Stage 1
This stage is for 4-year-olds and upwards helping to gain confidence in the water and basic skills of kicking on the front and back. To complete stage 1 you must be able to:
1. Enter the water safely.
2. Move backwards for a distance of 5 meters, feet may be on or off the floor.
3. Move forward for a distance of 5 meters, feet may be on or off the floor.
4. Give examples of two pool rules.
5. Push and glide on the back from a wall.
6. Push and glide on the front from a wall.
7. Scoop water and wash the face.
8. Move sideways for a distance of 5 meters, feet may be on or off the floor.
9. Be comfortable with water showered from overhead.
10. Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing.
11. Move from a flat floating position on front and return to standing.
12. Swim 5 metres on front unaided.
13. Swim 5 metres on back unaided.
Stage 2
This stage is for developing safe entries to the water, to include: jumping in, basic floating, travel and rotation. This is done unaided to regain upright positions. Swimmers may use aids. By completing this award, you will be able to:
1. Jump in from the poolside safely to a minimum depth of 1.0 metre.
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
Stage 3
This stage is all about developing safe entries, including submersion. Swimmers will travel up to 10 metres on their front and back, progress rotation skills and water safety knowledge. By completing this award without flotation equipment or support, you will be able to:
1. Jump in from poolside and submerge to a minimum depth of 1.0 metre.
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. Answer correctly three questions on the Water Safety Code.
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.
Stage 4
Within this class, knowledge will be built on buoyancy through a range of skills, refining kicking technique for all strokes, and swimming 10 metres to the given standard. 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.
Stage 5
Within this class, introduce ‘watermanship’ through sculling and treading water skills. Complete rotation, also performing strokes to the given standard directed by the ASA. 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 the expected Swim
England standards).
7. Push and glide and swim 10 metres front crawl (performed to the expected Swim
England standards).
8. Push and glide and swim 10 metres breaststroke (performed to the expected Swim
England standards).
9. Push and glide and swim 10 metres butterfly (performed to the expected Swim England
standards).
10. Perform a handstand and hold for a minimum of 3 seconds.
11. Perform a forward somersault.
12.Demonstrate an action for getting help.
Stage 6
Within this class, swimmers will head towards developing effective swimming skills, including:
coordinated breathing, water safety aspects and have an understanding of preparation for exercise.
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 25 metres, choice of stroke is optional (performed to Swim England expected standards. 6. Push and glide and swim front crawl to include at least six rhythmical breaths.
7. Push and glide and swim breaststroke to include at least six rhythmical breaths.
8. Push and glide and swim butterfly to include at least three rhythmical breaths.
9. Push and glide and swim backstroke to include at least six regular breaths.
10. Perform a ‘shout and signal’ rescue.
11. Perform a surface dive.
Stage 7
This stage is about stamina and developing quality stroke technique up to 100 metres, incorporating skills learnt and combining them to develop a linked routine and complete successfully an obstacle course that combines a variety of skills accomplished throughout stages 1-7. 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 a 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. Push and glide and swim 50 metres continuously using one stroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
7. Push and glide and swim 100 metres, using a minimum of three different strokes (performed to Swim England expected standards).
8. Tread water using eggbeater action for 30 seconds.
9. Complete an obstacle course (using a minimum of four objects) with feet off the pool floor throughout.
10. Perform a sitting dive or dive
