Why Use This Pathway?
For Your Club:
Structured succession planning – develop your future instructors systematically
Clear expectations – no ambiguity about what's required for qualification
Digital tracking – MyBMABA handles the paperwork and evidence
Flexibility – set your own requirements beyond BMABA minimums
Quality assurance – BMABA-issued certificates carry ISO 9001:2015 UKAS accreditation
For Assistant Instructors:
Career clarity – know exactly what's needed to progress
Professional recognition – BMABA qualification certificate
Visible progress – track development in real-time via MyBMABA
Reflective practice – private CPD journal for personal development
Pathway Types
Adult Instructor Pathway
Who: Assistant Instructors aged 18+
Outcome: BMABA Qualified Instructor status (can teach unsupervised)
Minimum Grade Required: 1st Dan Black Belt or equivalent for full issuance, however assistant instructors can begin working through the programme at any grade deemed suitable by the club
Cadet Instructor Pathway
Who: Assistant Instructors aged 13-17
Outcome: Progressive awards (Bronze → Silver → Gold) culminating in BMABA Cadet Instructor status (must teach under supervision)
Minimum Grade Required: 6th Kyu minimum or equivalent to start Bronze Award
The Cadet Instructor pathway uses a Bronze, Silver, Gold award structure similar to the Duke of Edinburgh Award, providing recognition and motivation at each stage of development.
How It Works – Overview
Step 1: Club Enrolls Assistant Instructor
You enroll an assistant onto the programme via MyBMABA, choosing:
Programme type (Adult or Cadet)
Your club's custom requirements (hours, assessments, milestones beyond BMABA minimums)
Step 2: Assistant Logs CPD Hours
The assistant logs their development activities through MyBMABA:
Shadowing instructors teaching
Personal training sessions
Events and competitions
Other professional development (first aid courses, safeguarding, seminars)
Step 3: Club Reviews & Approves
You review and approve CPD submissions, update progress on sessions taught and mat hours, and verify competencies through observation.
Step 4: System Tracks Progress
MyBMABA automatically tracks:
CPD hours by category
Certification expiry dates (DBS, safeguarding, first aid)
Progress towards BMABA minimums for each award tier
Step 5: Award Instructor Status
When both BMABA minimums AND your club requirements are met:
System shows "Ready for Award"
You click "Award Instructor Status"
BMABA generates and issues the certificate
Assistant's status updates from Assistant Instructor to Instructor (or Cadet Instructor)
BMABA Minimum Standards
Your club can add requirements but cannot reduce these minimums.
Adult Instructor Minimums
Requirement | Standard |
Age | 18+ years |
Grade To Award Instructorship | 1st Dan Black Belt or equivalent |
CPD Hours (Total) | 125 hours minimum |
Shadowing Hours | 35 hours minimum |
Mat Hours Teaching (Assisting) | 90 hours minimum |
Personal Development (Training) | 135 Hours |
Additional CPD (I.e: CPD / MyBMABA) | 10 hours |
Sessions Taught | 20 sessions minimum |
Safeguarding | Safeguarding Certification |
First Aid | Emergency First Aid minimum (in-date) |
DBS | Enhanced DBS (within 3 years) |
Insurance | £5M Public Liability |
Competencies you must assess:
Understands safeguarding and can identify concerns
Plans age-appropriate sessions
Manages participant behaviour effectively
Communicates clearly with students and parents
Maintains accurate records
Knows emergency procedures
Cadet Instructor Award Tiers
The Cadet pathway features three progressive awards, each building on the previous tier.
