swim2swim follow the Swim England award scheme
The national governing body for swimming, Swim England, has produced a national syllabus for Aquatics, which develops a wide range of skills and will result in a competent, confident and safe swimmer. We will take the swimmers to Level 7 within the Swim School.
The National Plan for Teaching Swimming begins with a foundation program which is aimed at parent and child and pre-school children, which develops basic motor skills, an introduction to water and the swimming environment through fun and games.
Adult & Child 4 months to 2 years
The main emphasis is building water confidence, basic submersions and preparing the children for formal lessons.
Duckling Awards 2 1/2 years to 5years
The National Plan for Teaching Swimming (NPTS)
The National Plan for Teaching Swimming (NPTS – is the national syllabus produced by Swim England to assist and support the delivery of swimming lessons.
It is the most successful sports programme of its kind and the syllabus is currently being implemented in over 1,000 swimming programmes nationwide as well as being adopted overseas as a model of good practice.
The NPTS has been developed to use fun and games to take children from their first splash to full competence in the water via 10 Stages but is underpinned throughout by Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) principles, with clear progression between each stage. The programme fully encompasses all aquatic disciplines, and incorporates Rookie Lifesaving in conjunction with the Royal Life-Saving Society.
The ‘swimmer pathway’ resulting from the revised syllabus provides more opportunity and variety for swimmers, as well as providing a smooth, progressive structure to take them through the stages. Swim England hopes this will improve the number of swimmers who continue to learn to swim in the later stages and provide a clear link into clubs for those who have completed or progressed well through the stages of the NPTS
The National Plan for Teaching Swimming (NPTS) is an all-inclusive programme which takes the non-swimmer from his or her first splash to developing confidence and competence in the water. The National Governing Body for Swimming, Swim England, has produced a national syllabus for aquatics, in order to equip learn to swim providers with the training and tools to deliver a multi-aquatic, multi-skill programme.
The swimmer’s journey through aquatics following the National Plan for Teaching Swimming will result in the development of a wide range of skills. These skills, are a jigsaw of pieces and when put together result in a competent, confident and safe swimmer who has the skill base for developing technique in a wide range of water based sports.
Stage 1 Beginners 5 years to 12 years
This level introduces children with little or no previous experience of swimming to the new water environment, developing water confidence and being at ease in the water.
Stages 2 to 3 Improvers 5 Years to 12 years
As well as feeling confident on the water the children also work on underwater activities, this stage also helps to develop control in the water, breathing and beginning to experiment with the different methods if using limbs for propulsion.
Stages 4 to 7 Stroke development 5 years to 12 years
The aim of these stages is to consolidate the aquatic skills along with controlled breathing, using the correct basic swimming techniques on the three main strokes over a standard 25 metre distance. Butterfly, turns and basic diving are also covered.
Stages 8 to 10
Once the swimmer has developed the core range of swimming skills throughout stages 1 to 7, they may have the choice to take part in different aquatic disciplines, Flip ‘n’ Fun, Diving, Water Polo, Synchro or Stage 8 Stroke Development.
Water Skills Club: Once the swimmer has developed an acceptable degree of basic competence in stage 7, then they may choose to come to the water skills club.
Pre-Competition Training: If the swimmer wishes to further their career in swimming then this is the next stage.
