Examinations

BAF examinations provide coaches with the opportunity to demonstrate their coaching knowledge, technical expertise and ability to develop fencers effectively. Examination days are held throughout the year across the UK and are open to eligible candidates seeking formal coaching qualifications.

The examination process

  1. Prepare for your chosen coaching level.
  2. Book onto an examination day.
  3. Complete the required practical and written assessments.
  4. Receive your result and qualification.

Please note: You will need to reserve your place in advance to take part—we don’t allow walk-ins due to time constraints.

Eligibility

You must be at least 16 years old to take any British Academy of Fencing Coaching Award.

Diploma examination requirements

Before attempting a Diploma Examination, you must have already passed the Class Lesson Section of at least one BAF Advanced Examination.
If needed, you can arrange with the Examination Officer to take the Advanced Class Examination just before the Diploma Examination. If you pass, you may proceed to the Diploma. If not, you won’t be eligible. The weapon used for the class lesson must match the one for the Diploma.

Taking an examination without attending a course

You may apply to take an examination without attending a BAF residential course, subject to availability. Priority is always given to candidates attending the course.

  • If accepted, you must bring your own pupil for the Individual Section.
  • You’ll pay both the standard exam fee and a day attendance fee. If we don’t accept you, we’ll refund both fees.
  • You will need to submit your application at least four weeks before the course starts. You might not receive confirmation until 72 hours before the exam.
  • If approved, arrive at the venue by 8:30 AM on exam day.
  • The Course Officer’s decision is final.

Coaching levels

Guide to examination success


You must ensure you understand the difference between teaching and coaching in fencing:

  • Teaching involves introducing strokes to students with no prior experience. Your ability to explain techniques clearly and keep students engaged is key.
  • Coaching builds on existing skills, using exercises to improve performance under competitive conditions. You must design realistic, engaging drills and maintain strong class control.

Download below, some useful documentation.

The Long Step from Level 3 to Level 4

It is important to appreciate that there is a different philosophy to our first three levels than the next two — hence the more than symbolic separation between these two groups at our Denstone Courses.  In many ways, these first levels constitute the basic skill training of the coach.  They are carefully designed to fit together between the levels and weapons.  A coach who has achieved Level 3 in all three weapons would basically be a competent club coach, able to introduce and train fencers in all the basic technical skills of fencing.  At this level exam candidates are supported by the examiners and in the initial levels very much given the benefit of the doubt.  It should be possible to prepare for these levels by coaching in any club, with the occasional attendance on weekend and residential courses.

Levels 4 -5

At this point, it all becomes a very different game.  Candidates at this level are expected to have thoroughly mastered the skills covered in Levels 1 – 3.  They should, additionally, have complete command of the Key Points for all the strokes and have started to have some basic awareness of coaching tactics.  All these subjects are exhaustively covered for all three weapons in our Academy publications (Key Teaching Points, Key Coaching Points, Teaching and Coaching Tactics) so there is no excuse for not being familiar with them.

These levels are focused entirely on the skill of coaching the competitive fencer, so some experience of competitive fencing, either as a fencer or a coach (preferably both) is also to be expected.

Examiners are expected to be far more demanding at this level and far less tolerant of shortcomings, and any training on residential courses will reflect this.   Examiners will expect to see high standards in the following:

  • Technical: The candidate’s own personal performance should show proficiency in the execution of all fencing actions (see below for more details)
  • Blade presentation: During offensive actions, defensive actions and preparatory actions, the candidate’s blade presentation should show a high degree of consistency and accuracy. 
  • Timing:  The candidate should have a great understanding and appreciation of the timing and cadence of any action relative to its application. The candidate is also expected to have the ability to control and manage the pupil’s timing of actions.
  • Distance: The candidate should have a great understanding and appreciation of distance and how it may change the time and execution of an action. The candidate is also expected to have the ability to control and manage the pupil’s distance during these actions.
  • Additionally: The candidate must show the ability to set, control and manage various conditions when coaching one or more stokes under one or more emphases.
FileLink
Exam Procedure & ConductDownload (pdf)
Exam TimingsDownload (pdf)