Learn to Swim - Our Programme
Programme Overview
The STAnley First Steps Series is an exciting and comprehensive learn to swim programme consisting of 7 progressive awards specifically designed for learners from age 2 onwards.
This award-winning programme recognises that a child’s first swimming experience is crucial for capturing and retaining their interest in swimming. The series creates safe, fun environments where children can be introduced to water while developing essential swimming and water safety skills through a challenging yet rewarding progression.
The programme culminates with the STAnley Star award, which consolidates all the skills learned across the 7 awards, ensuring learners are both competent and confident in and around water. Upon completion, children can progress to the Goldfish Series, while older beginners may prefer the Octopus Series.
Award 1 – Building Water Confidence
Key Focus: Introduction to water and basic movement
Learning Outcomes:
- Identify and recognise the swimming teacher
- Enter the water safely with support
- Splash feet at the water’s surface while supported by wall, woggle, or adult, then return to standing
- Walk forwards, backwards, and sideways through the water unaided for 5 metres (or unassisted walking actions in deeper water)
- Move through the water on the front for 2 metres, turn around and return to start position
- Move through the water on the back for 2 metres and roll to regain feet
- Blow a small object (such as a ball or toy) across the pool for 2 metres
- Travel under a woggle bridge and through a shower created by a watering can
- Push and glide on the front
- Exit the pool safely
Award 2 – Developing Water Skills
Key Focus: Poolside safety awareness and basic propulsion
Learning Outcomes:
- Demonstrate understanding of poolside safety rules
- Enter the water safely from the poolside independently
- Blow bubbles into the water with mouth submerged, or with both mouth and nose submerged
- Move through the water for 2 metres on the front while blowing bubbles, then return to upright/standing position
- Move through the water for 2 metres on the back using an alternating leg action with ears in water, return to standing
- Perform a star floating position on either front or back
- Use front paddle action to move a ball across the pool
- Push and glide on the back
- Roll from front to back while looking at the ceiling
- Climb out of the pool safely and independently
Award 3 – Building Independence
Key Focus: Learn to swim Increased distance and build water confidence
Learning Outcomes:
- Answer a question on poolside safety rules
- Enter the water from poolside, move forward 1 metre, then return and exit the pool unassisted
- Blow bubbles into the water with face fully submerged
- Perform a star float on the back and regain feet independently
- Move through the water on the back using an alternating leg action for 5 metres
- Move through the water for 5 metres on the front using front paddle action
- Complete a 360° turntable with feet off the pool floor
- Roll from back to front and return onto the back
- Jump or step into the water from poolside with hand support from teacher or assistant
- Show treading water action with legs while using a woggle (seahorse position)
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Award 4 – Developing Swimming Techniques
Key Focus: Learn to swim a combination of skills and submersion
Learning Outcomes:
- Answer 2 questions on poolside safety
- Swim 5 metres of front paddle, roll onto back and swim 5 metres on the back
- Bob up and down 4 times, submerging the face and exhaling underwater
- Pick up an object from below the water surface
- Perform 2 different float positions, which may be in a sequence on front or back
- Push and glide on back, tuck and roll forward to return to poolside
- Tread water using both arms and legs
- Attempt a circular action of either arms or legs
- Jump or step into pool safely without assistance
- Climb out of pool safely without assistance
Award 5 – Introducing Stroke Development
Key Focus: Floating skills and rhythmic breathing
Learning Outcomes:
- Answer 2 questions on poolside rules
- Swim 2 metres of front paddle or back paddle without any support
- Hold 3 different types of floating positions, each for 3 seconds
- Breathe rhythmically for 4 cycles, either supported or while moving
- Jump or step in from poolside, tread water, turn around and swim back to poolside
- Push off on the back and kick with a simultaneous leg action for 5 metres using a woggle or float
- Perform a push and glide on the front, keeping face in the water and blowing bubbles
- Retrieve an object from the bottom of the pool
- Demonstrate front crawl arm action
- Demonstrate back crawl arm action
Award 6 – Refining Swimming Strokes
Key Focus: Stroke technique and water safety knowledge
Learning Outcomes:
- Answer 2 water safety questions
- Push and glide on the back with arms by side and ears in water
- Swim through a submerged hoop
- Swim 3 metres on front using a breaststroke-type leg action while holding 2 floats or a woggle
- Swim 2 metres on the front and 2 metres on back with smooth paddle transition (log roll)
- Step, star, or pencil jump into the pool, tread water, then return to poolside
- Hold the side of the pool and push off sideways underwater
- Swim on the front, tuck up and return swimming on the back
- Swim 5 metres of either front crawl or back crawl
- Scull forwards, backwards, or in a circle using a woggle
Award 7 – Advanced Skills Development
Key Focus: Learn to swim extended distances and stroke refinement
Learning Outcomes:
- Answer 3 water safety questions
- Perform a star float, slowly change to a narrow float and return to star float on front or back
- Push and glide on back with arms stretched, then roll onto front
- Swim 2 metres using dolphin leg kick on front or back
- Tread water for 10 seconds
- Swim 5 metres using a frog breaststroke-type action with arms and legs
- Swim 10 metres of front crawl confidently, attempting side breathing
- Swim 10 metres on the back confidently
- Swim through a submerged hoop and retrieve an object
- Scull/scoop head first using a woggle and arms only
STAnley Star Award – Programme Completion
Key Focus: Consolidation of all skills and confident independent swimming
Learning Outcomes:
- Answer 4 water safety questions
- Push and glide into a confident 10-metre swim
- Push and glide or swim, travel through a submerged hoop, retrieve an object and return to poolside
- Use a float and kick on the front to collect 4 floating objects scattered around the pool, then return to poolside
- Swim 2 metres on back, roll over horizontally to swim 2 metres on front, roll over horizontally to finish with a back star float
- Push and glide from poolside on the back and kick for 2 metres, tuck up and roll forward vertically to swim back to poolside
- Kick for 5 metres on the back while balancing a toy on a float
- Jump into the water, swim to a raft (play raft) and climb onto it to sit down
- Jump into the water, tread water while turning around, then swim back to poolside
- Exit the pool safely over the poolside if possible (or as the pool environment dictates) and continue off poolside to changing room
Programme Benefits
The STAnley First Steps Series provides:
- Progressive skill development from basic water confidence to independent swimming
- Water safety education integrated throughout all award levels
- Fun and engaging activities that maintain children’s interest and motivation
- Recognition and reward at each stage to celebrate achievement
- Flexibility for different ages and abilities
- Strong foundation for progression to more advanced swimming programmes
This structured approach ensures that every child develops at their own pace while building the essential skills, confidence, and safety awareness needed to become a competent swimmer.
When your child has successfully completed the STAnley First Steps, they then move on to the Goldfish awards.