Swimming Instruction

Shirley Wigley and Dave Marsh with some of the club's swimming instructors

Boldmere's Learn-to-Swim scheme provides tuition by experienced instructors for children who want to learn to swim or improve their technical swimming skills. The club uses the ASA National Teaching Plan (see right for details) as the basis for its swim teaching and has one of the largest learn to swim schemes of any kind in the West Midlands.

The ASA National Plan takes learners through 7 development stages, from beginners to competent swimmers, and uses the ASA awards scheme to monitor and reward progress. There are also a further 3 stages which concentrate on additional skills including Competitive Swimmer and Water Polo player.

The Learn-to-Swim programme operates under the guidance of Chief Instructors Shirley Wigley and Dave Marsh and their qualified team at Wyndley and Erdington pools.

Initially, for beginners, emphasis is placed on being safe, comfortable and confident in the water. Skills in all of the main swimming strokes are then developed in structured groups where each swimmer's progress is carefully monitored. Assessment is on a continuous basis with swimmers progressing through the Plan's stages in a controlled manner. ASA achievement badges are awarded for the completion of the various stages (see right).

Those learners who wish to join training squads for competitive swimming and water polo within the Club are invited to do so. This provides the children with the opportunity to take part in competitions but those swimmers who just want to swim socially with children of a similar level are also catered for.

Joining Boldmere's Learn-to-Swim Scheme

We currently teach on Sunday afternoons and Monday Evenings at Erdington and on Thursday evenings at Wyndley. All our teachers hold A.S.A qualifications at Level 1, 2 or 3. We take children from age 5 but there is a waiting list for all of our sessions, so it is important to register interest early. As soon as places become available we invite people from our waiting list to join an appropriate beginner or intermediate group.

If you would like to enrol or know more about Boldmere's Learn to Swim scheme please get in touch via the Contact Us page on our website.

The ASA National Plan for Teaching Swimming (NPTS)
National Plan for Teaching Swimming 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.

National Plan for Teaching Swimming 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.

National Plan for Teaching Swimming 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.

National Plan for Teaching Swimming Stage 4

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

National Plan for Teaching Swimming Stage 5

Developing 'watermanship' through sculling and treading water skills 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.

National Plan for Teaching Swimming Stage 6

Developing effective swimming skills including coordinated 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.

National Plan for Teaching Swimming Stage 7

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