Swimming Lessons Guide - Friary Grange Leisure Centre

Swimming Lessons Guide

Friary Grange Leisure Centre Eastern Avenue, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS13 7SQ

01543 308842 ● friary.grange@lichfielddc.gov.uk www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/fglc

Welcome This guide gives you information about the swimming lesson programme we offer at Friary Grange Leisure Centre, which follows the ASA Learn to Swim Pathway. It will help you to understand the expectations and assessment required for a swimmer to progress.

The Pathway helps Learn to Swim providers deliver an up to date programme. It is one of the most successful sports programmes of its kind and is being used in over one‐thousand swimming pools in England alone.

Helping to prepare for swimming lessons Starting swimming lessons is a big step for many children. Before starting, we recommend familiarising your child with the pool. Family trips to the swimming pool are a great way to do this. It is usually beneficial to talk through what your child should expect when they are due to start lessons.

What should I take?

Before starting swimming lessons it will be worthwhile to involve your child in what they need for their swimming lesson so they know what to expect when they get to the pool.

Kit bag ‐ suggestions:

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swimming costume/trunks/shorts (not below the knee) towel shampoo/shower gel

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hair band swimming cap (if hair or fringe is long) locker money ‐ £1 coin goggles (optional)

Eating before swimming It is not advised to swim on a full stomach so try to encourage swimmers not to eat in the hour before their lessons. However, some children may come straight from school and may need a small snack to maintain energy levels.

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Medical conditions, illness or accidents When booking onto swimming lessons please state on the booking form or tell Reception of any medical conditions, injuries or special needs a participant may have, such as asthma, epilepsy, sight or hearing problem or learning disability.

Swimmers should not attend a lesson if they have ear infections, infectious diseases, open wounds or sore eyes. Advice should be sought from a health professional.

Increasing water confidence Parents are advised to speak to their health visitor before taking young babies swimming.

Chemicals used in swimming pools can irritate the skin in very young children and babies.

Babies may also chill easily in pools and changing room areas.

Family swimming sessions are an excellent way of building water confidence in pre‐school aged children. Ask at Reception for information on our family swimming sessions.

Dos and don’ts for parents Do: Don’t:  enrol each child on Learn to Swim lessons  assume if your child has swum 5m, 10m and prepare them so they are water confident. or 25m in one pool that they can swim  go swimming in your spare time and the same distance anywhere. New pools, encourage children to try fun new activities. changes in water temperature, open  read and understand the pool rules. water facilities and the seaside can  check lesson details. affect ability. It is essential young  offer praise and support to your child about swimmers are supervised at all times.  pull your child out of swimming lessons their progress in the lessons.  be patient. Not all swimmers develop at the when they start school swimming. same rate. Praise achievements like the first Swimmers should reach stage 7 before time they jump in or completing their first 5m. stopping lessons. If your child is not  give constructive feedback to us on things we enjoying their lessons please speak to us.  criticise the swimming teacher in front could consider to improve the programme. of your child.

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An overview of classes and the ASA Learn To Swim Pathway As your child goes through each stage, they will progress up to the next level.

Class

Summary

Awards

Ducklings

The emphasis is upon development of very basic motor skills and introduction to water and the swimming environment through fun and games.

Ducklings 1, 2 & 3 Puffin

Stage 1

Developing basic safety awareness, the ‘class’ scenario, basic movement skills and water confidence skills.

Swimmers may use aids, e.g. arm bands, floats etc.

Stage 1

Stage 2

Developing safe entries to the water, including jumping in, basic floating, travel front and back up to a distance of 5 metres, plus rotation to regain upright positions.

Swimmers may use aids e.g. arm bands, floats etc.

Stage 2 Ducklings 4 & 5 5 Metres

Stage 3

Developing safe entries including submersion, travel up to 10 metres on the front and back, progress rotation skills and water safety knowledge. At this stage, the swimmer will be assessed without the use of aids or support.

Stage 3 10 Metres 5 Metres Front Crawl & Backstroke

Stage 4

Developing the understanding of buoyancy through a range of skill, refining kicking technique for all strokes, and swimming 10 metres to a given standard as directed by the ASA.

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Stage 4 5 Metres Breaststroke & Butterfly Preliminary Water Safety Skills

Class

Summary

Awards

Stage 5

Developing ‘watermanship’ through sculling and treading water skill, and complete rotation, also performing all strokes for a distance of 10 metres to the given standard as provided by the ASA within the NPTS resources.

Stage 5 25 Metres 10 Metres Front Crawl, Backstroke, Breaststroke & Butterfly

Stage 6

Developing effective swimming skills including co‐ordinated breathing across all strokes plus swimming a distance of 25 metres using a stroke of the swimmers choice; developing the water safety aspects and understanding of preparation for exercise.

Stage 6 50 Metres Personal Survival Level 1

Stage 7

Developing quality stroke technique up to 100 metres, incorporating skills learnt and combining them to develop a linked routine and complete successfully and obstacle course that combines skills accomplished throughout stages 1 ‐ 7.