Bronze Award (Ages 13+)
"Learning to Assist"
Typical Duration: 3-6 months
Focus: Introduction to assistant teaching through observation and basic participation
Requirement | Standard |
Age | 13+ years |
Grade | 5th Kyu or equivalent |
CPD Hours (Total) | 10 hours minimum |
Shadowing Hours | 5 hours minimum |
Personal Development (Technical Practice) | 15 Hours |
Mat Hours (Supervised) | 20 hours minimum |
Sessions Co-Taught | 5 sessions minimum |
DBS | Enhanced DBS (if permissible) |
Supervision Agreement | Signed commitment on file |
Parental Consent | Written consent required |
Competencies you must assess:
Observes teaching techniques attentively
Assists with basic warm-ups under supervision
Helps with equipment setup and class management
Demonstrates understanding of basic safety protocols
Shows enthusiasm and commitment to learning
Silver Award (Ages 14+)
"Developing Teaching Skills"
Typical Duration: Additional 6-9 months from Bronze (9-15 months total)
Focus: Active assistance with increasing responsibility for session elements
Requirement | Standard |
Age | 14+ years |
Grade | 4th Kyu or equivalent |
CPD Hours (Total) | 30 hours minimum (cumulative from Bronze) |
Shadowing Hours | 10 hours minimum (cumulative from Bronze) |
Personal Development (Technical Practice) | 25 Hours |
Mat Hours (Supervised) | 40 hours minimum (cumulative from Bronze) |
Sessions Co-Taught | 10 sessions minimum (cumulative from Bronze) |
DBS | Enhanced DBS (if permissible) |
Supervision Agreement | Signed commitment on file |
Parental Consent | Written consent required |
Competencies you must assess:
Delivers warm-ups independently under supervision
Demonstrates techniques clearly to small groups
Assists with behaviour management using positive reinforcement
Shows understanding of age-appropriate session planning
Maintains professional conduct consistently
Gold Award (Ages 15+)
"Confident Co-Teaching" = BMABA Cadet Instructor
Typical Duration: Additional 6-12 months from Silver (15-27 months total)
Focus: Confident co-teaching with pedagogical understanding
Requirement | Standard |
Age | 15+ years |
Grade | 1st Kyu or equivalent |
CPD Hours (Total) | 50 hours minimum (cumulative from Silver) |
Shadowing Hours | 25 hours minimum (cumulative from Silver) |
Personal Development (Technical Practice) | 50 Hours |
Mat Hours (Supervised) | 70 hours minimum (cumulative from Silver) |
Sessions Co-Taught | 25 sessions minimum (cumulative from Silver) |
Personal Development (CPD/MyBMABA) | 5 Hours |
First Aid | Emergency First Aid minimum (in-date) |
DBS | Enhanced DBS (if permissible) |
Supervision Agreement | Signed commitment on file |
Parental Consent | Written consent required |
Competencies you must assess:
Co-teaches entire session elements with minimal prompting
Adapts teaching to different ability levels within class
Communicates effectively with parents/guardians
Demonstrates age-appropriate safeguarding understanding
Shows reflective practice through CPD journal
Understands when to escalate to supervising instructor
Maintains professional conduct in all contexts
Gold Award holders achieve full BMABA Cadet Instructor status. This is the highest qualification available for instructors aged 15-17. On their 18th birthday and upon achieving 1st Dan Black Belt, Gold Award/Cadet Instructors become eligible to transition to the Adult Instructor pathway.
Your Club's Responsibilities
1. Set Clear Requirements
When enrolling an assistant, define your club-specific requirements beyond BMABA minimums:
Examples of what you can add:
Extra CPD hours (e.g., 80 hours instead of 50)
Specialised training (weapons handling, competition coaching)
Internal assessments (lesson planning portfolio, teaching philosophy essay)
Grade progression targets (e.g., must achieve 2nd Dan during training)
Attendance requirements (90% at instructor meetings)
Mentorship pairing with senior instructor
Event participation (assist at 3 external competitions)
Any introduction of awards - from Bronze through to Gold
Make them:
Clear and specific
Achievable within 12-36 months
Measurable with defined success criteria
Documented in MyBMABA during enrollment
2. Approve CPD Submissions
Assistants submit CPD entries via MyBMABA. You:
Verify the activity took place
Check hours claimed are accurate
Approve or reject with feedback
Approved entries automatically update hour totals
CPD Categories:
Shadowing Instructor Teaching – observing qualified instructors
Training – personal martial arts development
At Events – competitions, demonstrations, club activities
Personal Development – training, technical development
Other CPD – first aid courses, safeguarding, seminars, reading
3. Track Progress Manually
You update in MyBMABA:
Sessions taught – how many sessions they've delivered/co-delivered
Mat hours – estimated time spent teaching
Assessments passed – which of your club assessments they've completed
Milestones achieved – tick off your custom requirements
System auto-tracks: CPD hours, certification expiry dates, age verification, DBS status.
