Welcome to our FAQs Page...
There are many maxims available around knowledge and learning, though one of our favourites has to be 'You can never ask too many questions!'. On that note, we understand that you will have a lot of questions about coach training before embarking on it, so we've set out a few of the queries that we answer frequently in the hope that they illustrate how we do what we do and that they're of assistance to you...
About the Programme
Everything you need to know before deciding whether coach training is right for you.
What is coach training?
Coach training consists of a structured programme that offers a recognised framework and draws on competencies that support the development of knowledge, skill and confidence to coach professionally. It combines coaching concepts and theory with practical coaching experience, feedback, observations, self-reflection, ethics and professional development to support you in becoming an effective coach.
Who is this programme for?
Our programme is designed for anyone who wants to develop professional coaching skills, including:
- Aspiring professional coaches – in-house or building their own practice
- Leaders and managers
- HR and Learning & Development professionals
- Consultants
- Therapists wishing to add coaching to their practice
- Educators and Facilitators in any discipline
- Health and wellbeing professionals
- Individuals seeking a rewarding career change
- Those looking for self-development
Previous coaching experience is not a requirement.
Is this training for life coaches?
For life coaches and more! This training is for coaches who are ready to develop the skillset required and will allow you to work across many disciplines, including life, executive and leadership, career, health, wellbeing, end of life coaching, team coaching, and personal development.
How do I know if coach training is right for me?
If you enjoy supporting others to think about their thinking, clarify, develop and/or change their thinking, arrive at solutions, unlock potential, and work toward meaningful objectives, then coach training could be for you.
Know that our training is intensive and will require the commitment of time, energy, focus, a willingness to contribute, dig deep within yourself, and work with real life scenarios.
Our free introductory days are a great opportunity to experience our teaching style and ask as many questions as you’d like before applying.
Accreditation and Qualification
Learn about ICF accreditation, professional recognition and the qualification you'll achieve.
What does ICF accreditation mean?
Our programme is accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the world's leading professional body for coaching.
ICF accreditation means the programme has been independently assessed against rigorous international standards for coaching education, ethics and professional practice.
Why should I choose an ICF-accredited programme?
An ICF-accredited programme provides:
- International recognition
- High educational standards
- A clear pathway towards ICF credentialing
- Credibility with clients and employers
- Coaching skills aligned with globally recognised competencies
Can I become an ICF-credentialed coach after completing the programme?
Yes. Successful completion of our programme offers all that you require, providing you with a recognised coach education that supports you in obtaining an ICF credential. The only additional requirement will be the hours of professional practise that you must build.
What qualification will I receive?
Upon successful completion of the programme, you will receive a certificate confirming completion of your ICF-accredited Level 1 or 2 coach education. This equips you (along with the pre-requisite amount of professional practise hours) to apply for your credential.
How you’ll Learn
Discover how you'll learn, the time commitment involved, and the practical coaching experience you'll gain.
Is the training entirely online?
Yes.
All learning takes place online, allowing you to participate from anywhere in the world.
What is the timing on the facilitated days?
We start at 8am and finish by 5pm (UK). We have mid-morning and afternoon breaks and time for lunch in between.
Do I need to attend live sessions?
Yes, you do.
The live, fully facilitated sessions provide invaluable opportunities to learn the competencies and embody the practice of coaching, receive feedback, enjoy observations, work with fellow participants and learn directly from experienced faculty.
Any self-paced learning requirements that take place in between the modules will be clearly explained.
How long does the programme take?
Encompassing a balance of live learning, coaching practise and independent study, the programme spans 6 months.
How many hours should I expect to study each week?
4.5 – 5 hours per week.
In addition to the facilitated days please expect to commit this sort of time for reading, writing, coaching practise, reflection and independent learning (which you diarise at a time to suit you).
Will I get practical coaching experience?
Absolutely! Practical translation is what it’s all about. Experiential learning is what we are best known for and there is lots of opportunity to do that.
You will 'learn by doing'. Throughout the programme you will practise coaching regularly, receive constructive feedback on your work and build confidence through real coaching conversations – no role play!
Will I receive mentoring?
Yes.
Mentoring is a crucial component of professional coach development and supports your growth as you refine your coaching skills and prepare for professional credentialing.
All the mentor coach hours required for your ICF credential are included in the training.
How are ethics and safeguarding taught and assessed?
Learning is assessed through practise, not just knowledge. As an ICF-accredited provider, our training is grounded in the International Coaching Federation's Core Competencies and Code of Ethics. Topics such as confidentiality, contracting, professional boundaries, informed consent, conflicts of interest, appropriate referrals and the coach's responsibility to clients and other stakeholders will be taught and explored.
Safeguarding is addressed within the wider context of ethical coaching practise. Via practical exercises we help participants recognise the limits of coaching, identify situations where there may be concerns about a client's welfare or wellbeing, understand when confidentiality may need to be breached to protect someone from harm, and know when referral to appropriate services or other professionals is necessary. These conversations are integrated into skills practise.
