Stage | Ability level required to enter Class | Class aim | Possible Badges | Pool Area |
Parent & Child | Pre-school children aged
from 1 to 4 years |
Water confidence, aquatic breathing, travelling and
safety awareness. |
Duckling 1-5 | Whole |
3+ Non Swimmer | Pre-School Children confident but not swimming as of yet | Develop unaided travelling and working on core posture, develop kicking techniques. | Duckling 1-5
Stage 1 |
Shallow End |
3+ Swimmer | Pre-School. Able to complete 2m on own without aids. | Develop unaided travelling and working on core posture, develop kicking techniques. | Duckling 1-5
Stage 1 Stage 2 |
Shallow End |
Stage 1 | Full time school aged 4+. Non swimmer. | Achieve water confidence with and without goggles. Pool rules, use of aids. Begin to travel mainly using aids. | Puffin, Alpha
Stage 1 Duckling 1-5 |
Shallow End |
Stage 1A | Full time school, happy in pool environment. Can move around freely and put face in, with or without goggles. Happy to attempt unaided swimming. | Develop unaided travelling and working on core posture, develop kicking techniques. | Alpha Awards Stage 1
Water skills Duckling 1-5 |
Shallow End |
Stage 2 | Able to travel 2-3m on front (face in) and back without aids. | Develop core posture, and body position. Introduce breast-stroke. Extending unaided travel to 5m with good core posture. | 5m
Stage 2 |
Shallow End |
Stage 2A | Able to swim at least 5m on front (face in) and back (tummy/toes high in water). | Travel using arms and legs with good core body posture. Introduce over water recovery.
Develop breast-stroke leg action. Extend distance to 10m front and back. |
10m
Rainbow Stroke (up to 10m) |
Shallow End |
Stage 3 | Able to swim 10m on front and back (using arms and legs in controlled manner with good core posture) and 5m breaststroke legs (simultaneous circular action). | Develop over water recovery on front and back. Develop front crawl breathing. Refine breast-stroke and butterfly leg action. Further work on core posture using push and glides etc. Water safety. | Stage 3
Water skills 2 Rainbow Stroke (up to 10m) |
Middle |
Stage 4 | Able to swim 10m on front and back (over water recovery, regular breathing), 10m “legal” breast-stroke legs and 5m butterfly legs. | Working on stroke technique. Working on floating and changing positions in the water. Working on butterfly and breast-stroke as whole strokes. | Working towards Stage 4
Rainbow Stroke (up to 10m) Preliminary Safety |
Middle |
Stage 4D | Able to swim 10m using 3 strokes with at least 2 to ASA standard. | Stroke techniques using all 4 strokes. Work on sculling techniques. | Rainbow Stroke
Complete Stage 4 |
Deep |
Stage 5 | Able to swim 10m using 3 strokes to the ASA standard. Able to scull head first. | Developing a range of sculling techniques. Body control through jumps and handstands. Tread water. Extend range of strokes. | Stage 5
Rainbow Stroke (up to 20m), water skills 3 |
Deep |
Stage 5 Lengths | Able to swim 20m to the ASA standard using all 4 strokes, able to scull (three types). | To develop stamina and allow child time to get use to the move from widths to lengths. | Stage 5
Rainbow Stroke (up to 25m), water skills 4 Personal Survival level 1 |
Lengths |
Stage 6 | Able to swim 20m to the ASA standard using all 4 strokes, able to scull (three types). |
Learning about exercise preparation. Extend body control for transitions. Introduce personal survival/rescue skills. Refine breathing techniques in strokes. |
Stage 6
Rainbow Stroke (up to 25m),water skills 4 Personal Survival level 1 |
Lengths |
Stage 7 | Able to swim 25m to the ASA standard using all 4 strokes, understanding of exercise preparation. | Extend stroke distance. Egg beater treading water. Introduce synchro skills. Sitting dive.
|
Stage 7
Rainbow Stroke (up to 100m), water skills 5 Personal Survival level 2 |
Lengths |
Pre Academy | Able to swim continuously for 100m and able to swim at least 40m using all strokes to the ASA standard. | Swimming sets. Stamina. Turns. | Competitive Swimming 8
Bronze, School speed Distances 100-400m |
Lengths |
Pre Academy | Must be able to swim continuously for 400m and able to swim at least 80m using all strokes to the ASA standard. | Sets are extended. IM with legal turns. Starts and transitions. | Competitive Swimming 9
Silver, School speed Competitive Start Distances 400-800m |
Lengths |
Pre Academy | Must be able to swim continuously for 800m and able to swim at least 120m using all strokes to the ASA standard. | Sets extended to 1600m.
Relay takeovers. |
Competitive Swimming 10
Gold, Honors School speed, Distances 800+ |
Lengths |
Swim Academy | Open to all swimmers Stage 5 and above. | Fitness, stroke technique, children who want to improve and use this as a stepping stone into Club swimming. | School Speed badges | Lengths |