4. Assess Competencies
Through observation and documentation, assess:
Teaching quality and session delivery
Safeguarding awareness in practice
Professional conduct and communication
Participant management and behaviour handling
5. Final Sign-Off
When all requirements met (BMABA minimums + your club standards):
Review complete progress record
Confirm competencies demonstrated
Mark "Club Standards Met" in MyBMABA
Click "Award Instructor Status" to generate certificate
CPD System Explained
Public Notes vs Private Journal
Public Notes (visible to club): Factual description of the activity for verification purposes.
Example: "Shadowed John Smith teaching the 6-7pm beginners class. Observed warm-up structure, use of positive reinforcement during pad work, and noted effective demonstration techniques."
Private Journal (only visible to assistant): Personal reflections, emotional responses, self-identified areas for improvement. This stays completely private – you never see it.
Purpose: Encourages honest reflection without fear of judgment.
Approval Workflow
Assistant submits CPD entry (date, category, hours, public notes, optional private journal)
You receive notification in club portal
You verify and approve/reject
Approved entries auto-add to hour totals
Assistant sees updated progress tracker
Safeguarding Requirements – All Assistants
Universal Requirements
All assistants on the pathway must:
Complete appropriate safeguarding training (Level 1 or 2) unless they are under age 18 years, in which case they are expected to receive age appropriate club levle safeguarding training.
Hold valid Enhanced DBS (renewed within 3 years) unless they under the age of applicable DBS checking.
Understand and follow BMABA's Safeguarding Policy
Report concerns immediately to your club's Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Maintain professional boundaries with all participants
Additional Requirements for Cadet Instructors (Under 18s)
You must ensure:
Supervision at All Times:
Trainee Instructors never teach alone
A qualified BMABA Instructor (18+, 1st Dan minimum, valid DBS etc) must be present and actively supervising
You retain full accountability for session delivery and safety
Vulnerability Protection:
Cadet Instructors are children themselves and must be safeguarded
Don't place them in positions of inappropriate responsibility
Workload must be age-appropriate and not interfere with education
They must not be alone with children in changing rooms or isolated areas
Parental Engagement:
Written parental/guardian consent required for enrollment
Parents informed of supervised teaching requirement
Maintain communication with parents about progress
Notify parents immediately of any safeguarding incidents
Risk Assessment:
Conduct risk assessment specific to Cadet Instructor involvement
Consider: session size, participant ages, activity type, venue layout
Review every 6 months or after any incident
What They Can Do:
Co-teach elements of sessions under your direct watch
Demonstrate techniques you've approved
Assist with warm-ups, drills, pair work supervision
Help with attendance, equipment setup, participant support
What They Cannot Do:
Teach alone (even for 5 minutes)
Take sole responsibility for any participants
Make safeguarding decisions independently
Transport children without appropriate adult supervision
Progress Tracking – What You See
In Your Club Portal
Automated (system calculates):
Total CPD hours (from approved submissions)
CPD hours by category (shadowing, training, events, other)
Certification expiry dates (DBS, safeguarding, first aid, insurance)
Age verification
Whether BMABA minimums are met (green checkmarks)
Manual (you update):
Sessions taught
Mat hours completed
Your club's assessments passed
Your club's milestones achieved
Pedagogical competencies verified
"Club Standards Met" final checkbox
What Assistant Sees
Real-time progress dashboard showing:
Percentage complete
Which requirements met (green), in progress (amber), not started (red)
Hours breakdown by CPD category
Your club's custom requirements and their status
Days until certification expiry (DBS, safeguarding, first aid)
Certification & What Happens Next
When "Ready for Award" Appears
Both must be true:
All BMABA minimums met (automated check passes)
You've marked "Club Standards Met" (manual confirmation)
Then: "Award Instructor Status" button becomes active in your portal.
