Children's Lessons
Our children's lessons award system & teaching methodology provides progressive, individual-focused and fun swimming lessons for our students
Overview
The SwimWay children’s lessons award system is built with a 10 level structure. With roots in the STA and NPTS systems, we have further developed this programme. As a result, it is our own unique approach to work more consistently with our teaching methodology.
Private, semi-private and small group lessons only. No floats except for kickboards. All our instructors teaching from within the water. Our distinctive technique can be seen as well as felt in the lessons themselves. Our awards system is more focussed and specific than the majority of other swim schools. Thus suiting our small, personal lessons.
We guarantee only the highest standard of lessons, with emphasis on several important key elements:
Technique Focussed
Private, Semi-Private or Small Group Classes
Repetition, Review and Routine
Teacher Professionalism
Quality Teaching Programme
Continuous Learning
Measureable Progression
Fun Through Learning
Strong Communication
Structured Lessons
Beginner 1
(A nervous child, unhappy to be in the water)
Skills to Develop:
- Enter and exit the water safely with assistance
- Enjoy constructive play in the water with instructor support
- How to breath in with mouth and blow out
- Sitting on step/side of pool moving legs in kicking action
Pass Criteria/Badges:
- Bubble Award 1 (Take a breath with mouth and blow out)
- Kick legs for 3 seconds (sat on side)
Beginner 2
(A confident child, willing to take part)
Skills to Develop:
- Review all Beginner 1 skills
- Kicking front and back - controlled with instructor assistance
- Blowing bubbles at the water surface
- Wet the head without submersion
- Jumping into the water from side of pool with instructor assistance
- Floating on back with instructor support
- Confidence walking, hopping, jumping in water
Pass Criteria/Badges:
- Bubble Award 2 (Blow bubbles on the surface of the water)
- Enter and exit safely with/without assistance
- Jump from side into the water with assistance
- Flotation 3 seconds back (assisted)
Stage 1
Skills to Develop:
- Review all Beginner 02 skills
- Blowing bubbles with mouth & nose while submerged
- Submerge with and without goggles
- Floating independently on front and back
- Regaining standing position from front and back floatation
- Kicking front and back - controlled with hands on instructor assistance
- Push & glide, front and back (assisted)
- Life Saving - Jump in and return to side – assisted (with and without goggles)
- Picking up objects from bottom of pool - assisted
Pass Criteria/Badges:
- Bubble Award 3 (Submerge completely & blow bubbles under the water)
- Flotation 5 seconds front (unassisted)
- Flotation 5 seconds back (unassisted)
Stage 2
Skills to Develop:
- Review stage 1 skills
- Full breath control
- Rotation (body roll) – front to back and back to front (stationary and with kicking)
- Push & glide, front and back (unassisted)
- Backstroke arm action
- Front kicking with breaststroke arm (to assist a safety breath)
- Life Saving Skills - Jump in and return to side – unassisted (with and without goggles)
- Kicking on front and back with straight leg action – unassisted
- Introduction to seated dives
Pass Criteria/Badges:
- Flotation 10 seconds (front)
- Flotation 15 seconds (back)
- Kick 5m on front (unassisted, correct body & head position, leg action, lift head once to breathe and continue)
- Kick 5m on back (unassisted, correct body position and leg action)
Stage 3
Skills to Develop:
- Review stage 2 skills
- Backstroke arm action (with correct hand entry)
- Rotation (body roll) – front to back & back to front (with kicking only and kicking with FC & BK arms)
- Front crawl arms – using catch up & single arm
- Front crawl bilateral breathing
- Life Saving - Jump in, float on back for 5 seconds and return to side
- Kneeling dives
Pass Criteria/Badges:
- Travel 10m front (arms extended/rocket position/correct leg action)
- Travel 10m on back (kicking only, body posture – no float)
- Full Backstroke 10m (unassisted, correct body position and leg action)
- Front crawl arms – 5m
- Full front crawl with 2 lateral breaths
Stage 4
Skills to Develop:
- Review stage 3 skills
- Refine front crawl bilateral breathing
- Front crawl drills – catch up and single arm
- Intro to dolphin kick
- Backstroke kick with shoulder rotation (hands at side)
- Backstroke arms timing using 3 second switches
- Breaststroke leg kick
- Breaststroke arms
- Life Saving – jump in, retrieve object from bottom, return to side (with goggles)
- Standing dives (if pool depth permits)
Pass Criteria/Badges:
- 15m backstroke (with correct hand entry)
- Front crawl 15m (with bilateral breathing)
- 10m breaststroke kick (no arms)
- 5m dolphin kick (hands at side)
Stage 5
Skills to Develop:
- Review stage 4 skills
- Bilateral breathing – front crawl
- Improve dolphin kick (front & back)
- Breaststroke arms and full stroke timing
- Forward roll in water
- Life Saving Skills – jump in, retrieve object from bottom, return to side (no goggles)
- Standing dives (if pool depth permits)
Pass Criteria/Badges:
- 10m full breaststroke (with good timing)
- 25m backstroke (with correct technique inc. rotation & timing)
- 25m front crawl (bi-lateral breathing)
- 10m Dolphin kick (arms extended)
Stage 6
Skills to Develop:
- Review stage 5 skills
- Introduction to butterfly arms
- Sculling - backwards and forwards on front and back
- Refine Breaststroke timing
- Introduction to front crawl and backstroke turns
- Life Saving Skills – 2 mins alternating treading water & floating
- Race dives into full strokes (if pool depth permits)
Pass Criteria/Badges:
- 50m backstroke
- 50m front crawl
- 25m breaststroke (with correct timing)
Stage 7
Skills to Develop:
- Review stage 6 skills
- Full butterfly (correct timing not required)
- Introduction to breaststroke start & turn
- Swimming terminology (e.g. I.M, tumble turns, correct names for all strokes)
- Race dives into full strokes (if pool depth permits)
- Understanding of rescue skills
Pass Criteria/Badges:
- 100m backstroke
- 100m front crawl
- 50m breaststroke
- 10m butterfly (correct timing not required)
Stage 8
Skills to Develop:
- Review stage 7 skills
- Butterfly timing
- Training drills for all strokes
- Intro to timed swimming & sets
- Improve all starts & turns
- All life Saving skills refreshed
Pass Criteria/Badges:
- 100m backstroke in under 2.00.00
- 100m front crawl in under 2.00.00
- 100m breaststroke under 2.30.00
- 25m butterfly
- 200m front crawl
Stage 9
Skills to Develop:
- Review stage 8 skills
- Timed swimming & sets (longer distance)
- Butterfly starts, finishes & turns
- Training drills for all strokes
- Full use of front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke turns according to FINA rules
Pass Criteria/Badges:
- 200m backstroke in under 4.30.00
- 200m front crawl in under 4.00.00
- 200m breaststroke in 5.00.00
- 50m butterfly
- 100m I.M.
- 400m front crawl
Stage 10
Skills to Develop:
- Review stage 9 skills
- Personal best times
- Individual Medley with correct turns & starts
- Full use of all turns according to FINA rules
- Timed swimming sets
Pass Criteria/Badges:
- 200m I.M.
- 800m front crawl
- 1500m front crawl
- Personal best backstroke
- Personal best front crawl
- Personal best breaststroke
- Personal best I.M