Who are the trainers?
Our faculty are all experienced, professional coaches with extensive coaching, supervision, mentoring, leadership and training experience. In addition to their years of training they all have real world experience in setting up and running a coaching practice – between them and the wider team there are decades of knowledge to tap into!
And they are passionate about helping students develop into confident, ethical and effective coaches.
The Learning Environment
Everything you need to know about joining the programme, including entry requirements, class sizes and the learning environment.
Do I need any previous qualifications?
No.
In some respects it’s easier if you have no knowledge; that way there is nothing for you to un-learn. We liken it to learning to drive a car, something you had to consciously think about and work through initially, then one day you sit in that seat and just drive…it’s not terribly dissimilar.
We welcome participants from a wide variety of backgrounds. The diversity is important in the learning; working with those outside of your usual scope truly enables you to strengthen those coaching muscles.
What if English is not my first language?
We have many fond memories of welcoming students over our 20+ years from all corners of the globe.
The programme is delivered in English. To maximise interaction and participation those attending should be comfortable communicating in spoken and written English.
Will I be studying with people from other countries?
Yes.
We do hope so! Our online programmes attract participants from all over, creating a rich international learning environment that bring diverse perspectives and experiences; and those are hugely important contributions to the learning.
How large are the class groups?
We believe coaching is best learned in an interactive environment. Group sizes are managed so as to encourage participation, maximise discussion and learning, provide diversity of approach, and offer personalised feedback.
You will never be a ‘number’ when you train with us. Because of the nature of the work we will do together we will get to know you over the months that you are with us. This is important in that we are able to support your learning in the way that best works for you; again, this mirrors the way that you will support your client in the work that you do with them.
What technology do I need during the programme?
You will need:
- A computer or laptop with a reliable internet connection
- A webcam and microphone
- A quiet space to undertake the training and the integrated live coaching sessions
- A method of recording your practise sessions for your own review
Your Environment
Please consider your own 'workspace' as you embark on the training. One set up to be as free from distractions as possible, where you are able to engage fully in the training.
After the Programme
Explore where your coaching journey can take you after graduation and how we'll continue to support your development.
Can I work as a coach after completing the programme?
Yes, you can.
Many graduates establish independent coaching practices, integrate coaching into their existing careers or use coaching skills within leadership, education, healthcare, consulting and organisational development following -and even during - the training.
What happens after the training?
The completion of the training is not the end of your learning journey - it marks the beginning of your development as a professional coach!
At Coaching Development, we believe that becoming an exceptional coach is an ongoing process of learning, reflection and practise. That's why we continue to support our graduates long after they have completed their training.
As a member of our alumni community, you'll have access to a range of continuing professional development opportunities including coaching circles and action learning sets, goldfish bowls, coaching mastermind sessions, workshops, various transactional analysis offerings and alumni events. These provide a supportive environment in which to deepen your practise, stay connected with fellow coaches and continue learning throughout your career.
Whether you're building a coaching practice, integrating coaching into your existing profession, or working towards your next ICF credential, you'll remain part of a learning community.
For us, coach training isn't simply about completing a programme—it's about partnering with you throughout your professional journey.
“I'm just bowled over that 17 years later Coaching Development are still offering such a great (and free!) service. The Coaching Circle is incredibly valuable and Colin an absolute star for hosting the action learning sets. It's the business ethos that sets Coaching Development apart from many other coach training organisations - and I'd be happy for you to quote me on that! Other things I could mention: just the right number of marketing emails - enough to keep me informed and not so many that I auto-delete them; great responsiveness when I need; a sense of belonging.”
- Jacqueline, Leadership Coach
Why Coaching Development?
Understand what makes our approach distinctive, our philosophy of coach development, and why so many graduates recommend us.
How do I know if Coaching Development is the right provider for me?
Choosing a coach training provider is an important decision. Selecting an ICF-accredited programme means you can be confident it meets internationally recognised standards for coach education. Accreditation provides a recognised benchmark for quality. Beyond that, the real difference lies in each provider's philosophy, approach and the learning experience they create.
In our view, coaching is about far more than learning a model or asking a sequence of questions. Our programmes are grounded in the belief that the most effective coaches are those who understand themselves as well as they understand coaching. Using Transactional Analysis as our psychological lens, we support you to develop the self-awareness, insight and presence that will enable you to work in genuine partnership with your clients.
We won't make you grand promises about becoming a coach overnight, nor offer techniques or quick fixes. Becoming a skilled coach is a developmental journey. It takes curiosity, reflection, practise and a willingness to keep learning. We partner with you at the start of that journey and continue to support you as your coaching develops and beyond.
