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SwimExpert Adult Classes > About Us > Class Levels

Class Levels

We follow the Swim England: Adult Learn to Swim Awards. This framework allows us to monitor your progress, giving you an overview of what we will be working towards in each class, and the ability for us to give real feedback with clear goals set.

Below we have a breakdown of our stages and the criteria to be met.

Beginner:  “Be Water Confident”

This is the first stage of the Swim England Adult Swimming Framework, it aims to give participants the confidence to get into the pool safely, to be able to move around the pool with confidence and not panic if splashed. Be Water Confident classes are for people with no previous swimming experience, nervous swimmers, or those who have had a negative experience in the past and are looking to rediscover their water confidence.

  1. Understand the benefits of swimming
  2. Enter the water safely
  3. From in the water, move along the edge, one hand over the other towards the steps and climb out
  4. Be at ease walking around within the pool
  5. Be at ease with the water on the face
  6. Regain an upright position from on the front with support
  7. Regain an upright position from on the back with support
  8. Perform a flat, stretched front floating position, holding onto the side of the pool or with support
  9. Perform a flat, stretched floating position on the back with support from a partner
  10. Whilst standing, inhale and then exhale with nose and mouth submerged
  11. Within standing depth with feet on the floor, submerge the head
  12. Inhale and, with the face submerged, exhale. Repeat rhythmically a minimum of three times
  13. Push and glide to the wall or a partner with the use of flotation equipment, maintaining a streamlined position on the front with the face submerged
  14. Push and glide from the wall with the use of floatation equipment, maintaining a streamlined position on the back
  15. Perform a flat, stretched front floating position, with the use of floatation equipment but without support from a partner
  16. Perform a flat, stretched floating position on the back with the use of floatation equipment but without support from a partner
  17. In a flat position and with the use of floatation equipment, travel 10 metres on front
  18. In a flat position and with the use of floatation equipment, travel 10 metres on back
  19. With floatation equipment, perform on the back a head first skulling action in a flat position

Improver:  “Be a Swimmer”

The Second Stage of the Swim England Adult Swimming Framework aims to give
participants the skills necessary to start swimming independently over short distances
without support or floatation equipment. These classes are for people who have completed the Be Water Confident Stage, or who have a small amount of previous
swimming experience and feel confident enough to practise skills with the use of
floatation equipment (floats, noodles, fins). Hybrid strokes, auld English backstroke and sidestroke may be used.

  1. Regain an upright position from on the back without support.
  2. Regain an upright position from on the front without support.
  3. Push from the wall without the use of floatation equipment, maintaining a streamlined position on the front.
  4. Push from the wall without the use of floatation equipment, maintaining a
    streamlined position on the back.
  5. In a flat position, with the use of floatation equipment, kick 10 metres on the front.
  6. In a flat position, without the use of floatation equipment, kick for 10 metres on the
    back.
  7. In a flat position, using an alternating leg kick, with floatation equipment, roll 180
    degrees from back to front.
  8. In a flat position, using an alternating leg kick, with floatation equipment, roll 180
    degrees from front to back.
  9. Push and glide from the wall on the side.
  10. Submerge to pick up an object from the pool floor.
  11. In a flat position, without the use of floatation equipment, travel 10 metres on the
    front.
  12. Swim 10 metres on the front, choice of stroke is optional.
  13. Swim 10 metres on the back.
  14. Swim 15 metres, choice of stroke is optional.
  15. Swim 25 metres, choice of stroke is optional.
  16. Within at least shoulder-depth water and with the use of floatation equipment, in
    an upright position use legs to gain lift (using a variety of leg actions including egg
    beater, flutter and breaststroke).
  17. Within shoulder-depth water using floatation equipment, in an upright position,
    scull the hands.
  18. Within shoulder-depth water, without floatation equipment, tread water for 30
    seconds. Swimmer’s choice of leg action.

Additional outcomes

  1. Perform the Heat Escape Lessening Position and Huddle position.
  2. Exit the water without using steps.
  3. Jump in, at least full reach depth, and return to the point of entry.
  4. Without the use of floatation equipment, scull head first for 5 metres.
  5. Perform a tuck float without the use of floatation equipment.

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