SwimSafer Stage 1

The objective is for your child to gain confidence and develop independence in the water, as well as learn general and deep-end water safety. Techniques taught include forward and backward movement, safe entry and exit, and introduction to personal water survival skills.

What you will learn

Entries & Exits

  • Slide-in entry

  • Exit using ladder and from the pool edge

Sculling & Body Orientation

  • Front float (mushroom or jellyfish), 5 seconds, recover to a standing position

  • Back float, 5 seconds, recover to a standing position

Underwater Skills

  • Submerge in waist-deep (student’s) water, open eyes and blow bubbles

Movement, Swimming, Strokes

  • Movement on front 10m (alternating arms & legs and/or simultaneous arms and legs)

  • Movement on back 5m (alternating arms & legs and/or simultaneous arms and legs)

Survival & Activity skills

  • Signal distress and call for help

  • Grasp a floatation aid and float with it for 10 seconds

  • Then move (with the float) to the pool’s edge and

  • Exit safely from water

  • Dressed in swimwear, shorts and t-shirt demonstrate: Correctly fit a PFD, jump into the water, float for 30 seconds and then climb out of deep-water

Knowledge

  • Rules of behaviour in, on or near the water

  • Water safety knowledge at a swimming pool

  • Water safety rules in various aquatic environments

  • Principles of personal safety and survival

  • Principles of watercraft safety

  • Recognising an Emergency

  • Principles when performing a rescue

SwimSafer 2.0 Stage 1 Assessment

Sequence 1A: (w/o goggles)

  1. Enter water with slide-in entry

  2. Swim on back 5m and recover

  3. Submerge head in water, open eyes, blow bubbles, and identify object on pool floor

  4. Perform front float for 5 sec and recovers

  5. Perform back float for 5 sec and recovers

  6. Swim 10m

  7. Signal distress and call for help

  8. Grasp float and float fo 10 sec

  9. Move to pool’s edge (with float)

  10. Exit using ladder/climb out from pool edge

Sequence 1B: (w/o goggles)

  1. Dress in swimwear, t-shirt and short:

  2. Correctly fit a Personal Floatation Device (PFD), jump into water

  3. Float for 30 sec

  4. Safely climb out of water