Our Quality Assurance(QA) team at CIMSPA recently made a visit to Study Active’s headquarters in Hitchin and conducted a quality assessment on their CIMSPA endorsed courses.

Study Active uses a blended learning delivery method utilising e-learning, practical workshops, webinars and dedicated tutorials to empower students to become fitness professionals. They believe this approach allows students to work at their own pace and wrap their studies around other commitments.

We caught up with James Luscombe, Founder and Education Director at Study Active to find out how he found the process and get some imput from him on how he is finding his working relationship with CIMSPA.

How important is Quality Assurance to you and your organisation?
Quality assurance is very important to us as it is part of our mission to provide high quality education and training, which is fit for the industry in which we serve. For this reason, we have always invested heavily in quality and worked closely with our awarding organisation Active IQ, who have been incredibly supportive, to ensure we have always had a “low risk” status. We feel that not only does quality assurance standardise what we are offering against national standards, but it also gives our customers the peace of mind that what we offer is consistent with what the sector demands.

It is interesting that you mention Active IQ being your AO and having their QA process. Did you feel a CIMSPA QA visit was overkill or another level of assurance?

When CIMSPA started to roll out their External Quality Assurance process, I was a little uncertain about the need for this, especially as we had already had our AO EQA visit. As soon as I met the CIMSPA QA however, I soon realised the value that this visit would bring. Not only did the CIMSPA EQA visit completely back up what our AO found (which was a low risk centre with outstanding quality) but it also helped us think of ways we could move forwards as a business. This included advice on how we could make the most of our partnership with CIMSPA and suggestions in regard to increasing our links within the sector. We found this incredibly useful and it really helped strengthen our links with CIMSPA.

You have been a CIMSPA partner for a few years now, how have you found the partnership so far?

We have partnered with CIMSPA since 2016 when we first became a skills development partner (now training provider partner). We have always valued our relationship with CIMSPA and have always kept abreast of developments through our dedicated contact. I must say post visit, it has opened up our eyes to a whole world of opportunities that we can work with CIMSPA on, including engaging with their online resources, attending their events and encouraging our community of students and graduates to become members too.

Study Active have grown a lot over the past couple of years, what is your vision for the future?
It is very much our aim to be recognised as one of the UK’s highest quality providers of Gym & PT qualifications, with it being our intention to achieve this recognition on a “quality over quantity” basis. We want our training to be recognised as having outstanding quality and hope that students choose to enrol with us for this reason. We would also like to ensure that students recognise our brand alongside the CIMSPA brand, so they know that when they learn with Study Active they are taking a course with a provider that works closely with CIMSPA in ensuring standards.

It’s great to know that you share the same vision as we do. What do you think CIMSPA need to do next in order to turn that vision into a reality?

I think it should be CIMSPA’s goal to now promote the message to the entire sector, that the CIMSPA badge is the one to look for when choosing training. This is a badge we are proud to hold!

After the visit I understand you received an “outstanding” rating. Was there anything specific you learned from the visit?

In addition to continuing to enjoy the outstanding support of our AO Active IQ, it’s great to know that CIMSPA are also in our corner and that we as a company can take advantage of the support networks CIMSPA are providing us with. The future is bright!

About Study Active

Study Active is an Active IQ approved training provider offering nationally recognised fitness qualifications. They offer a flexible approach to learning using a blend of e-learning, practical workshops, webinars and work-based learning, all delivered by expert tutors.

Further, you will have regular, detailed, individual coaching and support from our team of experts to support you in achieving your qualification. Assessments are also flexible and can be carried out at one of our centres at various locations across the UK.

Interested? Please get in touch and let us empower you to start or progress your career in the fitness industry.

www.studyactive.co.uk

Everyone Active is delighted to announce that 13 of its Personal Trainers, have qualified as GP Referral Specialists and will now be able to support clients with common medical conditions to maintain and improve their health.

Everyone Active reached out to personal trainer course provider Study Active who delivered the training to the 13 delegates via a combination of digital e-learning, webinars and regular mentoring from a tutor.