When You Click "Award Instructor Status"
System automatically:
Generates BMABA certificate (PDF)
Confirms for you and the assistant the instructorship status
For Adult Instructors:
Can now teach unsupervised (subject to insurance/venue requirements)
Membership updates to Instructor tier
Access to Instructor-level resources
For Cadet Instructors:
Certificate notes "Supervised Teaching Only"
Public profile shows supervision requirement
On 18th birthday (and achieving 1st Dan): eligible to transition to full Instructor
Common Questions
How long does the pathway take?
Adult Pathway: Typically 12-36 months depending on assistant's commitment and your club's requirements. Average is 18-24 months.
Cadet Pathway:
Bronze Award: 3-6 months
Silver Award: Additional 6-9 months from Bronze (9-15 months total)
Gold Award (full Cadet Instructor): Additional 6-12 months from Silver (15-27 months total)
Most cadets achieve Gold Award/Cadet Instructor status within 15-24 months of starting Bronze.
Do Cadet Instructors have to progress through Bronze → Silver → Gold?
No, it's flexible. A motivated 16-year-old could enroll directly into Gold Award if they meet the age and grade requirements. However, the progressive structure is recommended as it provides recognition and motivation at each stage.
Can a Bronze or Silver Award holder teach?
Yes, under the same supervised conditions as all Cadet Instructors. All three tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold) require direct supervision. The tiers reflect development level and responsibility within supervised teaching, not independent teaching permissions.
Can we set really high standards?
Yes, but keep them achievable. If requirements are excessive (e.g., 500 CPD hours, 5 years minimum), BMABA may review and ask you to adjust. Aim for challenging but realistic.
What happens when a Gold Award/Cadet Instructor turns 18?
Upon turning 18 and achieving 1st Dan Black Belt or equivalent, they become eligible to transition to the Adult Instructor pathway. Previous CPD hours and mat hours from the Cadet pathway may count towards Adult requirements at your club's discretion. They will need to meet all Adult pathway requirements including insurance, enhanced safeguarding certification, and the higher CPD/mat hour thresholds.
What if I have an assistant instructor who is close to 18 at the point of enrolment?
Its up to you and your assistant instructor to decide on whether it's best to start on the cadet programme and then look to graduate mid-term to an adult assistant instructor pathway, or wait until he or she turns eighteen instead. Consider the length of time it is likely to take to progress through the varying awards for cadets, and discuss with the cadet instructor (and parents or guardians if relevant) whether its best to wait. If they turn eighteen mid-term, they'll no longer be eligible for the cadet tiered awards, but their CPD will carry over to the adult assistant instructor pathway.
What if an assistant disputes our rejection of CPD?
They can appeal to BMABA, who'll review the evidence. You'll be asked to justify the rejection. As long as your reason is valid (inaccurate hours, activity didn't take place), the rejection stands.
Can we backdate CPD hours for existing assistants?
No. CPD hours only count from enrollment date forward. However, existing teaching experience can count towards mat hours at your discretion and you can set a starting CPD position.
What happens if DBS expires mid-pathway?
Progress pauses until renewed. System flags expired certifications and alerts both you and the assistant. Training resumes once certification renewed.
Do we have to use this pathway?
No. Assistants can remain as Assistant Instructors indefinitely without enrolling. However, only pathway completers receive BMABA-issued Instructor certificates.
Can we award Instructor status without the pathway?
Clubs may still assign somebody to an instructorship position within a club without using the assistant instructor pathway. It's provided to help standardise progression and add significant value to clubs, but it is optional, and is not compulsory.