Our Syllabus 1/2
Duckling 1
- Make a supervised safe entry with adult support if required.
- Float on back with adult support behind the head without floatation equipment.
- Blow bubbles at the water surface.
- Wet the head without submersion.
- Kick 5 metres on back with adult support.
- Travel without adult support for 2 metres to a floating object.
- Enter the pool, rotate and return to the side with adult support.
- Exit the water safely with minimal adult support.
Duckling 2
- Make a sitting entry with adult support if required.
- Rotate 180 degrees either using a log roll or an upright position, using floatation equipment and without adult support.
- Submerge the face with confidence and without force under adult supervision.
- Blow an object for a distance of 2 metres.
- Travel 3 metres using arms and/or legs without adult support.
- Move 5 metres along the rail or wall without adult support.
- Enter the pool, rotate and return to the side with minimal adult support.
- Exit the water safely with minimal adult support.
Duckling 3
- Make a supervised jump to an adult with or without support.
- Float on the front or back without adult support.
- Push off on the front or back in a streamlined shape from a supporting adult.
- Blow bubbles with the mouth and nose underwater.
- Travel 5 metres on the front to the side of the pool without adult support.
- Kick 5 metres on the front holding a float (the adult may hold the other end of the float).
- Enter the pool, rotate and return to the side without adult support.
- Climb out of the water with adult support if required
Duckling 4
- Jump into the water unaided, but supervised.
- Perform a mushroom or star float.
- Rotate 360 degrees either using a log roll or an upright position.
- Push and glide achieving a streamlined position on the front or back.
- Submerge completely.
- Travel 10 metres on the front or back, without adult support.
- Jump into the water, turn around, swim back to the point of entry and hold on to the side or rail.
- Climb out of the water with adult support if required.
Octopus 1
- Answer 2 water safety questions.
- Enter the pool safely, steps, ramp, swivel.
- Move through the water confidently in different ways – walk, hop, jump, skip, gallop, march.
- Use a woggle to swim front paddle and back paddle for 5 metres.
- Push and glide on the front and back.
- Attempt a simultaneous circle action with legs while on the back for 2 metres, using a woggle or floats.
- Travel under a woggle waterfall, experiencing water over the head.
- Return to standing from a star float on the back.
- Perform a treading water action with legs using a woggle (sea horses), or floats.
- Exit the pool safely and unassisted.
Waterskills 1
- Enter shallow water from the poolside in a safe manner. Assistance may be provided via the steps or from the poolside.
- Move across the pool with the water surface no lower than shoulder level.
- Submerge the face in the water and blow bubbles for three seconds.
- Push and glide from the poolside or bottom on the front and change to a resting or standing position.
- Push and glide from the poolside or bottom on the back and change to a resting or standing position.
- Travel on the back a minimum distance of 5 metres.
- Travel on the front a minimum distance of 5 metres.
- Rotate from the back to the front position and change to a resting or standing position.
- Propel a floating object (e.g. a ball) for 3 metres by any method.
- Demonstrate a flat or upright stationary floating position for 10 seconds.
Octopus 2
- Answer 2 water safety questions.
- Enter the pool safely with a step or jump.
- Swim 2 metres of front paddle, and 2 metres of back paddle, unaided.
- Use a woggle to kick across pool while blowing bubbles.
- Demonstrate front crawl arm action while standing.
- Demonstrate back crawl arm action while standing.
- Push and glide on the front with face in the water.
- Push and glide on the back arms by the side.
- Rotate from back float to front float, and return back to a back float, using a woggle.
- Submerge under water and retrieve an object
Octopus 3
- Answer 2 water safety questions
- Enter the water with a step or jump entry, turn around and swim back to poolside.
- Push and glide into either front crawl or breaststroke for 5 metres.
- Push and glide into back crawl, and swim for 5 metres.
- Perform a star float on the front or back, and hold for 3 seconds.
- Perform dolphin leg kick on the front or back for 2 metres.
- Scull head first, using a woggle.
- Attempt breaststroke – may use a woggle for support.
- Tread water for 10 seconds.
