Adult & Baby
A fun introduction to water session for adults and babies 0-36m
Pre- School Stage 1 & Stage 1
Pre-School Stage1 & Stage 1 -
Swim England Learn to Swim Stage 1 helps to build water confidence, while introducing water safety skills and the basic skills needed to build swimming ability.
Learners will develop basic safety awareness, learn basic movement skills and water confidence skills.
They will also be introduced to a structured class setting. Swimmers may use flotation equipment, such as armbands and floats, throughout this stage.
The early stages are really important for developing the building blocks for future technique and the skills that are learnt should be fun and enjoyable.
During Learn to Swim Stage 1, children will be encouraged to move around the pool and become confident with water on their face.
Learn to Swim Stage 1 Outcomes -
By completing the Learn to Swim Stage 1 Award, swimmers will be able to:
- Enter the water safely.
- Move forward for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.
- Move backwards for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.
- Move sideways for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.
- Scoop the water and wash the face.
- Be comfortable with water showered from overhead.
- Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing.
- Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing.
- Push and glide in a flat position on the front from a wall.
- Push and glide in a flat position on the back from a wall.
- Give examples of two pool rules.
- Exit the water safely.
Learn To Swim
Swimming classes for Pre school stage 1, and Stages 1 to 6
Stage 2
Stage 2 -
Swim England Learn to Swim Stage 2 sees swimmers develop streamlining to their strokes and travel without their feet on the floor, using a recognised leg kick.
Swimmers are also introduced to aquatic breathing and taught to make safe entries into the water, including jumping.
They will develop basic floating and learn how to rotate to regain an upright position without support. All travel must be achieved without the use of flotation equipment, though buoyancy aids may be used when swimmers aren’t travelling.
Stage 2 further develops water confidence and teaches swimmers to breathe confidently while in the water.
Being confident with the face in the water, or having water on the face, is crucial to stroke development. Learning to be happy in the water at an early stage will allow swimmers to develop other skills more quickly later on.
This stage also introduces various safety skills, such as being able to float, while also developing a swimmer’s kicking ability, leading to independent travel in water.
Learn to Swim Stage 2 Outcomes
By completing the Learn to Swim Stage 2 Award, swimmers will be able to:
-Jump in from poolside safely.
-Blow bubbles a minimum of three times rhythmically, with nose and mouth submerged.
-Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing without support.
-Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing without support.
-Push from a wall and glide on the back – arms can be by the side or above the head.
-Push from a wall and glide on the front with arms extended.
-Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the back for 5 metres, without the use of floatation equipment.
-Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the front for 5 metres, without the use of floatation equipment.
-Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the front, to a back floating position, then return to standing.
-Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the back, to a front floating position, then return to standing.
-Perform a log roll from the back to the front.
-Perform a log roll from the front to the back.
Exit the water without support.
Pre School/3+
Lessons for pre school children 3+
Stage 3 & 4
Stage 3 -
They streamline through push and glides, whilst also swimming underwater.
Swimmers will develop safe entries into the water, including submersion, and travel up to 10 metres on their front and back. Water safety knowledge and rotation skills will also be progressed.
One of the fun areas of this stage is learning to go under the water to pick up an object.
This helps develop skills for a number of different disciplines, including synchro, diving and competitive swimming.
Swimmers will have their first opportunity to earn the Rainbow Distance 10m Award.
By completing the Learn to Swim Stage 3 Award, swimmers will be able to:
Jump in from poolside and submerge.
Sink, push away from wall and maintain a streamlined position.
Push and glide on the front with arms extended and log roll onto the back.
Push and glide on the back with arms extended and log roll onto the front.
Travel 5 metres on the front, perform a tuck to rotate onto the back and return on the back.
Fully submerge to pick up an object.
Correctly identify three of the four key water safety messages.*
Push and glide and travel 10 metres on the back.
Push and glide and travel 10 metres on the front.
Perform a tuck float and hold for three seconds.
Exit the water without using steps.
Stage 4 -
Swim England Learn to Swim Stage 4 sees swimmers perfect their leg kicks for all four strokes and further develop push and glides, while also being introduced to sculling.
They will develop an understanding of buoyancy through a range of skills and should swim 10 metres to the Swim England Expected Standards.
By the end of this stage, swimmers are expected to have a clear ability to perform recognisable leg kicks for all four strokes.
If not achieved in Learn to Swim Stage 3, swimmers should claim their Rainbow Distance 10m Award, while also attaining the Rainbow Stroke 5m Award in front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly.
By completing the Learn to Swim Stage 4 Award, swimmers will be able to:
Perform a sequence of changing shapes (minimum of three) whilst floating on the surface and demonstrate an understanding of floating.
Push and glide from the wall towards the pool floor.
Kick 10 metres backstroke (one item of equipment optional).
Kick 10 metres front crawl (one item of equipment optional).
Kick 10 metres butterfly on the front or on the back.
Kick 10 metres breaststroke on the front (one item of equipment optional).
Perform a head first sculling action for 5 metres in a flat position on the back.
Travel on back and log roll in one continuous movement onto front.
Travel on front and log roll in one continuous movement onto back.
Push and glide and swim 10 metres, choice of stroke is optional.