Delegates studied areas such as how the body changes during long term-conditions, designing exercise programmes for common medical conditions and what nutritional advice can support referred clients.

With their new skills, Everyone Active hopes to make a continued impact on the health of GP Referral clients across the UK by offering fitness sessions and promoting the benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle.

Fitness Manager, Carl Leatherbarrow echoed the success of this training “The GP Referral training programme delivered by Study Active has given us a foundation to improve our service delivery and make a difference to our community.”

Study Active Education Director James Luscombe had the following to add “We were delighted to support Everyone Active staff through their learning journey and are immensely proud of the team, not just for what they have achieved but also for what they plan to do now they are qualified. They now have the tools to be an inspiration to many GP referred clients looking to improve their health & fitness”

For details about health & fitness courses with Study Active please visit
https://studyactive.co.uk

Active Suffolk have recently completed a CIMSPA funded project with one of the UK's leading personal trainer course providers, Study Active. The project, funded via the CIMSPA Retrain project, aims to upskill staff to give the sector a much welcome post-lockdown boost. The project saw a range of employees from two different employers; Sentinel Leisure Trust (SLT) and Abbeycroft Leisure, achieve their Level 2 Gym Instructing and Level 3 Personal Training qualifications.

The project started mid-pandemic, where many staff were based at home. Study Active's innovative online learning however bridged this gap and enabled the delegates to be reached via the use of technology. The e-learning saw staff learn about key topics such as programme design, anatomy and nutrition.

Once facilities re-opened, the students were able to put their knowledge into practice via the excellent fitness facilities within their own centres. This culminated with Study Active sending out some of their tutor and assessor team to meet the students at their own workplace and go through some useful face-to face tuition ahead of their final practical assessments.

Following successful completion of their qualification, 16 members of staff have now achieved their Gym Instructor and Personal Trainer qualifications and can now help drive forwards local and national health & fitness participation agendas to positively impact on the wellbeing of the Suffolk public. This initiative also helps to meet our priorities as outlined in the Sport & PA Skills Strategy.

If you are interested in developing your skills to work or progress in the fitness industry, please visit: https://studyactive.co.uk/

"So that we can drive forwards our strategy of getting people active post-lockdown we needed to upskill our staff to achieve the necessary qualification to deliver such exercise. This training has not only provided the relevant qualification but it has also given our staff a fresh skills set to put into practice."

Daniel Ward, Centre Manager, Brandon Leisure & Health Hub (Abbeycroft Leisure)

"I found the training progressive and challenging. Study Active were able to adapt during a time where blended learning methods were needed to ensure that even during lockdown, the learning journey continued! There are so many local and national initiatives to get people exercising, but the right tools for the job are needed first – this training provided us with some of the tools needed so that we can go on to make an impact to the local community by getting them active!"

Matt Stebbings Former Community Education Manager for SLT (now Football Development Manager at Suffolk FA).

"We at Study Active were delighted to have taken part in this funded project to deliver nationally recognised Gym & PT qualifications to a team of aspiring industry professionals. It was extremely pleasing to see the delegates acquire the skills and qualifications to go on to make a difference in the sector"

James Luscombe, Education Director, Study Active

Study Active, the current holder of the prestigious ukactive Education Provider of the Year award 2023 and a leading provider of Personal Training and Gym Instructor qualifications in the UK, has announced it has legally acquired the name “Premier Global” and select Premier Global branding assets from Assessment Technologies Institute LLC, part of Ascend Learning in the US.

The Premier Global name, now backed by Study Active’s leading fitness education products paves the way for a new era in the sector.

The Premier Global brand has always represented the gold standard in education within the fitness sector and even since the company Premier Global ceased trading in 2022, the brand has remained synonymous with quality, innovation, and trust.

Study Active's acquisition of the Premier Global name and select branding assets (which includes the logos, class 41 trademarks, copyright, web domain, and associated goodwill), marks a significant development in the fitness education landscape and commitment to driving up standards in this sector. 

