Children over 4

The National Governing Body for swimming, Swim England has developed a comprehensive National Plan for Teaching Swimming (NPTS).

All our swimming instructors follow this plan and as such we offer the very best in swim tuition from encouraging non-swimmers to take their first splash to developing an advanced water competence.

For full details of the Swim England swim stages please see here

For a brief summary, please see below:

Stage 1:

Developing basic safety awareness, the ‘class’ scenario, basic movement skills and water confidence skills.

Stage 2:

Developing safe entries to the water, including jumping in, basic floating, travel and rotation unaided to regain upright positions. Swimmers may use aids, e.g. arm bands, floats etc.

Stage 3:

Developing safe entries including submersion, travel up to 10 metres on the front and back, progress rotation skills and water safety knowledge.

Stage 4:

Developing the understanding of buoyancy through a range of skills, refining kicking technique for all strokes, and swimming 10 metres to a given standard as directed by Swim England.

Stage 5:

Developing ‘watermanship’ through sculling and treading water skills, and complete rotation, also performing all strokes to the given standard as directed by Swim England.

Stage 6:

Developing effective swimming skills including coordinated breathing; developing the water safety aspects and understanding of preparation for exercise.

Stage 7:

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.

Achieved Stage 7- Once swimmers have developed the core range of skills required to be confident, competent and safe in water through stages 1 – 7, there is a choice to then take part in a variety of different aquatic disciplines.

Which stage should I book?

Learn to Swim Stage 1-7 Awards

The Learn to Swim Stage 1-7 Awards are divided into progressive stages. They make up the core, national syllabus of learning to swim for primary school aged children.

They are designed to reward your child for their development of the essential aquatic skills they need to be confident, competent and safe in the water.

Each of the Learn to Swim Stage 1-7 Awards has a list of clear outcomes that need to be completed in order to gain each Award.