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We use the Amateur Swimming Association's National Plan for teaching swimming template current edition (NPTS), as part of our teaching program.
The NPTS is a comprehensive and progressive teaching program upon sound technical and educational principles.
The amateur swimming association (ASA) is the national governing body for swimming throughout England. Visit the ASA website.
As part of the new edition NPTS we run Rookie Lifeguard Courses in which we use the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) teaching programme. Visit the RLSS website.
Adult & Child- Foundation Phase
This is the foundation phase of the National Plan for Teaching Swimming (NPTS).
The foundation phase consists of five awards called Duckling Awards & the Adult & Child Award; these awards are designed to equip your child in basic water confidence at a young age before they are introduced to group lessons.
Duckling Awards
The Duckling Awards are designed to help babies and toddlers explore and enjoy the fun of learning to swim. With the help of their parents/carers, the Duckling Awards support the National Plan for Teaching Swimming and help to develop and boost confidence of very young children, both in and out of the water.
Children participating in both these awards should be at least five months old and have completed his/her triple injection. The child must be accompanied by an adult while in the water (less than 1.5m deep), during teaching sessions and the test.
Adults and carers continue to accompany and support the child throughout each session and the child is rewarded at each stage with bright and colourful Awards. Buoyancy aids (including armbands, floats or a SwimFin etc) can be used in the first four grades as the child learns how to float and gets used to being in the water.
The fifth and final grade shows the confidence level of the young swimmers. They have to jump into the water, swim back to point of entry, submerge and blow bubbles, float and swim five metres – all without aid.
Adult & Child Award
This award helps both adult and child to explore the world of swimming in safety and in confidence.
The Adult & Child Award rewards the accompanying adult with a certificate. There are six practical skills that need to be mastered by the adult and there is a short, written test on their knowledge of water safety, handling and support.
The Awards certificate is all the more special because it has been designed to incorporate a photograph of your choice.
National Swim Award
This range of awards is the National Plan for Teaching Swimming (NPTS).
There are 10 stages in total, for each award to be gained; the participant will be required to achieve all outcomes of the stage, consistently over the duration of the swimming term, if the participant does not achieve all outcomes of the stage they will repeat the same stage the following term until all outcomes have been achieved consistently.
National Swim Award Syllabus - Stages 1-7National Swim Award Syllabus - Stages 8-10
Additional Needs Awards
The Alpha Step Awards are a series of three awards that were created to maximise the potential and the enjoyment of all swimmers.
These provide small stepping stones for those individuals who may need additional support. The awards are particularly relevant for the shy/timid child, the tentative adult and some disabled individuals as they help to develop the early stages of buoyancy, coordination, spatial awareness, aquatic breathing, as well as entries and exits.
The scheme consists of basic water confidence and aquatic skills that once mastered, will enable a smooth transition for the learner into Stage 1 of the National Plan for Teaching Swimming.