As Active IQ’s largest training centre in the UK and being a CIMSPA “Enhancing” rated endorsed education provider, Study Active has established itself as a trusted institution in the industry. The acquisition of the Premier Global name and select branding assets further solidifies Study Active's commitment to maintaining and elevating professional standards in fitness education.

"We are thrilled to announce our acquisition of the Premier Global name and select branding assets," said James Luscombe, Managing Director of Study Active. "The Premier Global brand name has long been a trailblazer in the field of fitness education, and we are honoured to carry forward its legacy. This acquisition underscores our dedication to providing world-class education and training to our students both today and in the future."
Tara Dillon, CEO of CIMSPA said: “As the professional development body for the sport and physical activity sector, CIMSPA is pleased to learn of Study Active’s acquisition of the Premier Global brand name and select branding assets. The Premier Global name is certainly a familiar and trusted name within the sector and like many we were sad when the Premier Global company ceased trading in 2022. We are delighted however the Study Active, one of our “enhancing” rated endorsed providers can now breathe new life into this esteemed brand name and ensure its legacy into the future.”
Jenny Patrickson, Managing Director of Active IQ: "We would like to congratulate the Study Active team in acquiring the Premier Global brand name, which is synonymous with setting standards for fitness education. By combining Study Active's expertise and resources with the trust associated with the Premier Global brand name, we believe this acquisition will enhance the learning experience for Study Active learners and contribute to the continued growth and professionalism of the industry."

Former CEO of Premier Global (who ceased trading in 2022), Debra Stuart said: “I am thrilled to see that Study Active is aligning itself with such a strong and reputable brand name. This acquisition of the Premier Global brand name is a testament to Study Active's dedication to providing top-notch training and upholding the values of excellence and quality. I look forward to seeing how this new and exciting alignment will raise the standard of health and fitness education to a level appropriate for today’s aspiring fitness professionals.”

Former, current, and future learners of Study Active can rest assured that the values and ethos that has long been associated with the Premier name is now backed by Study Actives leading products. 

James adds: “The acquisition means our learners can take comfort from associating with an instantly recognisable brand name while enjoying the advantages of Study Active's modern approach to fitness education. Our goal is to empower fitness professionals with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to excel in their careers.” 

For more information about Study Active and this exciting new chapter, please visit studyactive.co.uk or premierglobal.co.uk 

Study Active, one of the UK’s more forefront providers of fitness education, has recently teamed up with health referral software company ReferAll, which forms a collaboration which it is hoped will support the quality of health referrals nationwide.

With health referral schemes across the UK growing and with more opportunities for those with chronic conditions available, it’s certainly an exciting time to be part of this important segment of the fitness sector and with so many moving parts to the health referral process, it makes sense to see leading organisations working together in a bid to optimise the process.

Study Active have long been a key player with health referrals from education perspective, with their long established flagship health referral product; the Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Supporting Clients with Long-term Conditions being a popular choice for both individual exercise professionals and also for gyms of all sizes looking to engage with health referrals.

ReferAll provide cutting edge social prescribing & exercise referral software which can be implemented by leisure & fitness centres to receive referrals and track the adherence & progress of the health referral programmes they deliver. ReferAll’s software has been incredibly popular and is now being used by large health & leisure providers throughout the UK.

The gap in the market however was that graduates of health referral courses (be that with Study Active or elsewhere) did not necessarily have any awareness of what ReferAll software (or any similar software) is all about thus a vital knowledge gap existed once graduates started work on such a scheme.

This new partnership between Study Active and ReferAll will see awareness of the ReferAll product built into the learner’s journey. This means that when someone completes a health referral course with Study Active, not only are they qualified to deliver health referral exercise but they also have a baseline understanding of the importance of software and also an awareness of what ReferAll is all about!

