About
our swim levels

Water Confidence

Designed to prepare your child for learning to swim. They will work on aquatic breathing, floating and buoyancy. Focus on learning through fun and games.

Choose when:

Your child is not yet happy to have their face in the water.

Guideline age: from 3yrs* (NB must be toilet trained)

The Foundations

Your child will work on body and head position in the water, streamline push and glide, focus on effective kick and introducing arms. Will use kick boards and noodles. Focus on learning through fun and games.

Choose when:

Your child is comfortable in water but not yet able to swim 5m in a horizontal position without aids.

Guideline age: from 3yrs*

Becoming a Confident Swimmer

Your child will be taught what to do if in difficulty in water. They will work on streamline push and glide. Games and drills will help them to develop competent Front Crawl (including beginnings of effective breathing technique) and Backstroke.

Choose when:

Your child is able to swim 5m with their face in the water in a horizontal position without aids.

Guideline age: from 4yrs to 8yrs*

Stroke Development (1&2)

Your child will be taught what to do if in difficulty in water. They will fine-tune streamlining and effective breathing to the side. Work will primarily be on Backstroke and Front Crawl technique with some Breaststroke work.

Choose when:

Your child can swim with a recognisable stroke (but there is plenty of room for improvement).

Stroke Development 1 if your child can swim approx 10m (1x width) unaided.

Guideline age: 5yrs to 9yrs*

Stroke Development 2 if your child can swim approx 25m (1x length) unaided.

Guideline age: 9yrs to 15yrs*

*Guideline ages are by no means set ages. However, we strictly do not take children under the age of 3.

Developing Technique

The focus at this level is to improve technique. Front Crawl, Backstroke and Breaststroke are covered with an introduction to Butterfly if suitable for the group.

Choose when:

Your child is able to swim more than 50m (2 lengths) with recognisable form but wants to focus on improving their technique.

Guideline age: 6yrs to 10yrs*

Perfecting Technique

At our Perfecting level your child will work on an effective kick and pull, they will refine head position, body rotation and stroke timing. Race technique will also be included with work on starts, turns and touches.

Choose when:

Your child is able to swim 200m in their chosen stroke(s) with good technique.

Guideline age: 9yrs +*