- Swim forward for 2 metres and then roll onto back, swim on the back for 2 metres and roll into a standing position (regaining feet)
Waterskills 2
- Enter shallow water unaided from a standing or sitting position without the use of steps.
- Submerge the head completely and blow out under water for a minimum of three seconds.
- Hold a tucked floating position for a minimum of five seconds (this may be on the front or back with the face submerged or kept out of the water).
- Swim one width on the front using a crawl-type front paddle propulsive action.
- Swim one width on the back using a crawl-type leg action.
- Swim one width on the front or back using breaststroke type action.
- Swim one width full stroke on the front or the back with arm recovery over the water.
- Demonstrate a flat upright or upright floating position for 20 seconds.
- Demonstrate a 360 degrees turn or roll – from a flat or upright position without making contact with the pool bottom.
- Swim two widths without pausing using any stroke or strokes.
Goldfish 1
- Answer 2 water safety questions.
- Enter the water with a step or jump entry, tread water for 5 seconds, swim to poolside.
- Push and glide, and hold the streamlined position for 5 seconds.
- Push and glide, or swim to the bottom of the pool, to retrieve an object.
- Swim 5 metres on front, roll over and swim 5 metres on back.
- Perform dolphin leg kick on the front or back for 5 metres.
- Scull head first for 2 metres.
- Scull feet first, using a woggle for support.
- Show rhythmical breathing in front crawl for 10 metres, using a woggle or float.
- Swim a recognisable breaststroke for 5 metres.
Goldfish 2
- Answer 2 water safety questions.
- Perform a back float, tuck to a front float and return to a standing position.
- Scull head first for 5 metres, and feet first for 3 metres.
- Push and glide on the back, tuck, rotate to the front and return to the starting point.
- Swim 10 metres of a recognised front stroke, either front crawl or breaststroke. Learner’s first choice.
- Swim back crawl for 10 metres.
- Swim 5 metres of a recognised front stroke. Learner’s second choice.
- Push and glide to the bottom of the pool, tuck, place feet on the bottom and spring up.
- Perform a mushroom float and hold for 3 seconds, extend to a front float and return to a standing position.
- Enter the water with a step or jump entry, swim 5 metres on the front, then swim to poolside and exit water safely.
Waterskills 3
- Jump into water of at least full reach depth.*
- Swim four widths without a pause using any stroke or strokes.
- Submerge in shallow water and retrieve an object from the pool bottom using both hands.
- Tread water out of standing depth using arms and/or legs for 20 seconds.
- Swim two widths on the front demonstrating good technique.
- Swim two widths on the back demonstrating good technique.
- Swim a minimum of 10 metres showing three changes of direction without touching the side or bottom of the pool.
- Scull head first for 5 metres.
- Swim through a hoop submerged in water of shoulder depth.
- using two different strokes and with good style.
Our Syllabus 2/2
Waterskills 4
- Jump into water of at least full reach depth* and swim 25 metres without touching the side or bottom of the pool.
- Surface dive in water of at least full reach depth* demonstrating good technique.
- Perform a forward somersault using a push and glide if necessary.
- Swim breaststroke or front crawl for 25 metres showing good technique.
- Swim backstroke for 25 metres showing good technique.
- Scull head first for 5 metres and return sculling feet first.
- Swim a minimum of 5 metres using a dolphin leg action.
- Swim two widths of any stroke including a ‘correct’ turn complying with Swim England expected standards.
- Enter water of at least full reach depth* and tread water for 20 seconds followed by a 25 metres swim.
- Swim 5 metres underwater.
Swimming Challenge Bronze
- Jump into water of at least full reach depth.
- Swim 10 metres, followed by a surface dive into water of at least full reach depth and underwater swim for a distance of 5 metres.
- Tread water in a vertical position for three minutes.
- Scull head-first on the back for 15 metres with the feet at, or near, the surface throughout.
- Swim 400 metres using two strokes. (Changes of stroke can only occur at the completion of a length of the pool. A minimum of 100 metres is to be swum with each stroke.)
- Climb out at the deep end without assistance.
Waterskills 5
- Tread water for 30 seconds followed by a 25 metres swim, which includes passing through a submerged hoop.
- Perform a backward somersault using a push and glide if necessary.
