David Francis

I’m Head of Education at Create PT, where I lead on qualification design, academic quality, and tutor development across our growing portfolio. I’ve spent over 15 years in the fitness industry, working my way up from personal trainer and fitness manager to college educator, higher education lecturer, subject leader, and now educational lead.

Before joining Create PT, I was Programme Manager at YMCAfit, where I led tutor teams and supported the development of several new CPD pathways. Prior to that, I served as Subject Leader for HE Sport at Moulton College, managing seven higher education programmes and leading the successful validation of three new sports degrees.

During that time, Moulton became one of the few UK colleges to achieve PRSB accreditation, reflecting my focus on curriculum relevance, academic standards, and learner outcomes. My path into education wasn’t a straight line. After being rejected from sixth form, I went straight into work. I was always smart but never really engaged, and I became more interested in being the class clown than in learning.

I never attended college, and it wasn’t until 2008, when I signed up for my first fitness qualification, that things changed. I quickly realised I loved learning when it felt purposeful and practical. That journey eventually led me to university and a master’s degree in Strength and Conditioning. Looking back, the lack of meaningful engagement in my own school experience is a key reason why I’m so passionate about improving how we teach, and why innovation and quality in education now sit at the heart of my work.

I’ve taught across Levels 2 to 6 in areas such as physiology, research methods, and applied coaching, and I’m known for my ability to bridge the gap between education and practice. My work today focuses on modernising fitness qualifications, improving tutor training, and creating educational experiences that are genuinely valuable for coaches on the ground.

Outside of education, my coaching perspective is shaped by years of competitive sport, including England Schools cross-country, national-level American football, enduro mountain biking and, more recently, functional fitness and HYROX events. That lived experience continues to ground my approach in what actually works, both in coaching and in learning.