Block, day release or weekend: choosing a CITB course pattern
Course guides 3 min read Updated
The same CITB course can run as consecutive days, one day a week or over weekends. Here's how each pattern works and who it suits.
Most of our tutor-led courses run in more than one pattern. The content, the tutor and the certificate are the same whichever you choose. What changes is how the days are spread out, which matters a great deal when you're trying to keep a job moving.
Every date we list shows its pattern in plain words, such as "5 days in a row" or "5 days over 5 weeks", next to the exact dates.
Block: consecutive days
A block course runs on back-to-back days, so a five-day SMSTS course takes up one working week.
It suits you if:
- your site can be covered for the whole period
- you learn best by staying with a subject until it's done
- you need the certificate quickly, for example before starting a new job
The downside is obvious: you're away for the full run of the course. For a site manager in the middle of a project, a week away can be hard to arrange.
Day release: one day a week
Day release spreads the same course over several weeks, usually on the same weekday each week. A five-day course becomes five single days over about five weeks.
It suits you if:
- you can't be away from site for a full week, but one day a week is manageable
- you'd like time between sessions to apply what you've learnt on your own job
- your employer would rather spread the time away over a longer period
The trade-off is time: you'll wait longer for your certificate, and you need to keep every one of those days free. Check the dates against pressure points such as pours, handovers and inspections before you book.
Weekend: keep your weekdays on site
Weekend courses run on Saturdays and Sundays, so you don't lose any working weekdays. A longer course runs over more than one weekend.
It suits you if:
- your weekdays are fully committed to site
- you're self-employed and a weekday off means lost earnings
- you're paying for the course yourself to move into a new role
Studying at the weekend after a full week on site is tiring, so be honest about how much you'll take in. It works well for people who are motivated and can rest the following week.
Whichever you choose, attend every day
CITB courses have to be completed in full. If you miss a day, you may not be able to finish the course or receive your certificate, and you might have to join a later course to make it up. Before booking, check every date in the pattern, not just the first one. That matters most for a refresher such as the SMSTS Refresher, which has to finish before your current certificate expires.
Classroom or online is a separate choice
The pattern is about when the days fall. Where you learn is a separate decision: most courses run in a classroom and live online with a tutor. In South Yorkshire, classroom dates for SMSTS, SSSTS and the other CITB site safety courses are at our Rotherham venue at Bradmarsh Business Park, off the A6178 Sheffield Road. Our guide to how live online courses work explains what you'll need at home.
A quick way to decide
| Your situation | Look at first |
|---|---|
| You need the certificate soon and your site can be covered | Block |
| You can spare one day a week, but not a week at once | Day release |
| You can't take any weekdays off | Weekend |
| You want to try each topic out on site as you go | Day release |
Booking for a team
When several people need the same course, the pattern matters even more: sending a whole supervisory team on a block week can leave a site short. Spreading people across different dates, or choosing day release, keeps cover in place. For larger groups we can also run the course at your own site on dates that fit your programme, whether that's in Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley or North Derbyshire.
You can filter all course dates by pattern, for example to see only day-release dates, or call us and we'll find dates that work around your job.
Published by Site Safety Training on 13 September 2026, last updated 14 October 2026. Course rules and card schemes can change: if you're unsure what applies to you, call 07939 593032 or check with the awarding body.