- Perform a surface dive in water of at least full reach depth* followed by an underwater swim of at least 5 metres.
- Swim 50 metres in 90 seconds.
- Swim 25 metres using an inverted breaststroke or backstroke.
- Perform a head first entry into water of at least full reach depth* and swim 25 metres of front crawl.
- Swim one width of front crawl finishing with a forward somersault into the poolside and a push and glide away on the back or front.
- Swim one width of butterfly.
- Jump into water of at least full reach depth* attaining a good height and upright position in flight.
- Swim 25 metres propelling a ball and maintaining close control throughout.
Swimming Challenge Silver
- Plunge dive into water of at least full reach depth
- Swim 100 metres in less than three minutes using any stroke. A change of stroke may only occur at the completion of a length of the pool.
- Tread water for two minutes with one hand behind the back.
- Swim 10 metres, followed immediately by two surface dives into water of full reach depth*, one head first and one feet first, bringing an object to the surface on each occasion.
- Scull head first on the back for 10 metres and return by sculling 10 metres feet first. A horizontal position must be maintained throughout.
- Swim 800 metres: 400 metres on the front and 400 metres on the back. A change of stroke may only occur every 50 metres.
- Climb out at the deep end without assistance.
Waterskills 6
- Swim 75 metres within two minutes using three different strokes and demonstrating good technique.
- Perform the following skills consecutively and without pause: head first scull for 5 metres; somersault; feet first scull for 5 metres and a 360 degree rotation in a vertical tucked position.
- Swim three widths of front crawl showing two appropriate turns and demonstrating good technique.
- Swim three widths of backstroke showing two backstroke turns and demonstrating good technique.
- Swim three widths of breaststroke showing two breaststroke turns and demonstrating good technique.
- Swim two widths butterfly.
- Perform two jumps into water of at least full reach depth* gaining height and taking up a different position in flight selected from straight, tuck, pike, turning and somersault.
- Propel a ball for a minimum distance of 25 metres controlling it throughout and demonstrating two changes of direction of atleast 90 degrees.
- Propel a ball for a minimum distance of 25 metres controlling it throughout and demonstrating two changes of direction of at least 90 degrees.
- Plunge dive into water of at least full reach depth*, holding the glide for 5 metres.
- Plunge dive into water of at least full reach depth* and tread water for one minute.
Swimming Challenge Gold
- Plunge dive into water of at least full reach depth* and swim 100 metres in two minutes 30 seconds or less, using two different strokes, 50 metres of each.
- Tread water for three minutes with one hand remaining above the head throughout. The arm raised may be changed no more than five times.
- Scull head first on the back for 10 metres, move into a tucked position and turn through 360 degrees keeping the head above water. Return to the starting point by sculling feet first with the feet at or near the surface throughout and the hands close to the hips.
- Swim 10 metres, perform a forward somersault without touching the pool bottom and continue to swim in the same direction for a further 10 metres.
- Swim 800 metres using three of the following strokes: front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, English backstroke or sidestroke for a minimum distance of 200 metres per stroke. A change of stroke may only occur every 100 metres. This swim to be completed in 25 minutes.
- Climb out at the deep end without assistance.
Swimming Challenge Honours
- Make a straddle entry into water of at least full reach depth*, swim 5 metres into a piked surface dive to retrieve an object weighing approximately 2kg from water of full reach depth*; carry the object using a backstroke or sidestroke for a distance of 20 metres, to place it on the poolside.
- Scull 10 metres head first on the back; complete a back somersault finishing in a back layout position; perform a roll to take up a front layout position; carry out a front somersault finishing in a front layout position; tuck and rotate backwards into a back layout position and continue to scull feet first for 15 metres. Throughout all sculling and layout positions, the hands must remain close to the hips and the feet must be kept together on or near the surface of the water.
- Swim 200 metres front crawl, 200 metres backstroke and either 100 metres breaststroke or 50 metres butterfly. A change of stroke may only occur every 100 metres (except for butterfly).
- Swim 500 metres freestyle during which surface dive twice head first and twice feet first; on each surface dive, swim through two hoops 4 metres apart without surfacing. The tops of the hoops are to be at least 1 metre below the surface of the water.