STAGED LEARNING

BABY SWIM

Baby swimming lessons for you & your child.

Swimming is an activity that is accessible for everyone, regardless of age.

Babies can feel at ease in the water, as long as they feel safe.


Our baby swim lessons give you and your baby the opportunity to explore the fun and joy of being in water.

  • What do we offer?

    Our class sizes are a maximum of 10 babies in a class. Our experienced Swim England Adult and Child Swimming Teachers help you learn how to handle your baby and introduce them to safe movements in the water. 


    We teach through songs, games and other bonding activities to help you and your baby.

  • Where are the classes?

    We offer classes at Ashby and Tamworth


    Encouraging your child to swim has so many health and well-being benefits. We encourage starting swimming as a baby – the earlier children get into the water to build their confidence, the better.

  • How can swimming help my baby?

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PRE-SCHOOL SWIM & STAGE 1

Swimming lessons for children before they reach school age, from 3 years old upwards.

We offer swimming lessons to pre-school children, for those that have very little or no water experience.


Our pre-school stage encourages children to move independently in the water, under close supervision by our qualified Swim England teachers. We teach safe entry, introduce water being showered over the head, floating, push and glides and independent movement. We help children with underwater confidence and teach them basic aquatic breathing techniques.


Through games and play, we teach movement literacy skills: agility, balance, coordination, speed, running, jumping, throwing, kinaesthetics, gliding, buoyancy, striking with the body, catching, passing, kicking and striking with an implement.

  • How old does my child have to be to join pre­-School lessons?

    Children can join the pre­school class from 3 years of age.

  • Will there be a teacher in the water with my child?

    There will always be a teacher in the water with the children in our pre-School classes.

  • Will my child get any awards?

    We believe in continual assessment, placing no stress on award weeks and not putting pressure on children to perform.


    In pre-school swimming lessons, swimmers will aim to achieve their:

    • Swim England Ducklings One Award;
    • Swim England Ducklings Two Award;
    • Swim England Ducklings Three Award;
    • Swim England Puffin Award;
    • Swim England National Plan Stage One Award.

Stage 1 swimming lessons ran every day of the week

Stage 1 lessons are for children with very little or no water experience.

Whilst closely supervising swimmers, our Stage 1 teachers encourage independent movement. We teach safe entry, introduce water being showered over the head, floating, push and glides and movement skills.


We help children develop underwater confidence and basic breathing techniques. Through games and play we teach movement literacy skills: agility, balance, coordination, speed, running, jumping, throwing, kinaesthetics, gliding, buoyancy, striking with the body, catching, passing, kicking and striking with an implement.

  • How old does my child have to be to join Stage 1 lessons?

    Children can join this class from 3 years of age.

  • Will there be a teacher in the water with my child?

    There will always be a teacher in the water with Stage 1 children.

  • Will my child get any awards?

    We believe in continual assessment, placing no stress on award weeks and not putting pressure on children to perform.


    In Stage 1 swimming lessons, swimmers will aim to achieve their:

    • Swim England Ducklings One Award;
    • Swim England Ducklings Two Award;
    • Swim England Ducklings Three Award;
    • Swim England Puffin Award;
    • Swim England National Plan Stage 1 Award.

STAGE 2

Teaching independence & encouraging confidence in the water

Our Stage 2 swimmers should have progressed from Stage 1 or have basic water confidence skills and be able to move forwards and backwards in the water. In Stage 2 lessons, swimmers learn how to jump into the pool safely and continue to build on skills learned in Stage 1.


They will be able to submerge completely and blow bubbles under the water, they will gain more independence travelling in the pool, learn basic horizontal and vertical rotations and work on their push and glides.


  • Will there be a teacher in the water with my child?

    There will always be a teacher in the water with Stage 2 children.

  • Will my child get any awards?

    We believe in continual assessment, placing no stress on award weeks and not putting pressure on children to perform.


    In Stage 2 lessons, swimmers will achieve their:

    • Swim England Ducklings Four Award;
    • Swim England Water Skills Grade One Award;
    • Swim England 5m Distance Award;
    • Swim England National Plan Stage 2 Award.

STAGE 3

Lessons for children that want to move further in the water & improve their stroke technique

Our Stage 3 swimmers should either have progressed from Stage 2 or can swim a minimum distance of 5m on their front or back without any buoyancy aids. In this stage, children will be taught how to improve their technique to swim further in the water.


Swimmers will continue to develop their push and glides in this stage by being taught the importance of streamlining and log rolling.


Swimmers will be able to fully submerge to pick up an object and answer three questions on the Water Safety Code.

  • Will there be a teacher in the water with my child?

    There will always be a teacher in the water with Stage 3 children.

  • Will my child get any awards?

    We believe in continual assessment, placing no stress on award weeks and not putting pressure on children to perform.


    In Stage 3 lessons, swimmers will achieve their:


    • Swim England Stage 3
    • Swim England 5m and 10m backstroke stroke awards
    • Swim England 5m and 10m frontcrawl stroke awards

STAGE 4

Looking for your child to improve their technique? 

Our Stage 4 swimmers should have either progressed from Stage 3 or can swim a minimum distance of 10 m on their front and back, without buoyancy aids and be able to swim in deep water. Your child should be able to demonstrate good front crawl and backstroke technique and have been introduced to the butterfly and breaststroke strokes. At this stage, swimmers will feel confident swimming in all pool depths and be able to demonstrate an understanding of buoyancy.


