Fencing

Fencing’s becoming a more popular activity within Scouts. We’ve been working alongside British Fencing to make sure that our members can enjoy this activity and get the most out of it, while still being safe.

The Core Coach training course is offered to members of Scouts at the heavily discounted price of £30 per person (normally £240pp) for up to 12 people per course. As part of the course you can get a kit bag for £440 (normally £636).

For more information, please visit British Fencing’s website.

Core Coach entitles the holder to instruct up to 12 youngsters with plastic or metal kit, within the parameters of the Core Coach qualification, which are:

• Managing a group session for beginners
• Delivering pre-prepared sessions using basic coach process skills
• Correct basic fencing techniques
• Understanding the social environment of the sessions

It does not entitle you to deliver individual lessons or anything beyond the content of the Core Coach course.

While there’s no specific qualification for foam fencing, a lot of the basic techniques for plastic and also metal sword fencing can be taught with a foam sword. We would recommend that if you’re planning on delivering anything beyond taster sessions, you complete your one-day Core Coach qualification to make sure you’re safe, competent and confident in delivering fencing.

As long as you deliver within the parameters of the training provided, once you’ve passed the course, you’re covered under the normal Scout insurance for 'Scout led' activities.

Your details are held on a separate British Fencing register, which insures you to run sessions for groups, such as Girlguiding and other organisations that may require sessions running for them.

Any externally-led activity instruction is covered by the British Fencing National Governing Body certification, provided the coach is fully qualified.

The course has been designed to develop young people’s (aged 14+) leadership skills, using fencing as a focus to help them to achieve this.

The course structure is modular, with a flexible delivery model to adjust to the needs of those young leaders involved.  

They should undertake an activity after the course to use the skills and qualities developed. By the end of the course the young people (such as Explorers) should:

• Be aware of their leadership skills and abilities
• Be able to continue developing their leadership skills using fencing based activities
• Be able to raise the profile of fencing within a young leadership role at their organisation
• Be able to inspire others to become actively involved with fencing

For more information, please visit British Fencing’s website.

British Fencing have mapped the Go Fence Bronze Badge to help count towards Scouts badges, as well as achieving the British Fencing Go Fence Bronze Award. Scout badges it could count towards include:

• Beavers: Health and Fitness Activity Badge, Sports Activity Badge
• Cubs: Sports Enthusiast Activity Badge
• Scouts: Physical Recreation Activity Badge, Master at Arms Activity Badge
• Explorers: Physical Recreation Activity Badge

Yes, you would need to enrol onto an Introduction to Fencing course, which looks at the individual’s ability to coach the sport in more depth. This course covers technique and technical elements of the sport in more detail. Find out more about the courses.

Kitbags cost a heavily discounted rate of £440. If you wish to purchase a kitbag for your Scout group, please email virginia.bailey@britishfencing.com

Please be aware that kitbags can take up to 6 weeks to arrive. 

British Fencing are currently looking at ways to better connect Scout groups to local fencing clubs. If you’d like to find out who your local club is, please email josef.thomas@britishfencing.com 

There’s also a club finder (please note, not all clubs are listed).

British Fencing publishes a monthly coach register which indicates the certification level of the individual by weapon. Take a look at the coaching register.

All British Fencing coaches listed have up-to-date disclosure checks, first aid and safeguarding and child protection certification.

Always follow the Scout externally-led activity guidelines, and make sure all external leaders have read and understood the Yellow Card.