Wiltshire Cricket Update on Education Courses - Spring 2021 and Summer 2021

Clearly this has been a very frustrating winter across so many aspects of cricket, not least in relation to the normal programme of Workforce Education courses that Wiltshire Cricket would typically deliver, but also that you would ensure your club volunteers attend. The purpose of this email is to outline some updates received by ECB in relation to face to face courses. Following this we have then provided an update on Wiltshire Cricket’s response to these updates:

ECB Guidelines for delivery of Face to Face courses:

On the 8th March Sport England allowed the delivery of face to face courses under the education exemption with the following Department for Education guidance. This is a 67 page document. Within this document you will find the guidance for Adult education which is further 57 page document.

Highlighted below are some, but by no means all, of the requirements to satisfy the guidance.

  • Review and where necessary, update your risk assessment
  • Follow the system of controls to minimise the risk of infection – there are 12 elements across two pages.
  • Implement and deliver a plan for asymptomatic testing.
  • Test and Trace procedure.
  • Isolation and communication plan must be in place.
  • Face coverings must be worn in many circumstances.

Given the requirements in both documents the ECB guidance is for face to face course provision to await the planned move to step 1b on 29th March which will be reviewed by government on 22nd March. However, if you feel your organisation can satisfy the related guidance from DfE, then the courses are permissible where applicable. We will provide a further update at this time when it is hoped under step 1b, outdoor education can be delivered under more manageable restrictions which will be the same as for the return to playing cricket outdoors.

Status of specific Courses:

Coach Development Courses -  Face to face courses are permissible, but not advisable as outlined above.

Safe Hands Training – These courses can be delivered online and we this is to be maintained until any further update

ACO Courses – These courses can be delivered online and this will be maintained until a further update

First Aid Courses – Face to face courses are permissible but not advisable.  The ECB does not recognise online courses, in the event of qualifications which expired since 1st March 2020 these can remain valid until 30th September 2021.

National Programme Activators Courses – As recommended previously plan for outdoor delivery of face to face in April with delivery in line with all government and ECB recommendations at that time.  Should a decision be made on 22 March that doesn’t allow for Face to Face as planned we will pivot to virtual delivery as appropriate.  The face to face element only relates to new activators (signed up post Jan 2020 and not having undertaken training) and with existing activators undertaking online refresher course

Wiltshire Cricket’s Workforce Education Plans in response to ECB Update:

In response to the above update, Wiltshire Cricket has made the following decisions and is in the process of putting in place the following plans for the summer:

ECB Foundation 1 courses:

  • We have made the decision that with courses not advisable at this stage we will not be scheduling any courses until after step 3 of the Government roadmap (earliest date 17th May) as this is when indoor hospitality and organised indoor sport can re-start
  • With 2 x ECB Foundation 1 courses, and 1 x ECB Foundation 1 Women’s only courses being cancelled as a result of the winter lockdown, we are going to aim to organise a minimum of 2 x ECB Foundation 1 courses to run during weekday evenings in the summer. We realise summer time is not ideal for training new coaches but we are also aware of how much built up demand there will be as a result of the cancelled courses this winter.

Safe Hands Training:

  • Based on the ECB guidance above, we will be cancelling the face to face course scheduled for this April.
  • As per ECB guidance we advise all clubs with safeguarding officers booked on to the face to face course in April to now book on to the online Safe Hands webinar instead. This needs to be done by 31st March and can be done via this link; Summary - Safe Hands Webinar for Club Welfare Officers (cvent.com)

First Aid courses:

  • We have made the decision that with courses not advisable at this stage we will not be scheduling any courses until after step 3 of the Government roadmap (earliest date 17th May) as this is when indoor hospitality and organised indoor sport can re-start
  • We welcome the news that ECB have extended the qualification expiry date from 30th September 2021 for qualifications that have expired since 1st March 2020
  • We are aware though that many coaches will still now need to complete their First Aid renewals before 30th September. As such, we are aiming to organise 3 x First Aid courses to run during weekday evenings in the summer, thus providing coaches with multiple opportunities to renew their First Aid in time for 30th September 2021.

Please note that Wiltshire Cricket is currently working on the plans for the summer Foundation 1 and First Aid courses. The details of these will be communicated to clubs as soon as they have been finalised

National Programmes Activator Courses:

  • A quick note for clubs running All Stars and Dynamos programmes this summer; These courses will take place in late April outdoors. We are just finalising plans and will be in touch with clubs in the very near future.