Children 3-15 years

These classes will encourage your child to become confident in the water and develop the basic swimming skills without adult assistance but with buoyancy aids as required.

Each class is 30 minutes.

Ratios 1:6

Entry Criteria

Physical

• 3 to 4 years of age
• Able to be in water

Psychological

• To cope with a pool hall environment
• Be part of a class
• Take part without a carer or 1-1 help being required (carer may sit on poolside for first week but it is expected that they make their way off poolside once child has settled)

Objectives

• Introduce complete non-swimmers to the aquatic environment and establish an understanding of safety in and around water
• Develop and progress water confidence
• Establish an understanding of basic core aquatic skills
• Encourage independent movement
• Develop skills through enjoyment, fun and self-discovery
• Progression is available to Swim Skills One

Content Areas (Core aquatic skill area in bold)

• Entries & exits – introduce a variety of entries and exits
  a. Steps entry and exit
  b. Sit and roll entry
  c. Jump entry
  d. Climb out exit
• Orientation – move through water in a variety of ways
  a. Walk, run and jump in shallow water, including changing direction
  b. Rotation around the longitudinal axis (360 degrees)
  c. Regain standing from a floating position front and back
• Submerging & aquatic breathing – develop breathing control through both mouth and nose
  a. Blow ripples or egg flip along surface
  b. Submerge face completely
  c. Bob – consecutive bobs showing complete head submersion and bubbles
  d. Collect objects from the bottom of the pool/steps
• Floatation – introduce floating in a range of positions to develop body awareness
  a. A variety of floating position e.g., star float, mushroom float, pencil float, arms by side
  b. Front and back floats
• Streamlining – develop streamlining positions, introduce push, and glide which is fundamental for travelling efficiently through the water
  a. Vertical standing in streamlined position for 5 seconds
  b. Vertical jumping while holding streamlined position
  c. Introduce push and glide in streamlined position front and back
• Propulsion – introduce the basics of kicking/pulling/swimming, covering exercises on front and back
  a. Variety of kicks on front and back
  b. Variety of pulling on front and back
  c. Swim with or without buoyancy aids on front and back for 5 metres

Exit Criteria — Pre-school (3–4)

• Enter and exit the pool safely without help
• Display aquatic breathing with full submersion (blow bubbles through mouth and nose)
• Fully submerge body
• Demonstrate floatation on front and back with or without a buoyancy aid
• Demonstrate streamlining on front and back with or without a buoyancy aid
• Travel 5 metres on front & back with or without a buoyancy aid
  • For on front- kicking with a board held in front of them whilst face in the water blowing bubbles without assistance from teacher
  • For on back – hugging a board to their torso and kicking whilst lying flat without assistance from teacher
• Jump in without assistance
• Demonstrate three different movements across the pool

Each level takes between 12–18 months to complete

This level is ideal for school aged children who have never had a swimming lesson before. This level covers similar skills to the pre school level

Each class is 30 minutes.

Ratios 1:6

Entry Criteria

Physical

• To be of school age
• Able to be in water

Psychological

• To cope with a pool hall environment
• Be part of a class
• Take part without a carer or 1-1 help being required (carer help may be gradually phased out as child becomes less dependent)

Objectives

• Introduce complete non-swimmers to the aquatic environment and establish an understanding of safety in and around water
• Develop and progress water confidence
• Establish an understanding of basic core aquatic skills
• Encourage independent movement
• Develop skills through enjoyment, fun and self-discovery
• Progression is available to Swim skills 1

Content Areas (Core aquatic skill area in bold)

• Entries & exits – introduce a variety of entries and exits
  a. Steps entry and exit
  b. Sit and roll entry
  c. Jump entry
  d. Climb out exit
• Orientation – move through water in a variety of ways
  a. Walk, run and jump in shallow water, including changing direction
  b. Rotation around the longitudinal axis (360 degrees)
  c. Regain standing from a floating position front and back
• Submerging & aquatic breathing – develop breathing control through both mouth and nose
  a. Blow ripples or egg flip along surface
  b. Submerge face completely
  c. Bob – consecutive bobs showing complete head submersion and bubbles
  d. Collect objects from the bottom of the pool/steps
• Floatation – introduce floating in a range of positions to develop body awareness
  a. A variety of floating position e.g., star float, mushroom float, pencil float, arms by side
  b. Front and back floats
• Streamlining – develop streamlining positions, introduce push, and glide which is fundamental for travelling efficiently through the water
  a. Vertical standing in streamlined position for 5 seconds
  b. Vertical jumping while holding streamlined position
  c. Introduce push and glide in streamlined position front and back
• Propulsion – introduce the basics of kicking/pulling/swimming, covering exercises on front and back
  a. Variety of kicks on front and back
  b. Variety of pulling on front and back
  c. Swim with or without buoyancy aids on front and back for 5 metres

