A guide to the 10 stages of our swimming lessons for children

At Swimfun, we are proud to follow the 10-stage framework set out by Swim England with our swimming lessons for children aged 4+. Swim England is the national governing body for swimming in the UK, and their carefully constructed framework offers a perfectly calibrated pathway for children to develop essential swimming skills and build confidence in the water.

This structured approach ensures that children learn key skills in a logical order, progressing at their own pace and building a solid foundation for future swimming success. Our experienced instructors are fully trained in the Swim England framework and are dedicated to providing safe and pleasant swimming lessons for children, every time.

Stage 1: water acclimation and basic movement

This initial stage focuses on introducing your child to the water without applying too much pressure. Stage 1 begins with learning to enter and exit the water safely. This is then followed by learning to move comfortably in the water, including moving forwards, backwards, and sideways for 5 metres, either with or without their feet touching the bottom of the pool, depending on what they’re comfortable with.

Children will also learn to scoop water and wash their faces, as well as become comfortable with water being showered over them from above. This is followed by a knowledge check in which we will ask children to give us two examples of pool rules, again reaffirming their sense of awareness surrounding safety.

View and download Swim England Stage 1

Stage 2: building confidence and developing basic skills

From this point, we build upon much of what the child learned in Stage 1, with some more physically demanding exercises sprinkled in. Children will gain confidence in the water by jumping in from the poolside to a minimum depth of 1 metre and becoming comfortable with submersion.

Once in the water, learning to blow bubbles rhythmically while submerged is an essential skill for developing effective breathing techniques. Additionally, children will begin to develop basic propulsion skills, including pushing off the wall and gliding on both their front and back, as well as basic rotations, such as tucking to rotate from a front float to a back float and vice versa.

View and download Swim England Stage 2

Stage 3: refining movement and submersion

Stage 3 focuses on refining core swimming skills and developing more advanced submersion techniques. Key skills developed in this stage include submerging to retrieve an object from the bottom of the pool, demonstrating improved control and comfort underwater. Children will also learn to streamline their bodies in the water, minimising drag and maximising efficiency. This goes hand-in-hand with refining their log rolls from front to back and back to front.

Furthermore, children will begin to travel longer distances on their front and back, namely 10 metres, building endurance and confidence. They will also learn to identify three of the four key water safety messages, yet again demonstrating their awareness around water safety.

View and download Swim England Stage 3

Stage 4: refining strokes and developing coordination

In Stage 4, the focus shifts towards developing more advanced stroke techniques and improving coordination. Firstly, children will begin to develop basic kicking techniques for different strokes, including backstroke, front crawl, butterfly, and breaststroke. They will then be introduced to sculling, an important technique used to maintain balance and control in the water.

Further building upon previously taught skills, children will refine their rolling movements, improving fluidity and coordination. They will also continue to increase their swimming distances, building endurance and confidence.

View and download Swim England Stage 4

Stage 5: advanced skills and water safety

Stage 5 introduces more advanced skills and further emphasises water safety. For example, children will learn more advanced sculling techniques such as stationary sculling and sculling with a partner. They will also learn to tread water, an essential water safety skill. Taking things up a notch, at this stage children will be introduced to simple dives, such as a seated dive.

With regards to water safety skills, children will learn to perform a handstand and hold for a short period, demonstrating an understanding of body position and control in the water.

View and download Swim England Stage 5

Stage 6: refining stroke technique and building endurance

In Stage 6, the focus shifts towards refining stroke technique and building endurance, including arm action, leg kick, and breathing patterns. Additionally, they will learn to incorporate rhythmic breathing patterns into their strokes.

Also during Stage 6, children will swim longer distances, gradually increasing their endurance and stamina. Another important water safety skill is also introduced here, as children will learn to perform a “shout and signal” rescue.

View and download Swim England Stage 6

Stage 7: continuous swimming and advanced skills

Stage 7 focuses on developing continuous swimming skills and introducing more advanced techniques. Children will learn to swim continuously for longer distances, focusing on smooth and efficient movements.

They will also learn to perform a variety of movement sequences, combining different strokes and sculling techniques. Advanced skills introduced at this stage include dives, obstacle courses, and basic relay techniques.

View and download Swim England Stage 7

Stage 8: building endurance and refining stroke technique

In Stage 8, the emphasis is on building endurance and further refining stroke technique. At this point, children will focus on building endurance by swimming longer distances and completing longer sets of swims. They will also continue to refine their stroke and underwater kicking techniques, focusing on efficiency and power.

View and download Swim England Stage 8

Stage 9: improving performance and introducing relay skills

Stage 9 focuses on improving overall swimming performance and introducing relay skills. Children will continue to refine their stroke technique, focusing on improving speed and efficiency. They will also swim longer distances and complete more challenging sets. Furthermore, they will be introduced to basic relay skills, such as relay takeovers and efficient starts and turns.

View and download Swim England Stage 9

Stage 10: advanced skills and long-distance swimming

Stage 10 represents the pinnacle of our swimming lessons for children, focusing on advanced skills and long-distance swimming. In this final stage, children will be challenged to swim longer distances, such as 1,500 meters, continuously.

They will refine their skills in all four strokes, including butterfly and backstroke, and learn more advanced techniques such as underwater kicking and streamline starts. Finally, children will refine their relay skills, focusing on efficient starts, turns, and takeovers.

View and download Swim England Stage 10

Ready to dive in with Swimfun?

We are steadfast in our commitment to providing first-class swimming lessons for children of all ages and abilities. Our 10-stage programme, aligned with the Swim England framework, ensures a smooth learning curve that builds confidence, develops essential swimming skills, and imparts a true sense of fondness for this activity.

Our team understands that every child is unique, and we are acutely aware of this, tailoring their approach to suit the distinct needs of each student. This is also the case with children who have special educational needs and disabilities, with whom we are always happy to work.

Ready to embark on this exciting aquatic adventure? Contact us today to learn more about our Swimfun programmes and give your child the opportunity to develop an appreciation for this healthy and fun activity!