Table Tennis England replaces Levels 1-4 with role-based coach pathway

Table Tennis England launched a new Coaching Development Framework that replaces the old Levels 1-4 with three role-based qualifications: Coaching Assistant, Coach and Head Coach. The change is intended to better reflect how coaches learn and the environments where they work, shifting development from a linear ladder to a blended model combining formal learning, on-court experience and targeted continuing professional development.

The new pathway began with a public announcement on January 13 and sets clear rollout milestones. The first intake for the Coaching Assistant qualification opens in February 2026. Delivery of the Coach qualification will begin in Spring 2026, and registration for Head Coach will open in Autumn 2026. Existing coaches will be mapped into the new structure so clubs and individuals can see where their current certification sits in the updated framework.

A suite of initial CPD courses accompanies the framework to give coaches immediate, practical modules to use in club contexts. Corner Coaching and Player Pathway courses run in January, while Fundamentals of Movement and Playing Styles are scheduled for February. The initiative is supported by a 12-month CPD plan that outlines ongoing opportunities to remain current and deepen on-court coaching skills.

For coaches and club administrators the practical value is straightforward: clearer role definitions, a pathway that mirrors everyday coaching environments, and a continuous development model that recognizes practice as much as paperwork. Clubs can plan coaching rotas and recruitment against the three defined roles; individual coaches can prioritise learning that matches the environments where they actually coach, from school sessions and beginner groups to performance squads.

Table Tennis England has arranged Q&A sessions for coaches and clubs to ask detailed questions about mapping, course content and booking. Those sessions are scheduled for January 25 and January 27; coaches should use the official booking route and the 12-month CPD plan at tabletennisengland.co.uk/news/2026/the-future-of-coaching-has-arrived/ to reserve a place and review course dates.

This framework serves up a more flexible, practice-focused route for developing coaching talent across the game. Expect a steady cadence of course delivery through 2026 and clearer expectations around what each role requires. Coaches who register early for the Coaching Assistant intake and the January CPD sessions will be first to benefit from the reworked pathway, and clubs that align recruitment and development plans with the new roles will find it easier to keep players moving through well-structured coaching progressions.