Exit Criteria—FUNdamentals

• Enter and exit the pool safely without help
• Display aquatic breathing with full submersion (blow bubbles through mouth and nose)
• Fully submerge body
• Demonstrate floatation on front and back with or without a buoyancy aid
• Demonstrate streamlining on front and back with or without a buoyancy aid
• Travel 5 metres on front & back with or without a buoyancy aid
  • For on front- kicking with a board held in front of them whilst face in the water blowing bubbles without assistance from teacher
  • For on back – hugging a board to their torso and kicking whilst lying flat without assistance from teacher
• Jump in without assistance
• Demonstrate three different movements across the pool

Each level takes between 12–18 months to complete

Once your child has completed pre school swimming or fundamentals, they can move on to Swim skills 1 to further develop their confidence in the water and learn swimming skills without aids.

Each class is 30 minutes

Ratios 1:8

Entry Criteria

Physical

• 4 years of age minimum
• Able to be in water

Psychological

• Be part of a class
• Take part without a carer or 1-1 help

Objectives

• Develop confidence and ability to perform a wide range of core aquatic skills without buoyancy aids
• Develop the basic technique of the four strokes
• Introduce the basic technique of sculling
• Develop balance and buoyancy through a variety of activities

Content Areas (Core aquatic skill area in bold)

• Submerging & aquatic breathing – develop breath control and submerging in deeper water
  a. Collect objects from the bottom of the pool at progressive levels of depth
  b. Push and glide from wall through hoop at progressive levels of depth
  c. Front crawl kicking / pulling / swimming practicing different breathing techniques
• Floatation – develop a variety of floating positions holding for 5 seconds
  a. Mushroom float holding position
  b. A prone float with face fully submerged
  c. A supine float with ears in / head back in the water
• Streamlining – progress streamlining techniques ensuring holding the shape of the body position
  a. Push and glide away from wall on front and back maintain stretched streamlined shape
  b. Push and glide away from the wall in a streamlined position and kick, regaining standing
• Propulsion – improve propulsion on front/back and introduce basic kick / pull / swim technique
  a. Front Crawl leg kick with / without float
  b. Backcrawl leg kick with / without float
  c. Front Crawl arm movements linking to kick
  d. Backcrawl arm movements linking to kick
  e. Introduce undulation for butterfly
  f. Introduce Breaststroke
• Rotation – rotation round longitudinal axis
  a. Rotation from front to back
  b. Rotation from back to front
• Sculling – introduce sculling actions
  a. Standing making sculling movements
  b. Supine float or tub with sculling movements

Exit Criteria - Swim Skills 1

• Demonstrate floatation on front and back without a buoyancy aid
  • “starfish” or “pencil” float
• Demonstrate a mushroom float
• Demonstrate a push and glide
• Kick on front and back without a float for 10 metres
• Swim a minimum of 10 metres consistently demonstrating Front Crawl
  • Ability to breath to the side for Front Crawl is expected without losing confidence or introducing any “doggy paddle” strokes
• Swim a minimum of 10 metres consistently demonstrating Backcrawl
  • Flat body position with straight legs under the water and arms clearing the water as they stretch above their head
• Demonstrate an understanding of Breaststroke arms and legs with a noodle
  • Show ability to perform the correct leg movement pattern on both sides as a mirror image of each other, kicking with heal of foot.
• Show rotation from floating position front to back and back to front
• Demonstrate a sculling action
• Demonstrate repetitive bobbing for 30 seconds

Each level takes between 12–18 months to complete

These classes increase the competency of your child’s core water skills and develop the basic stroke technique.

