At the end of the Christmas, Easter and Summer terms, coaches meet to discuss which of the swimmers in their squads need to move up. They need to do this together in order to ensure there is sufficient space in the group above as well as checking they are moving the right number of people to create space for those moving up from the squad below. When it is agreed, the coaches communicate their decisions to the Training Secretary, who will inform the swimmers by email. There is often a grace period so that swimmers moving up have time to adjust to the new schedule and re-organise their other activities where necessary.

For Sharks Squads and upwards, it is important to mention that we do not function in the same way as a provider of swimming lessons, and parents will not see tick-lists of technical achievements that the swimmers must pass before moving to the next level. Coaches will use a number of different criteria to judge when a child is ready to move up and although technical ability and speed do play a part, there may be other considerations such as dedication (often judged by attendance), ability to listen and take on board instructions and positive attitude. You may also find that your child stays in a group for a considerable length of time compared to a non-competitive swimming program and 12-18, even 24 months in one group is not unusual.