In Stage 4 classes, your child will learn the importance and correct technique for fundamental shapes in the water and will master push and glides from the wall to the pool floor. Swimmers will start to develop their butterfly and breaststroke stroke techniques: by the end of the stage, they will be competent enough to kick for 10 m using both butterfly and breaststroke kick techniques. Your child will be taught the importance of sculling as a key concept for further stroke development, and will be reminded about the significance of safety in the water.


  • Will there be a teacher in the water with my child?

    Our swim instructors teach from the side of the pool, to oversee all pupils and be able to correct and improve strokes from a different angle.

  • Will my child get any awards?

    We believe in continual assessment, placing no stress on award weeks and not putting pressure on children to perform.


    In Stage 4 lessons, swimmers will achieve their:


    • Swim England 15m, 20m and 25m Distance Awards;
    • Swim England 25m Backstroke Award;
    • Swim England 25m Frontcrawl Award;
    • Swim England 5m and 10m Breastroke Award;
    • Swim England 5m and 10m Butterfly Award;
    • Swim England National Plan Stage 4 Award;
    • Swim England Waters Skills Grade 2;

STAGE 5

While improving stroke technique, classes teach more complex water skills in preparation for the next stage

Our Stage 5 swimmers should have progressed from Stage 4 or can swim a minimum distance of 25 m front crawl and 25 m backstroke. Swimmers need to be able to demonstrate that they can kick for 10 m using breaststroke kick and using butterfly kick. Swimmers should be able to demonstrate the ability to maintain a basic stroke technique in all depths of the pool.


In our Stage 5 classes, the teacher will work with swimmers to improve stroke technique in all four strokes. Your child’s water skills will be developed as they learn to tread water, swim through hoops and perform a stationary scull, head first and feet first scull. Your child will learn how to execute a handstand and forward somersault in the water, and they will be able to demonstrate an action for getting help.

  • Will there be a teacher in the water with my child?

    Our swim instructors teach from the side of the pool, to oversee all pupils and be able to correct and improve strokes from a different angle.

  • Will my child get any awards?

    We believe in continual assessment, placing no stress on award weeks and not putting pressure on children to perform.


    In Stage 5 lessons, swimmers will achieve their:

    • Swim England 50m  and 100m Distance Award;
    • Swim England National Plan Stage 5 Award;
    • Swim England Water Skills Grade 3 Award;
    • Swim England 25m Breastroke Award;
    • Swim England 25m Butterfly Award.

STAGE 6

Lessons for children to develop stroke technique & stamina in the water, as well as learn personal survival skills.

Our Stage 6 swimmers should have progressed from Stage 5 or can swim a minimum distance of 100 m front crawl and backstroke, 25 m breaststroke and have basic stroke technique of butterfly. They should be able to demonstrate the above strokes and distances in all depths of the pool.


Our Stage 6 teachers will introduce a variety of stroke drills for all four strokes into lessons to improve technique and stamina in the water. Swimmers will learn transferable skills about the preparation for exercise and practice swimming with clothes on. In this stage, teachers will look more closely at personal survival skills and go into more detail about situations in which they might be used.

  • Will there be a teacher in the water with my child?

    Our swim instructors teach from the side of the pool, to oversee all pupils and be able to correct and improve strokes from a different angle.

  • Will my child get any awards?

    We believe in continual assessment, placing no stress on award weeks and not putting pressure on children to perform.


    In Stage 6 lessons, swimmers will achieve their:

    • Swim England 200m, 400m, 600m & 800m Distance Awards;
    • Swim England National Plan Stage 6 Award;
    • Swim England 25m Butterfly award;
    • RLSS Personal Survival 1 Award.

STAGE 7

Helping children develop strength, speed & stamina. Emphasising the importance of diving, personal survival skills & looking out for others.

Our Stage 7 swimmers should have progressed from Stage 6 or be able to swim a minimum distance of 100 m front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke and swim at least 50 m butterfly with basic technique.


In our Stage 7 classes, swimmers will build upon their previous stroke knowledge and improve technique, stamina, and strength; speed will be increased and there will be an emphasis on learning to dive. Swimmers will learn more about personal survival skills and how to look out for others.

  • Will there be a teacher in the water with my child?

    Our swim instructors teach from the side of the pool, to oversee all pupils and be able to correct and improve strokes from a different angle.

  • Will my child get any awards?

    We believe in continual assessment, placing no stress on award weeks and not putting pressure on children to perform.


    In Stage 7 lessons, swimmers will achieve their:

    • Swim England 1000m, 1500m, 1 mile Distance Awards and more;
    • Swim England National Plan Stage 7 Award;
    • Swim England Waterskills Grade 6 Award;
    • RLSS Personal Survival Two Award.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Once swimmers have completed all seven stages of the Swim England's National Plan for Swimming, they can progress and expand their swimming journey by enrolling onto one of the advised exit routes, which include Rookie Lifegaurd, Pre Competitive Swimming, Diving, Artistic Swimming or Water Polo.

For those swimmers who fancy something a little different and exciting, or want to be the next Tom Daley, we recommend City of Sheffield Diving for taster sessions into High Board Diving.

View City of Sheffield Diving
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