Each class is 30 minutes

Ratios 1:8

Entry criteria

Physical

• 4 years of age minimum
• Swim length of tank unaided on front
• Enter and exit water without help
• Put face in water
• Kick width of tank on back with or without float-

Psychological

• Be part of a class
• Take part without a carer or 1-1 help
• Cope with change of depth of water

Objectives

• Introduce and progress new core aquatic skills
• Develop stroke technique to include all four strokes
• Introduce Diving (pool permitting)
• Develop awareness and feel for the water through a variety of core aquatic skills

Content Areas (Core aquatic skill area in bold)

• Submerging and aquatic breathing – to include submerging feet first, headfirst (surface diving) plus bilateral breathing for front crawl
  a. Introduce bi-lateral breathing for front crawl
  b. Surface dives for objects
  c. Jump from side and submerge
  d. Sitting dive from side (pool permitting)
• Streamlining – extended push and glides plus kicking action for front crawl and back crawl concentrating on correct body position
  a. Submerge and push and glide from wall on front and back
  b. Push and glide in streamlined position leading into full stroke
  front and back encourage holding of shape / position.
  c. Backstroke legs, one arm extended back above head in a
  streamlined position.
• Propulsion – leg kick on all four strokes, progressing to arm
  a. Front crawl with introduction of bi-lateral breathing
  b. Back crawl maintaining leg kick with continuous arm action
  c. Breaststroke leg action and pulling movements
  d. Undulation with kick, arms by side, arms extended and submerged front and back
  e. Butterfly dolphin movement attempting arm action
• Rotation – rotation round the horizontal axis
  a. Perform a handstand; body should be vertical with legs extended
  b. Demonstrate somersault forward and backwards in tucked position
• Sculling – scull retaining body position
  a. Demonstrate figure of eight, hand sculling movement in standing position
  b. Scull travelling headfirst on back
  c. Introduce sculling on front
• Treading water – introduce treading water
  a. Introduce treading water with a variety of leg actions

Exit Criteria - Swim skills 2

• Demonstrate a push and glide with leg kick for 5 metres holding streamline position
• Kick on front and back for a minimum 15 metres
  • With no floatation aides
• Swim front crawl completely for minimum of 15m unaided
  • Competence in showing bilateral breathing
• Swim back crawl completely for a minimum of 15m unaided
  • Straight arm recovery is expected
• Demonstrate a good breaststroke leg kick over 10m with a board
  • Show ability to perform the correct leg movement pattern on both sides as a mirror image of each other, kicking with heal of foot.
• Demonstrate a good breaststroke arm pull over 10m unaided including legs
  • Correct leg action as above with circular arm action and stretching up from chest.
• Scull for 10 metres headfirst on back supported
  • No floatation aids
• Headfirst surface dive to collect object on bottom of pool (minimum depth 1.2 metres)
• Show an understanding of Fly kick over a short distance unaided
  • Correct undulation starting from the torso with both legs moving together
    
    

Each level takes between 12–18 months to complete

These classes introduce more advanced stroke technique and distance and achieve Triple S standard (Scotland Safes Swimmer)

Each class is 45 minutes

Ratios 1:8

• Further develop competency in all four strokes
• Further develop core water skills from previous levels
• Be able to swim over two widths of pool tank (17m each way)
• Ratios approximately 1:8

Entry Criteria

Physical

• Swim 15m on front as defined in curriculum (level 2)
• Swim 15m on back as defined in curriculum (level 2)
• Swim breaststroke as defined in curriculum (level 2)
• Push and glide on front and back Swim skills four
• Enter and exit water without help

Psychological

• Be part of a class
• Swim in deep water
• Participate without adult or 1 - 1 help
• Able to learn and understand more advanced techniques and skills

Objectives

• Further develop competency in all four strokes
• Achieve the Triple S award / Scotland Safer Swimmer Award
• Development of Diving
• Further develop Butterfly and Breaststroke aiming to achieve legal technique

Content Areas (Core aquatic skill area in bold)

