The Five Levels of Success

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Discovery Ducklings 1: Aged 3 months to 12 moths.

• Introduces your baby into water and will encourage early confidence with the use of nursery rhymes and special teaching practices. 

Discovery Ducklings 2: Aged 12months - 2years

• Developing skills and building confidence already introduced in Discovery Ducklings 1. Children will be at ease with having their face splashed with water and travel through the water on their front and backs.

Discovery Ducklings 3: Aged  2-3 years

• Children will be working towards swimming with buoyancy aids but without support from the adult. Happy to get their faces and heads wet and be happy to be submerged under the water.They will work  towards being able to jump with support from the adult. 

Ducklings 1:  Aged 3-4 years

• Unconfident non swimmer

 Ducklings 2:  Aged 3-4 years

•  Confident non-swimmer kicking with a float on front,  face in the water 

Stage 1: 4 years+ 

Non swimmers 

• Blowing bubbles with face in the water. Travelling forwards and backwards through the water for a distance of 5 metres without aids. Starting and regaining an upright position from the front and the back without assistance. Moving into a stretched floating position using aids or support. 

Non Swimmers: Aged 16 years+

•  For swimmers with no previous swimmimng experience, nervous swimmers, or those who have had a negative experiejce in the past which has halted their swimming journey. 

Ducklings 3:  3-4 years - Swimmer

• Can swim up to 3 metres on front

Ducklings 4: Confident Swimmer - 

• Can swim over 3 metres on front and back

Stage 2: Starting to develop legs and rotation 

Pushing and gliding from the wall on both front and back breathing normally (attempting to turn on the side) and back for 5 metres. Rotate from front to back and back to front, regaining a standing position. Is able to travel unaided 5m using a leg kick on front and back and an introduction to breaststroke leg action.

Stage 3 - Establish Arm technique

Push and glide on both front and back into a log roll. Travel on front and rotate on to back. Swim 10 metres on both front and back using a recognised technique, breathing normally. Demonstrate a beginners breaststroke arms and legs. Fully submerge to pick up an object.

Non Swimmers: Aged 16 years+

Beginners - 16 years+ 

This level will give swimmers the skills necessary to start swimming independently over short distances without support or floatation equipment. They will have a small amount of previous experience and feel confident enought to use floatation equipment. 

Stage 4 - Reinforce Breathing

Push and glide from the wall to the pool floor. 10 metres front crawl, backstroke turning to the side to breathe, breaststroke and butterfly legs, attempting arms for 10 metres. Head first sculling and feet first sculling action for 5 metres in a horizontal position. Perform a sequence of floating positions. Introduction to lane discipline.

Stage 5 - Building Timing on all strokes

Swim a competent front crawl, backstroke for 10 metre switch rhythmic breathing and breaststroke and butterfly arm for 10 metres continuing with technical improvement. Perform a somersault and handstand. Performing a sculling action for 10 metres whilst horizontal on back and a 10 metre feet first scull. Tread water for 30 seconds.

 Improvers - 16 years+ 

This level will give swimmers the confidence to swim up to 400 metres independantly. They will improve on technique and build on stamina. 

Stage 6: Building distance while maintaining technique

• 15 metres front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly, all with rhythmical breathing ( to Swim England standard). Sink, push off the side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into both front crawl and breaststroke. Perform a surface dive. Swim 10 metres with clothes on.

Stage 7: Achieving technical excellence with Stamina building

• Swim 25 metres for all 4 strokes. Swim 50 metres continuously using 1 stroke and 25 metres using 3 different strokes. Forward and backward somersault. Log roll, head first and feet first sculling. Various floating and sinking skillshilst horizontal on back and a 10 metre feet first scull. Tread water for 30 seconds.

 Advanced - 16 years +  

• To allow swimmers to develop more advacned swimming skills, be bale to compete or become a members of a club or compete in masrter. 

Competitive Swimming - Have to have completed stage 7

Stage 8

• Swim 400 metres continuously using one stroke using all competitive laws

Stage 9 

•  Swim 800 metres continuously using one stroke using all competitive laws

Stage 10  

• Swim 1500 metres continuously using one stroke using all competitive laws