James Luscombe, Managing Director of Study Active, has the following to say; “Study Active are delighted to be partnering with ReferAll as we work together to make the fitness sector a more inclusive place for those suffering from long-term conditions. We hope that this collaboration will benefit all involved including learners, exercise professionals but most of all the health referral clients themselves”

James’s enthusiasm was echoed by Jerry Saddington, Sales & Account Manager at ReferAll. “I'm excited about our partnership with Study Active. It reinforces our dedication to supporting health & fitness professionals. By introducing them to the ecosystem of health referrals, including the practical benefits of using software like ReferAll, we aim to empower them to make a real difference in the lives of those managing long-term conditions.”

For information about studying a fitness course with Study Active please go to studyactive.co.uk

Study Active, the current ukactive Education Provider of the Year and one of the UK’s leading Personal Trainer course providers, is celebrating after becoming one of the first training providers in the UK to achieve the prestigious “Enhancing” rating from CIMSPA - as part of the new CIMSPA Education Partner Quality Assurance Framework.

This rating of “Enhancing” is a genuine trust mark of quality and confirms Study Active’s position as one of the most forefront providers of fitness education in the UK. It also gives confidence to the public that they are choosing a properly endorsed provider with outstanding credentials.

Whilst Study Active has been a CIMSPA-endorsed Partner since 2016 (making them one of the longest-standing CIMSPA-affiliated education providers), the decision was taken by CIMSPA recently to conduct thorough quality assurance on all of their endorsed providers, with a rating awarded to reflect their outcome.

Following a quality assurance inspection, whilst non-compliant providers will be denied entry onto CIMSPA endorsement, compliant CIMSPA Education Partners will be given one of three ratings:

Enhancing – which is the ultimate CIMSPA Education Partner seal of quality which reflects good practice all round and provision of “high quality” education to learners (this is what Study Active have been awarded)

Enabling – this is for providers with some areas of good practice but who will receive support from CIMSPA to develop further.

Emerging – providers whose provision, whilst compliant, requires support, with the provider having to be set key improvement actions within a timeframe.

Such ratings will be published by CIMSPA (in a similar way that Ofsted publish ratings of schools) so there is transparency in the quality assurance process for the public. This will enable members of the public to identify the highest quality education & training available, which will likely influence their decision on choosing the best education provider for them. Anyone looking to choose high quality provision should now look out for the CIMSPA “Enhancing” badge on a company’s website (not just the CIMSPA logo!).

James Luscombe, MD of Study Active, reflected on his company’s latest quality kitemark: “It is with great pride that we announce that we are now a CIMSPA “Enhancing” rated Education Provider. Such status means the world to the Study Active team who work relentlessly day in, day out to provide an exceptional level of service to our learners. Whilst we have always been a CIMSPA Education Partner, it is great to see CIMSPA recognise the different levels that providers are operating at within their endorsed network. This certainly gives us motivation to ensure our Enhancing status is maintained – the bar is set high now!”

Tara Dillon, CEO of CIMSPA, reflected on Study Active’s success: “Study Active has demonstrated outstanding levels of education quality for many years now so we are delighted that they have received recognition of this through their “Enhancing” rating. We look forward to working with Study Active as one of our Education Partners as we strive to ensure that the sector’s workforce is fit for purpose”.

To find out more about Study Active and the fitness education courses that they offer please go to studyactive.co.uk

Study Active are delighted to have received the ‘Education Provider of the Year’ award at the recent ukactive awards 2023.

The ukactive awards ceremony was held at the Royal Dock Armouries in Leeds to recognise and celebrate excellence and innovation across health, wellbeing and fitness in the UK.

The Education Provider of the Year’ award was sponsored by Active IQ and presented by Jenny Patrickson, Managing Director of Active IQ. The award highlights excellent educational delivery whilst demonstrating the development of the innovative resources of assessments enabling learners or employees to display high quality skills.

The judges were impressed with Study Active’s passion for their programme and remarkable work by world defining adjectives which demonstrated how their programme thrives in the current climate. Focusing on user-led programming and supporting organisations to retain and up-skill staff. The judges were inspired by cross sector partnerships that Study Active have in place and their use of digital applications to ensure future proof and sustainability.

