Stage | Ability level required to enter Class | Class aim | Possible Badges | Pool Area |
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) |
Deep |
Stage 4 | Able to swim 10m using 3 strokes with at least 2 to Swim England Standard (over water recovery, regular breathing), | Working on stroke technique on all 4 strokes. Working on floating, changing positions in the water and sculling techniques. | Stage 4Rainbow Stroke (up to 10m)
Preliminary Safety |
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 |
Challenge Class | Able to swim 20m in each of 3 strokes to a good standard. Headfirst sculling with good technique. Treading water for 1 min. | To work towards Bronze and Silver Challenge awards | Stage 6
Bronze and Silver Challenge |
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 |