Learning to swim is a key life skill for any child. Swimming lessons teach them independence, allows them to get active while enjoying themselves, gives them the ability to get themselves out of potentially life-threatening situations and enables them to fully enjoy trips to the seaside and beach holidays.
Here at Everyone Active, we offer a total of 11 stages of swimming lessons for children aged from just four months old. They’re available at all 96+ of our sites that have a pool, while all our teachers are Swim England (or equivalent) qualified and, of course, DBS checked and the lessons all adhere to Swim England’s Learn to Swim framework.
But how do you decide which stage is the right one to start your child off at? Here, we’ve brought all the stages together so you can best choose what’s right for your child.
Under 8s Through Care Procedures
Children under the age of eight must be dropped off by a parent or guardian at the poolside pick up/drop off area or designated activity area. On the poolside, these areas will be clearly marked with a sign stating the stage and the hat colour. All children need to be taken to this area by their parent five minutes before the start of lesson and the teacher will collect and then return to the same area.
Once you have dropped off your child, please make your way to the viewing gallery or suitable waiting area. For swimming lessons, all children will be returned by the teacher for you to collect, please be back at pick up area two minutes before end of lesson. The teacher will move to the next pick up area for their next lesson. Our lessons’ time slots allow five minutes for pick up/drop off and taking of registers.
In the interest of health and safety, parents/guardians of children under the age of eight years must not leave the building, and, if you are not spectating, please ensure you are back to collect your child at the end of their lesson.
Adult & Child Lessons (4-36months)
These classes are aimed at giving your child their first experience of the water, along with your guidance. That introduction is provided through songs, games and support and it aims to promote water confidence, alongside offering a social environment for both parents and children. When the child reaches 19 months, they are encouraged to start independent water movement, leading to swimming on their own and, eventually, leading to the stage one pre-school class.
Classes for children aged from three years
Pre-school Stage 1
If your child is over the age of three, not in full time education and hasn’t swum before, then this is the stage for them. It will teach confidence and independence in the water and, once completed, your child will be awarded the Swim England Learn to Swim Framework (LTSF) Stage One award, as well as the Duckling 1 and 2 awards.
Stage 1
If your child has started full time school and is nervous in the water, then this is the class we would suggest for them. It will teach confidence and independence in the water and, once completed, your child will be awarded the Swim England Learn to Swim Framework (LTSF) Stage One award, as well as the Duckling 1 and 2 awards.
Stage 2
This stage is for children who are in full time education and are confident in the water but have had no swim lesson experience. It will help develop water confidence and teach children to be able to swim five metres on both their front and their back. Once they’ve completed this stage, they’ll receive the LTSF Stage 2 Award, as well as the 5m badge.
Stage 3
If your child can swim five metres on their front and back unaided, then they’ll need to enrol in our Stage 3 lessons. Here, they’ll be taught towards the end goal of being able to swim unaided for 10m on both their front and back. They’ll be supported on this journey by being introduced to aquatic breathing and different types of aquatic mobility. By completing this stage, your child will have attained LTSF Stage 3 accreditation, as well as their 10m award.
Stage 4
For slightly more advanced children, stage four teaches your child some of the basic swimming techniques, including treading water and swimming underwater. Your child will be working towards being able to swim 20m unaided on their front and back. Once they’ve completed this stage, your child will get a 20m badge as well as the LTSF Stage 4 award.
Stage 5
Once your child can swim 20m on their front and back, then it’s time they enrol in the fifth stage of our learn-to-swim programme. As well as working towards being able to swim 25m on their front and back, this stage will begin to develop your child’s stroke technique to a higher standard, making them even more confident in the water.
Stage 6
This stage of our children’s swimming lesson programme is where stroke technique begins to be more solidly implemented into the programme. During this stage, your child will learn to swim 100m both in back stroke and front crawl as well as beginning to get a greater understanding of breaststroke and butterfly – in which your child will also have to demonstrate competence in order to attain this level of accreditation.
Stage 7
After stage 6, this class is open to your child if they can competently swim 100 metres and demonstrating three different strokes. At this stage of the kid’s swimming lessons programme, we’ll start introducing your child to touch turns, while we’ll also try and improve their ability in butterfly and increase the distance they can swim to 200 metres.
Stage 8
This class is aimed at children who are in the early stages of competitive swimming wishing to develop stamina and stroke technique, who are already capable of competently swimming 200 metres using three different strokes. In order to enrol in this stage, they must have already completed Stage Seven. As well as the ability to swim 400 metres competently, this class teaches greater awareness of water safety and survival techniques.
Stage 9
This ninth stage delves even more deeply into teaching your child about speed and endurance. In order to pass this stage, they will have to be able to swim 800m in three different strokes.
Stage 10
This last and most advanced stage is only for children who have completed at least stages seven and above and are in the early stages of competitive swimming. As well as putting even more emphasis on speed and endurance, your child will learn how to execute correct race starts and turns, as well as swimming 1,500m in three different strokes.
Level Water Swimming Lessons
We believe every child should have the opportunity to learn to swim and fall in love with the water. Everyone Active has partnered with Level Water to provide affordable one-to-one or small group swimming lessons to children with additional needs. Level Water is a charity that works with local leisure providers to offer swimming lesson support to children aged 4-11 with mobility, visual or hearing impairments. The ultimate aim is for the children to integrate into standard lessons by stage 4 for them to continue their swimming journey.
Available at selected leisure centre across the country. For more information please visit www.levelwater.org
Additional Needs Swimming Lessons
Swimming is often the only physical activity that people with additional needs are able to take part in, providing the opportunity to develop swimming skills and fulfilling other sociological needs. Everyone Active believe that all individuals should be offered the opportunity to realise their potential.
Our swim team will assess an individual’s need and find the most appropriate means of participation. Where possible, we will aim to integrate all swimmers into our mainstream swim scheme, adapting the lesson as required. Our teaching team understand that some participants may be physically unable to achieve some of the core skills required for each stage. Rest assured this will not impact their swimming journey.
Rookie Lifeguard
Once a swimmer had completed Stage 7, they may wish to learn the skills of lifesaving. Only available at certain centres.
Water Polo
Following completion of Stage 7, the swimmer may like to learn the basic skills of water polo Only available at certain centres.
Synchronised Swimming
On completion of Stage 7, there is an opportunity for them to undertake synchronised swimming and learn the initial skills of this aquatic discipline. Only available at certain centres.
Junior Fitness
Having completed Stage 10, a swimmer may like to continue swimming as part of our junior programme to maintain their technique and stamina – this session will help them to do this.
Diving
This unique aquatic discipline is offered at a limited number of centres due to the facilities required. At our main diving centres, the children are able to start their learn to dive journey once they have completed Stage 3 of the Learn to Swim programme. In addition, other sites offer a taster of diving once the child has completed Stage 7.