Hannah Groves, Engagement and Marketing Assistant said ‘The emotions were on a high for the whole Study Active team during the event and to be presented with ‘Education Provider of the Year’ is simply phenomenal.

James Luscombe, Managing Director said ‘We are thrilled to have won ‘Education Provider of the Year’ This award means the world to us, we have all worked very hard, we all prioritise quality as the main thing that we do. The whole team drive to make an impact with every customer and every business that we work with. Every single member of the Study Active Team has contributed towards this and the tremendous work they put in every single day has made this happen. We are absolutely delighted beyond belief to receive this award and to know we are making an important contribution to ukactive’s mission.

For more information on Study Active and the qualifications offered, please visit www.studyactive.co.uk

Study Active, the UK leading provider for Gym Instructing & Personal Trainer qualifications received a double dose of fantastic news this week when they were shortlisted by ukactive for no less than two award categories.

ukactive host their awards event each year to recognise excellence and impact across the active leisure sector. With an array of award categories recognising both individuals and businesses, the two awards that Study Active are up for are Supplier of the Year and Education Provider of the year.

The supplier of the year award recognises Study Active’s contribution to a range of organisations across the country both large and small, for whom Study Active have designed and delivered learning & development programmes.

The Education Provider of the year recognises the work done by Study Active in delivering excellence both on a B2C and B2B level.

Study Active were nominated for Education Provider of the year in 2022 and were narrowly pipped at the post for the award, however they did come up as “highly commended” in their category – this year however they will be hoping to go one better!

James Luscombe, MD of Study Active had the following to say “I am in awe of my amazing team who work relentlessly on a daily basis so that we can contribute to ukactive’s mission. By empowering people to transform the lives of others through physical activity. For this reason, we are all immensely proud to see our efforts recognised by ukactive in this way”.

The awards take place in October at Leeds, and the Study Active team plan to be there to celebrate the success and achievements of all finalists and the sector as a whole.

For more information on Study Active please see studyactive.co.uk

Fitness education provider Study Active are delighted to be teaming up with The Gym Group, the lowest-cost, nationwide 24/7 gym chain, to provide professional development services to their team of Fitness Trainers. All Fitness Trainers will receive access to Study Active’s online CPD, which includes a range of various CPD titles including fitness, nutrition, and mental health. The platform, powered by Active IQ, was made to provide professional development in a range of key areas.

CPD titles such as Kettlebell training, Rig Training, Suspension Training, Nutrition for Exercise and understanding mental health are now available to Fitness Trainers at a touch of a button. These titles are available to access of a range of devices, enabling them to access bite-sized education, whether in the workplace or on the go.

All CPD titles use interactive digital learning and contain a wealth of the latest industry knowledge. At the end of each module there is a quiz to test knowledge which, if passed, leads to an Active IQ accredited CPD certificate on the given topic.

Emma Flood, Performance and Development Project Lead at The Gym Group commented “At The Gym Group, we are always looking to support our teams with the right tools to help develop and grow their skills. It’s great to work with Study Active on this range of courses and we are looking forward to hearing from our Fitness Trainers on the impact of this new programme.”

Regional Manager at The Gym Group, Scott Donnelly added “It is very important to us to not only attract, but also to retain great talent. Offering our team of Fitness Trainers more access to fantastic educational tools like Study Active, is a great way of showing our team how much we value their development.”

Study Active Managing Director James Luscombe said “Any company we partner with must share our values of quality and it was obvious from initial discussions that The Gym Group placed a key emphasis on quality education for their fantastic team of FTs. We are therefore absolutely delighted to be working with The Gym Group to support with developing their valued team of Fitness Trainers.”

Study Active will support The Gym Group with live webinars planned to help further equip their Fitness Trainers to deliver exceptional services to their clients. Study Active is also providing Personal Trainer course opportunities for aspiring PTs who wish to start an exciting career in the fitness sector with The Gym Group.

Find out more information about Study Active courses and how they can help individuals or fitness businesses