As you do your due diligence and explore different providers, ask questions, you can never ask too many! Attend webinars. Speak to the faculty. Read what graduates say. Notice not only what you learn, but how you feel. Do you feel challenged and supported? Seen and heard? Does the provider's philosophy resonate with your own values?
Finally, trust your instincts. As a coach, you'll be helping clients tune into their own thinking, feelings and intuition as they make important decisions and changes. Choosing your training provider is an opportunity to begin doing that for yourself.
What is Coaching Development’s philosophy?
At Coaching Development, we believe that coaches are not developed simply by learning coaching models or techniques. They are developed through experience.
The way we work with you is every bit as important as what we teach you. If you experience being listened to, you'll learn how to listen. If you feel accepted, you'll understand the value of offering acceptance. If you are challenged with care and respect, you'll discover how to challenge others constructively. If you experience psychological safety, you'll know how to create it for your clients. And if you are encouraged to discover your own answers, rather than being given ours, you'll learn to trust your clients to discover theirs.
Throughout your training, you'll experience what it feels like to be seen, heard, supported and thoughtfully challenged. We believe these experiences shape not only your understanding of coaching, but who you become as a coach.
Everything we do is intentional. The learning environment we create is preparation for the coaching relationships you'll go on to build with your own clients. In that sense, our training is a mirror: as you experience effective coaching, you learn how to offer it.
Knowledge matters. Skills matter. Accreditation matters. They provide the foundations of professional coaching. Yet people rarely remember a programme because of its curriculum alone. They remember how it made them feel, what they discovered about themselves and who they became through the experience.
That is why Coaching Development is, first and foremost, about your development.
What makes your programme different?
Our programme combines internationally recognised accreditation, experienced faculty, practical coaching experience, personalised observations and feedback, and a supportive global learning community.
However, the single most reported factor on completion of the training is how much people learned about themselves along the way…
What truly makes us different is that the focus of the training is on you and your development as a coach. We believe that effective coaching begins with self-awareness. Throughout the programme, you'll be encouraged to explore your own patterns of thinking, feeling and relating, deepening your self-awareness and developing the insight and presence that enable you to coach with authenticity, confidence and depth. We call this working from the inside out. It follows that if you're going to invite your clients to deepen their awareness and create meaningful change, it's invaluable to have experienced that process yourself.
A distinctive feature of our approach is the integration of Transactional Analysis (TA). TA provides a powerful framework for understanding human behaviour, communication, relationships and change. It helps you understand what is happening beneath the surface—both in yourself and in your clients. This deeper understanding enables you to build stronger coaching relationships, work more effectively with difference and complexity, and support lasting, meaningful change.
Our commitment is not simply to teach coaching skills, but to support your development into a confident, reflective and ethical professional coach who is equipped to make a meaningful impact in whatever field you choose to coach. We teach you to be a coach, not to do coaching to people.
How does the way Coaching Development trains, model the way I will be coaching?
At Coaching Development, we believe that the experience of the training is in itself part of your development as a coach.
Everything we do with you during the programme is designed as a preparation for the work you will go on to do with your own clients. The way we listen to you, challenge you, support you, offer feedback and create a space for reflection is a model of the coaching relationship you will develop with others.
It is, in many ways, a mirroring process. As you experience being seen, heard, challenged and supported, you develop a deeper understanding of what it feels like to be in the client's position. This first-hand experience helps you build the awareness, presence and empathy needed to create meaningful coaching relationships.
We don't teach technique; we create an environment where you can experience coaching from the inside. Through that experience, you develop not only the skills to coach, but the understanding of what it means to be coached.
What do graduates say about Coaching Development?
Over 85% of our students join us through recommendations from previous graduates. We believe this reflects the depth of the experience people have with us —not only learning how to coach, but developing a deeper understanding of themselves as coaches.
They often tell us how they value the combination of ICF-accredited training, Transactional Analysis as our psychological lens, experienced faculty, practical learning, appreciation of ongoing CPD opportunities, friendships they have forged, and the supportive community they become part of.
It is something we are very proud of; for us, the greatest endorsement is when someone chooses to share their experience with another person.
Applying
The application process and how to explore whether the programme is the right fit before you enrol.
How do I apply?
Simply complete our online application form. Once we receive your application, we’ll be in contact and guide you through the next steps before you enrol.
Can I speak with someone before applying?
Absolutely!
We encourage prospective students to attend one of our free, full day webinars to get a real sense of our approach and to experience what a typical day of training with us would be like.
Or we can have a conversation to discuss whether the programme is the right one for you. Our exploration at this point is to discover whether this is the best fit for your training requirements.
And if it isn’t, we believe this to have been time well spent in ensuring, as far as we can, that this programme offers you the development you’re looking for.
Still have a question?
If you have a question that hasn't appeared here, please let us answer it, we're available! Get in touch via phone, email, arrange a conversation, attend one of our free introductory webinars, or message via the contact form.