You will see below the summary of the assessment outcomes that our swimmers will achieve during each stage of learning to swim. Every criteria must be met before the swimmer can progress onto the next stage. New swimmers with previous experience learning to swim in a different scheme can be checked against our own criteria to make sure they are booked into an appropriate class.
Upon completing each Stage through continuous assessment, the swimmer should be able to confidently demonstrate being able to perform the skills listed for the given class. You will be able to see the outcomes the swimmers are working towards below for each stage:
Stage 1
- Enter the water safely using a swivel entry
- Travel 5m with a woggle on the front, attempts should be made to have the face in the water.
- Travel 5m with a woggle on the back, body position should be flat.
- 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 with the face in the water 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.
Stage 2
- Jump in from poolside safely and confidently to a minimum depth of 1.0 metre.
- 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 aids or support.
- Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing without aids or 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 in the main pool.
- Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the front for 5 metres in the main pool.
- 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.
- Swim on the front using the arms and legs for a distance of 5m. This must be completed in the main pool.
Stage 3
- Jump in from poolside and submerge to a minimum depth of 1.0 metre.
- 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.
- Answer correctly three questions on the Water Safety Code.
- 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
- 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). This 10m must meet expected standards.
- Kick 10 metres front crawl (one item of equipment optional). This 10m must meet expected standards.
- Kick 10 metres butterfly on the front or on the back. This 10m must meet expected standards.
- Kick 10 metres breaststroke on the front (one item of equipment optional). This 10m must meet expected standards.
- 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. This 10m must meet expected standards.
Stage 5
- Perform a flat stationary scull on the back.
- Perform a feet first sculling action for 5 metres in a flat position on the back.
- Perform a sculling sequence with a partner for 30-45 seconds to include a rotation.
- Tread water for 30 seconds.
- Perform three different shaped jumps into deep water.
- Push and glide and swim 10 metres backstroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Push and glide and swim 10 metres front crawl (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Push and glide and swim 10 metres breaststroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Push and glide and swim 10 metres butterfly (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Perform a handstand and hold for a minimum of three seconds.
- Perform a forward somersault.
- Demonstrate an action for getting help
Stage 6
- Give two examples of how to prepare for exercise and understand why it is important.
- Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into backstroke.
- Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into front crawl.
- Swim 10 metres wearing clothes.
- Push and glide and swim front crawl to include at least six rhythmical breaths.
- Push and glide and swim breaststroke to include at least six rhythmical breaths.
- Push and glide and swim butterfly to include at least three rhythmical breaths.
- Push and glide and swim backstroke to include at least six regular breaths.
- Push and glide and swim 25 metres, choice of stroke is optional (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Perform a ‘shout and signal’ rescue.
- Perform a surface dive.
Stage 7
- Push and glide and swim 25 metres backstroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Push and glide and swim 25 metres front crawl (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Push and glide and swim 25 metres breaststroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Push and glide and swim 25 metres butterfly (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- 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
- Perform a sitting dive or dive.
- Push and glide and swim 50 metres continuously using one stroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Push and glide and swim 100 metres, using a minimum of three different strokes (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Tread water using eggbeater action for 30 seconds.
- Complete an obstacle course (using minimum of four objects) with feet off the pool floor throughout.