Swimming Lessons

Stage 1

By completing this Award, with or without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

1. Enter the water safely.
2. Move forward for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.
3. Move backwards for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.
4. Move sideways for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.
5. Scoop the water and wash the face.
6. Be comfortable with water showered from overhead.
7. Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing.
8. Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing.
9. Push and glide in a flat position on the front from a wall.
10. Push and glide in a flat position on the back from a wall.
11. Give examples of two pool rules.
12. Exit the water safely.

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Stage 2

By completing this Award, with or without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

1. Jump in from poolside safely.
2. Blow bubbles a minimum of three times rhythmically, with nose and mouth submerged.
3. Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing without support.
4. Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing without support.
5. Push from a wall and glide on the back – arms can be by the side or above the head.
6. Push from a wall and glide on the front with arms extended.
7. Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the back for 5 metres, without the use of floatation equipment.
8. Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the front for 5 metres, without the use of floatation equipment.
9. Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the front, to a back floating position, then return to standing.
10. Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the back, to a front floating position, then return to standing.
11. Perform a log roll from the back to the front.
12. Perform a log roll from the front to the back.
13. Exit the water without support.

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Stage 3

By completing this Award, without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

1. Jump in from poolside and submerge.
2. Sink, push away from wall and maintain a streamlined position.
3. Push and glide on the front with arms extended and log roll onto the back.
4. Push and glide on the back with arms extended and log roll onto the front.
5. Travel 5 metres on the front, perform a tuck to rotate onto the back and return on the back.
6. Fully submerge to pick up an object.
7. Correctly identify three of the four key water safety messages.*
8. Push and glide and travel 10 metres on the back.
9. Push and glide and travel 10 metres on the front.
10. Perform a tuck float and hold for three seconds.
11. Exit the water without using steps.

*The four key water safety messages include: 1. Always swim in a safe place. 2. Always swim with an adult. 3. If you fall in, float, breathe, relax. 4. If someone else in trouble, call 999/112.

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Stage 4

By completing this Award, without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

1. Perform a sequence of changing shapes (minimum of three) whilst floating on the surface and demonstrate an understanding of floating.
2. Push and glide from the wall towards the pool floor.
3. Kick 10 metres backstroke (one item of equipment optional).
4. Kick 10 metres front crawl (one item of equipment optional).
5. Kick 10 metres butterfly on the front or on the back.
6. Kick 10 metres breaststroke on the front (one item of equipment optional).
7. Perform a head first sculling action for 5 metres in a flat position on the back.
8. Travel on back and log roll in one continuous movement onto front.
9. Travel on front and log roll in one continuous movement onto back.
10. Push and glide and swim 10 metres, choice of stroke is optional.

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Stage 5

By completing this Award you will be able to:

1. Perform a flat stationary scull on the back.
2. Perform a feet first sculling action for 5 metres in a flat position on the back.
3. Perform a sculling sequence with a partner for 30-45 seconds to include a rotation.
4. Tread water for 30 seconds.
5. Perform three different shaped jumps into deep water.
6. Push and glide and swim 10 metres backstroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
7. Push and glide and swim 10 metres front crawl (performed to Swim England expected standards).
8. Push and glide and swim 10 metres breaststroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
9. Push and glide and swim 10 metres butterfly (performed to Swim England expected standards).
10. Perform a handstand and hold for a minimum of three seconds.
11. Perform a forward somersault.
12. Demonstrate an action for getting help

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Stage 6​

By completing this Award you will be able to:

1. Give two examples of how to prepare for exercise and understand why it is important.
2. Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into backstroke.
3. Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into front crawl.
4. Swim 10 metres wearing clothes.
5. Push and glide and swim front crawl to include at least six rhythmical breaths.
6. Push and glide and swim breaststroke to include at least six rhythmical breaths.
7. Push and glide and swim butterfly to include at least three rhythmical breaths.
8. Push and glide and swim backstroke to include at least six regular breaths.
9. Push and glide and swim 25 metres, choice of stroke is optional (performed to Swim England expected standards).
10. Perform a ‘shout and signal’ rescue.
11. Perform a surface dive

Stage 7

By completing this Award you will be able to:

1. Push and glide and swim 25 metres backstroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
2. Push and glide and swim 25 metres front crawl (performed to Swim England expected standards).
3. Push and glide and swim 25 metres breaststroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
4. Push and glide and swim 25 metres butterfly (performed to Swim England expected standards).
5. Perform a movement sequence (linking skills with strokes and sculls) of one minute duration, in a group of three or more, incorporating a number of the following skills: Sculling: head first, feet first Rotation: forward or backward somersault, log roll Floating: star on the front or on the back, tuck float, create own Eggbeater: Moving, lifting one or both arms out of the water
6. Perform a sitting dive or dive.
7. Push and glide and swim 50 metres continuously using one stroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
8. Push and glide and swim 100 metres, using a minimum of three different strokes (performed to Swim England expected standards).
9. Tread water using eggbeater action for 30 seconds.
10. Complete an obstacle course (using minimum of four objects) with feet off the pool floor throughou​

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Adult swimming lessons are for:

• Non-Swimmers
• Beginners
• Stroke Imoprovement

All lessons taught by experienced, qualified staff:

• Elaine Travers
• Chris Hales
• Beccy Roberts
• Les Jewitt-Ward

Front Crawl

​Body position: Horizontal, streamlined, close to surface, in alignment.

Legs: In line with body, close to surface kick as necessary to ensure above.

Arms: Entry under control, thumb and finger entry, between head and shoulder line, pull/push within body width, continuous action, close to body plane.

Breathing: To side, head in line, regular, confident, exhale in water.

Timing: Rhythmic action, regular and consistent breathing pattern.

Turns: Unhesitating, fast somersault, push to full stretch, turn onto front after push off, pull with one arm into stroke.

Finish: Fast, one hand touch, aggressive, hold breath on approach.

Backstroke

​Body position: Horizontal, close to surface, in alignment, head steady.

Legs: alternating Kick, just breaking surface, holding alignment.

Arms: Shoulder line entry with straight arm, pull/push as close to body as possible, release past hip, vertical recovery, no pause in action, regular.

Timing: Continuity of arm action, rhythmic.

Turns: Use of flags where possible. Confident, unhesitating roll onto front, check orientation. Fast somersault, push and stretch off wall, kick then pull with one arm into stroke.

Finish: Confident fast finish, on back, at full stretch, one hand touch.

Breaststroke

​Body position: Stretched, streamlined position, head kept steady. Hips just below surface, toes pointed.

Legs: Heels draw up toward seat, feet pointing out for kick. Kick accelerating round to straighten in one sweep.

Arms: From stretch, hands sweep out (never past shoulders). Hands and elbows sweep in at speed towards hips. Hands push forward to streamlined full stretch.

Breathing: To front, shoulders square. Normally every stroke lift head as arms press down.

Timing: Pull and breathe. As arms extend forwards, legs drive backward. Pull, breathe, kick, and glide.

Turns: Touch according to Rules. Fast tuck and rocking action. Stay low. Push, glide and stroke (as for start).

Finish: In stretch position, according to Rules.

Butterfly

Body position: Close to surface, undulating – initiated from the hips.

Legs kick from hips. Drive feet down forcefully, toes pointed.

Arms: Entry in front in line with shoulders. Hands scull out then under body. Release at or past hips. Recovery totally over water.

Breathing: To front or side. Head down before arms enter. Head up before hands release.

Timing: 1. Kick as hands enter. 2. Kick as hands push. Continuous action (no glide).

Turns: As breaststroke up to push off. After push kick in stretch. One pull smoothly into stroke.

Finish: In stretch position, according to Rules

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Rainbow Distance Awards Outcomes

There are 19 Distance Awards available to reward a specific distance covered by the swimmers, from 5 metres with floatation equipment right through to 5,000 metres.

These awards are designed to test the child’s ability to swim the following distances:

5m, 10m, 15m, 20m, 25m, 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 600m, 800m, 1,000m, 1,500m, 1 mile, 2,000m, 3,000m, 4,000m and 5,000m.

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Puffin Award

This award is aimed at beginners and is designed to test the pupils’ ability to travel five metres using any floatation equipment.