CTC Courses and Qualifications

Private Course Venue Requirements

Introduction

This document outlines the requirements of venues from which private courses can be provided. General course details, content and scheme outlines are available at http://www.ctc.org.uk/courses-training with details of private courses at www.ctc.org.uk/courses-and-training/venues/private-courses.

Around three quarters of all CTC courses are private courses, which we provide throughout the UK and Europe via our team of specialist Instructor Trainers.

All private courses fulfill the requirements of the National Assessment Criteria, but they can be tailored within boundaries to suit the circumstances of the trainees’ working environments. This can include the use of facilities and riding within and close to their usual working venue.

What do course venues need to provide?

There are two key facility elements to enable a course to run effectively:

·  the teaching base

·  the riding environment (where riding is part of the course)

Both of these need to reflect the requirements of the qualification level: often the teaching requirements are easier to fulfil than the riding needs.

CTC Courses and Qualifications

Private Course Venue Requirements

Teaching base

The teaching base requirements apply to all courses and should include:

Area / Trail Leader
Technical Leader
Skill Instructor
Bike Tour Leader / National Standards Instructor / CTC Trainer / Ride Manager
Road Ride Manager
SI Urban / Club Ride Leader / Young Leader / Maintenance Courses /
Classroom: / Appropriate size / P / P / P / P / P / P / O
Additional room or area for individual interviews / P / P / P / O / O / O
Light, heat and electric sockets / P / P / P / P / P / P
Tables and chairs / P / P / P / P / P / P
AV facilities / Data projector and link for PC / P / P / P / P / O / O / O
Screen or unobscured wall area / P / P / P / P / O / O / O
Flipchart and stand / P / P / P / P / P / P / P
Electric extension lead if required / P / P / P / P / P / O / P
Area / Trail Leader
Technical Leader
Skill Instructor
Bike Tour Leader / National Standards Instructor / CTC Trainer / Ride Manager
Road Ride Manager
SI Urban / Club Ride Leader / Young Leader / Maintenance Courses
Maintenance area / Outside, covered and lit or / P (summer) / P / O / O / O / O / O
Inside, heated and well lit / P (not summer) / O / O / O / O / O / P
Workstands / O / O / O / O / O / O / P
Toolsets / O / O / O / O / O / O / P
Food and drink / Access to drinking water / P / P / P / P / P / P / O
Hot drinks available / P / P / P / P / P / O / O
Food provided or available in the vicinity / P / P / P / P / O / O / O
Services / Secure bike storage area / P / P / P / P / P / P / O
Toilets, / P / P / P / P / P / P / O
Hot showers and changing rooms / O / O / O / O / O / O / O
Bike wash area with hose / P / O / O / O / O / O / O
Base contact support / A person based on or close to the site that is available by phone during the course / P / O / O / O / O / P / O

CTC Courses and Qualifications

Private Course Venue Requirements

Riding environments

The riding requirements vary according to the needs of the courses and qualifications being provided. Most courses are designed to be used in locations beyond that used for the course itself, and so should reflect environments may be found across the UK. The riding environment is crucial to enabling effective learning and development of trainees, so should include:

For mountain bike courses:

MTB Courses / Young Leader / Trail Leader / Technical Leader / SI Urban /
Route overview / 10 to 16km in length
It should comprise a range of environments, trail widths, surfaces, some roads and hills. / As per Young Leader / 12 to 16km in length
It should comprise a range of environments, trail widths, variable, loose and uncertain surfaces, some roads and significant hills and descents. / BMX track or jump park environment
Access / All routes shall be legally accessible, or have written landowner agreement. / As per Young Leader / As per Young Leader / The location used should have written landowner agreement for cycle use.
The park, or if sufficiently large, an area within it should be set aside for sole use during the course
Terrain technicality / Routes used will be of varying widths and surface types, remaining within Trail Terrain specification.
It is useful though not essential if a short section either on, or close to the route also fulfils the requirement of Technical Terrain. / Routes used will be of varying widths and surface types, remaining within Trail Terrain specification.
One short section either on, or close to the route will also fulfil the requirement of Technical Terrain. / Routes used will be of varying widths and surface types.
At least 50% of the route will clearly fulfil the Technical Terrain specification. / Trails and sections will be well drained and of consistent, fast running surface
Topography / Some climbing and descending that indicate some riding position change.
One or more descent that requires braking control to be exercised to monitor riders speed (minimum 300m length). / Height difference within the route of at least 80m.
A range of climbs and descents that require riding position change (i.e. have a level of steepness).
Several moderately extended descents that require braking control to be exercised to monitor speed (minimum 300m length). / A height difference within the route being used of at least 200m.
A range of extended climbs and descents that require significant riding position change (i.e. are steep), effort (climbs) and control (descents). / Not relevant
Land types / A range of environments including at least two from forest; moorland; farm land; common land; urban. / A range of environments including at least three from forest; moorland; farm land; common land; urban. / A range of environments including at least three from forest; moorland; farm land; common land. / Not relevant
Highway requirement / Two or more minor or major roads including two or more junctions. / Four or more minor or major roads including three or more junctions. / Two or more minor or major roads including two or more junctions. / Not relevant

The riding requirements of other CTC courses, such as Skill Instructor and Advanced Leader are extremely specific. As a result, these courses are provided as Public courses and are available for booking via the CTC website.

For Road Leader courses

Road Leader Courses / Ride Manager / Road Ride Manager / Club Ride Leader / Bike Tour Leader / National Standard Instructor /
Route length / 8 to 12km / 10 to 14km / 12 to 16 km / 14 to 20km / Variable, but in general, quite short.
Location / Urban, semi urban areas with access to traffic free routes. / Urban, semi urban areas with access to traffic free routes.
Residential areas often work well / Urban and semi urban base possible but route should be primarily rural / A mix of urban, semi urban and rural sections within the route / Urban and semi urban areas with access to quiet, busy and residential roads
Topography / Relatively flat or undulating / Relatively flat or undulating / At least one climb and descent of note (minimum 300m length / 30m height gain) / At least one climb and descent of note (minimum 300m length / 30m height gain) / Can vary according to the environment available
Route and technicality / A mix of quiet roads, cycle path, traffic free and park or surfaced areas / A mix of quiet roads, cycle path, traffic free and park or surfaced areas.
A busy road and road junctions need to be included
A traffic light and mini roundabout are preferable but not essential / Busy, quiet and rural roads and lanes of variable width
Several junctions and a roundabout or mini roundabout required / Busy, quiet and rural roads and lanes of variable width and surface
Several junctions and a roundabout or mini roundabout required
Traffic lights and bollards / islands are preferable but not essential / Residential roads with a variety of traffic volume
Busy roads with a major roundabout, traffic lights and road furniture (bollards, pedestrian islands)
Outdoor space required / A surfaced outdoor space required at venue about the size of a tennis court / A surfaced outdoor space required at venue about the size of a tennis court / None required / A surfaced outdoor space required at venue about the size of a tennis court / A surfaced outdoor space required at venue about the size of a tennis court

Riding requirements for other CTC qualifications

The demands of other CTC off road qualifications, such as the Skill Instructor and Advanced Leader Awards are highly specific and require significant knowledge of the area. This can only be gained through site visits. For more on the requirements of these courses, please contact us.

Further information

More information about private courses can be found at www.ctc.org.uk/courses-training, or you can contact us at 0844 736 8463 to discuss your requirements further.