• Aquatic breathing – develop bi-lateral breathing for front crawl
  a. Demonstrate with correct technique breathing bi-laterally
  b. Introduce different breathing techniques: trickle, explosive and rhythmic
• Streamlining and Diving – basic streamlined dive entries, depending on pool type
  a. Push and glide and transition into full stroke, swim 10 metres
  b. Dive entry from side
  c. Dive entry with streamlined transition into kick
• Propulsion – develop correct timing and coordination for kicking, pulling and breathing actions of front crawl, back crawl, and Breaststroke plus Butterfly undulation, kicking, incorporating arms
  a. Front crawl showing bi-lateral breathing with correct head position
  b. Back crawl maintaining leg kick and concentrating on continuous and controlled arm action
  c. Develop Breaststroke timing
  d. Develop Butterfly arm action
• Rotation – develop rotation round the horizontal and longitudinal axes
  a. Introduce shoulder roll for back crawl and front crawl
  b. Log rolls, sideways rolling in extend position
• Sculling – scull prone and supine with different arm and hand positions for support and travel
  a. Travel headfirst / feet first using figure of eight sculling movement
• Treading water – develop treading water and sustain for 30 seconds

Exit Criteria - Swim skills 3

• Travel on front and perform a somersault, finishing in a streamlined position
  • Headfirst rather than shoulder first
• Swim 25 metres front crawl and back crawl consistently maintaining correct technique
• Demonstrate Breaststroke with simultaneous leg and simultaneous arm action
  • With correct timing, including a glide in between the leg and arm action
• Demonstrate basic Butterfly technique
  • Understanding of correct arm technique with arms clearing the water
• Travel 5 metres with an undulating body action
  • Undulating the body under the water from a push off the wall
• Tread water for 30 seconds waving one hand above the head to attract attention
• Enter the pool with a Standing Dive
• Scull for 10m head and feet first unaided

Each level takes between 12–18 months to complete

These classes improve the quality of stroke technique, introduce various skills/disciplines and basic lifesaving skills.

Each class is 45 minutes

Ratios 1:8

Entry Criteria

Physical

• Swim 25m on front as defined in curriculum (level 3)
• Swim 25m on back as defined in curriculum (level 3)
• Breaststroke technique as defined in curriculum (level 3)
• Standing dive
• Retrieve object from pool floor (minimum depth 1.2m)

Psychological

• Be part of a class
• Swim in deep water
• Participate without adult or 1 - 1 help
• Able to perform a basic piece of work on their own
• Able to make small refinements to technique

Objectives

• To demonstrate competent technique in all four strokes
• Introduce lifesaving skills and basic aquatic discipline skills
• To provide basic skills to enable progression in all aquatic disciplines, including life saving

Content Areas (Core aquatic skill area in bold)

• Streamlining – ensure that it is evident within all areas of aquatic skills
  a. Starts – push off the wall and diving
  b. Turns – streamline in / streamline out
  c. Stroke technique – maintain streamlining for efficiency and to reduce resistance
• Propulsion – demonstrate competent technique in all four strokes
  a. Show competency and efficiency over increasing distance
  b. Balanced, controlled and alternating arm and leg action (front crawl and back crawl)
  c. Progress competency, efficiency and timing in Butterfly and Breaststroke
• Aquatic Breathing
  a. Maintain bi-lateral breathing in front crawl between 25 metres and 50 metres
  b. Demonstrate breathing in as one arm recovers and breathing out as the other arm recovers in back crawl
• Rotation – rotate competently around horizontal axis
  a. Somersault forward and backwards
• Sculling – scull prone and supine with different arm and hand positions for support and travel
  a. Headfirst, feet first and stationary sculling
  b. Perform a movement sequence of all three
  c. Transition between headfirst and feet first sculling while moving
• Treading Water – use scissor, Breaststroke, or eggbeater
  a. Ability to stay vertical with the head clear of the water
  b. Using continuous kicking and sculling action to maintain vertical position
  c. Ability to move in any direction
• Taster Activities
  a. Water safety skills
  b. Swim racing skills

Exit Criteria - Swim skills 4

• Swim minimum 50 metres of Front Crawl demonstrating push and glide, competent technique with bi-lateral breathing, high elbow and reach and pull
• Swim minimum 50 metres of Backcrawl demonstrating push and glide, good technique, steady head position with rolling of the shoulders round the long axis
• Swim minimum 50 metres of Breaststroke demonstrating push and glide, good technique and basic undulation
• Swim minimum 25 metres of Butterfly demonstrating push and glide, competent technique and basic undulation
• Perform a dive with transition to any stroke
• Perform a straddle jump and tread water for 45 seconds

Each level takes between 12–18 months to complete

We are proud to be working in partnership with Scottish Swimming.

Swimming provides the opportunity to learn a life skill whilst interacting and having fun in a group environment. This should be no different for a child with a disability and where possible your child will be included in a class with their peers.