Oaklands Community Pool

Learn to Swim Stages 1-7

Learn to Swim Programme Overview

Our Learn to Swim Programme follows the Swim England Learn to Swim Framework, designed to help children develop essential aquatic skills, confidence, and water safety awareness. Swimmer progress is monitored through continuous assessment, and swimmers must meet all criteria at a given stage before progressing to the next.

Upon completing each stage, swimmers should be able to confidently demonstrate all required skills.


Beginner Stages 1 & 2

These beginner stages are tailored for children of school age who are new to swimming. Lessons are conducted in the learner pool with a teacher in the water, and class sizes are kept small—a maximum of six swimmers per instructor—to ensure focused support.

  • Stage 1: Introduces basic aquatic skills and builds water confidence.

  • Stage 2: Develops greater independence in the water, building on Stage 1 skills.
    By the end of Stage 2, swimmers will be able to swim 5 metres unaided with confidence.


Beginner Class for Children Aged 8+

For children aged 8 and above who are new to swimming lessons, we offer a specially designed beginner class covering Stages 1 and 2. These lessons are held in the shallow end of the main pool and are tailored to suit the learning pace and maturity of older beginners. Class sizes remain small, with a maximum of six swimmers.


Stages 3–7: Technique Development and Skill Expansion

As swimmers gain confidence, they progress to Stages 3 through 7, which take place in the main pool with a group size of up to eight swimmers per instructor.

These stages focus on:

  • Refining stroke technique with attention to correct arm and leg movements.

  • Developing stroke efficiency, stamina, and body position.

  • Introducing progressive drills to improve coordination and endurance.

  • Broadening the swimmer’s range of aquatic skills, including floating, treading water, and swimming underwater.

  • By the end of Stage 3, swimmers will confidently swim 10 metres unaided in shallow water.

  • From Stages 4 to 7, swimming distances increase, and skills become more advanced, preparing children for confident swimming in deeper water and enhancing their overall water safety knowledge.

Assessment and Progression Criteria

Below is a summary of the assessment outcomes that swimmers are expected to achieve at each stage of our Learn to Swim programme. Swimmers must meet all criteria at a given stage before progressing to the next Stage. Swimmer progress is monitored through continuous assessment. Upon completing each stage, swimmers should be able to confidently demonstrate all skills outlined for that Stage.

 

Stages 1-7 Progress Cirteria

Stage 1

  1. Enter the water safely using a swivel entry
  1. Travel 5m with a woggle on the front, and attempts should be made to have the face in the water. 
  1. Travel 5m with a woggle on the back, body position should be flat.
  1. Move sideways for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.
  1. Scoop the water and wash the face.
  1. Be comfortable with water being showered from overhead.
  1. Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing.
  1. Move from a flat floating position on the front with the face in the water and return to standing.
  1. Push and glide in a flat position on the front using the wall.
  1. Push and glide in a flat position on the back from a wall.
  1. Give examples of two pool rules.
  1. Exit the water safely.

Stage 2

  1. Jump in from the side of the pool safely and confidently to a minimum depth of 1.0 metre.
  1. Blow bubbles a minimum of three times rhythmically, with nose and mouth submerged.
  1. Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing without aids or support.
  1. Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing without aids or support.
  1. Push from a wall and glide on the back – arms can be by the side or above the head.
  1. Push from a wall and glide on the front with arms extended.
  1. Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the back for 5 metres in the main pool.
  1. Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the front for 5 metres in the main pool.
  1. Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the front, to a back floating position, then return to standing.
  1. Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the back, to a front floating position, then return to standing.
  1. Perform a log roll from the back to the front.
  1. Perform a log roll from the front to the back.
  1. Exit the water without support.
  1. Swim on the front using the arms and legs for a distance of 5m. This must be completed in the main pool.

Stage 3

  1. Jump in from poolside and submerge to a minimum depth of 1.0 metre.
  1. Sink, push away from the wall and maintain a streamlined position.
  1. Push and glide on the front with arms extended and log roll onto the back.
  1. Push and glide on the back with arms extended and log roll onto the front.
  1. Travel 5 metres on the front, perform a tuck to rotate onto the back and return to the back.
  1. Fully submerge to pick up an object.
  1. Answer correctly three questions on the Water Safety Code.
  1. Push and glide and travel 10 metres on the back.
  1. Push and glide and travel 10 metres on the front.
  1. Perform a tuck float and hold for three seconds.
  1. Exit the water without using steps

Stage 4

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

Stage 5

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

Stage 6

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

Stage 7

  1. Push and glide and swim 25 metres backstroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
  1. Push and glide and swim 25 metres front crawl (performed to Swim England expected standards).
  1. Push and glide and swim 25 metres breaststroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
  1. Push and glide and swim 25 metres butterfly (performed to Swim England expected standards).
  1. 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 backwards somersault, log roll
    Floating: star on the front or on the back, tuck float, create your own
    Eggbeater: Moving, lifting one or both arms out of the water
  1. Perform a sitting dive or dive.
  1. Push and glide and swim 50 metres continuously using one stroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
  1. Push and glide and swim 100 metres, using a minimum of three different strokes (performed to Swim England expected standards).
  1. Tread water using eggbeater action for 30 seconds.
  1. Complete an obstacle course (using a minimum of four objects) with feet off the pool floor throughout.