Stage 7 100 Metres 25 Metres Front Crawl, Backstroke, Breaststroke & Butterfly

Stage 8, 9 & 10

Stages 8, 9 and 10 follow on from Stages 1 ‐ 7 and (competitive swimming

are targeted at swimmers who have achieved the & water polo) Stage basic fundamental movement skills which allow 200m, 400m, 600m, 8, 9 & 10 them to be competent and confident in the water 800m, 1000m, 1500m

and are at a stage where they are ready to learn a & 2000m, 1 Mile

more advanced range of skills. We offer stages 8, 9 Personal Survival and 10 in competitive swimming and water polo. Level 2, Bronze, Silver,

Gold & Honours

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Frequently asked question

What should I expect from each lesson?  The lessons are led by an ASA qualified swimming teacher that will provide a variety of fun‐based activities to help swimmers learn new skills.  Some swimmers may be given slightly different activities depending on their ability.  The teacher will record progress made against outcomes for the stage. When a swimmer consistently completes the outcomes, they are awarded a badge and are ready to move to the next stage.

How long will it take a swimmer to pass each stage?  This will vary with every swimmer depending on their skills and experience.  The most important factor is that each swimmer learns to swim and enjoys learning to swim and that parents can see their child improving over the course of lessons.

What should I do if I think my child has completed an outcome/stage and the teacher has not acknowledged it?  Teachers will continually assess each swimmer against the outcomes of the relevant stage and will award a badge if all outcomes have been achieved, but if in doubt ask your teacher or the Reception staff.  Remember, swimmers need to show consistency in their ability to perform the tasks so the teachers will keep an eye on them to ensure they can do the task more than once.

What happens if, by the end of the term, a swimmer has not achieved all the outcomes in the stage?  The swimmer must complete all outcomes to get the Kellogg’s National Plan Award.  If a swimmer continues to struggle the teachers may agree that it would be more beneficial for them to move up to the next group but they must continue to work on the outcomes they have yet to complete.

How long is the course?

All courses are for 12 weeks unless otherwise indicated and there will be a one week break during the term.

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Where does a child with a disability fit into the Pathway?  The Additional Needs phase provides progressive steps for swimmers who require additional help before entering Stage 1 of the Pathway. The Kellogg’s ASA Alpha Step Awards support the Additional Needs Phase of the Pathway. The swimmer then progresses into the Pathway stages.  It must be recognised that some swimmers may never be able to achieve all stages of the Pathway, but the ASA does provide resources and training to try and help swimming teachers provide a comprehensive programme.

Why should my child with disabilities or special needs take part in swimming?

Swimming lessons provide children with vital skills to help with survival and this is no different for children with a disability or special educational needs. Lessons also provide a lot of pleasure ‐ swimming is a great leveller and can help them have fun in a non‐competitive environment. In fact research has shown that swimming is the favourite sport of many disabled children and adults alike. It’s a way for the family to be together and enjoy a great activity.

Re‐enrolments  Enrolment letters are sent out two weeks before the end of each term by email only.  Payments should be made during these last two weeks.  If payment is not received by the last Sunday of the current term those unpaid will be considered as being unwanted and their place will be offered to someone on the wait list.  We cannot be held responsible for late payments and the subsequent loss of a place on a course. Please do not leave enrolment for your child until the last day.

Request for change  If you need to change the date/time of a course please complete a ‘request to change’ form and hand to Reception.  If you are requesting to change during the re‐enrolment period please note that payment will still need to be made in order to secure a place on the course.  We cannot guarantee being able to comply with requests for change but will do our best.

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Request for refunds  A refund will not be given unless a cancelled place can be resold or evidence of medical non‐suitability can be provided.  All requests for refunds must be made in writing and will only be given from the date the request is received.  Please note a £10 administration fee will be charged on all cancellations and will be deducted from any refunds.

Rules  

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Parents/guardians must ensure that children arrive on time for their lessons.

Parents and children waiting for swimming lessons should stay in the changing area until their lesson is due to start, at which point the child should walk to the registration area at the bottom of the ramp.

Only staff are allowed on poolside so as to maintain a safe and healthy environment.

While your child is at their lesson, all parents or guardians should view from the appropriate designated areas. Designated viewing areas are accessed from Reception and onto the spectator area at the deep end of the pool only. Alternative viewing is available from within ‘The Lounge’ that has windows looking down into the pool hall.

Boys and girls with hair long enough to reach their mouth, or a fringe that comes over their eyes, must wear a swimming hat for safety reasons. A child will be unable to swim if they should be wearing a hat, but have not brought one. Boys and girls with shorter hair can choose to wear a hat ‐ bear in mind that it is easier to spot a child underwater who is wearing a hat.

All lessons include a registration period, which means that children will not be in the water for the full length of the lesson. This should be no more than five minutes.

Swimming teachers may be rotated each term and therefore we cannot guarantee a specific teacher.

When your child needs to move to a different level we are unable to guarantee the same day/time in class.

Our wait list is administered in order of the date the parent/guardian places the child on the wait list.

If a parent/guardian has any questions about the lessons they should initially go to Reception and not the swimming teacher. If necessary, Reception will contact the teacher after all lessons have finished and they will contact the parent/guardian as soon as possible.

Reception must be advised of any changes e.g. address, medical information etc.

Friary Grange Leisure Centre Eastern Avenue, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS13 7SQ

01543 308842 ● friary.grange@lichfielddc.gov.uk www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/fglc