Generic Swimming Policy

Terms and Definitions

1. Non Swimmer Participant – Those who are not able to swim, may be of any age. Non swimmers may have no confidence in the water and may be fearful in a swimming pool environment.
2. Beginner Participant – Those who are mobile in the water but who would not be safe out of their depth without buoyancy aids.
3. Improver Participant – Those who are able to swim 15 metres on their front and their back.
4. Advanced Participant – Those who can sustain a good stroke over 100 metres.
5. Baby – A child between 0 – 1 years old.
6. Toddler – A child between 1 – 2 years old.
7. Pre-Schooler – A child between 2 – 4 years.
8. Assistant – A helper who works under the supervision of a swimming teacher. They may or may not hold a qualification.
9. Competency – An individual who is qualified or has sufficient skills, knowledge and experience in order to undertake a specific role or task.
10. Risk Assessment – A systematic process of evaluating the potential risks posed to a swimming teacher, participant or parent / guardian within the lesson. The person completing the risk assessment must be a competent person who understands how to correctly complete a risk assessment.
11. Pool Safety Operating Procedure (PSOP) – A document specific to every pool. The PSOP contains the Normal Operating Plan and the Emergency Action Plan.
12. Normal Operating Plan (NOP) – Documented plan for daily operation of a swimming pool.
13. Emergency Action Plan (EAP) – A document which gives specific instructions on the action to be taken by all staff in the event of an emergency.
14. Lifesaving Qualification – A recognised qualification which includes rescue skills, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills, basic first aid skills and knowledge of relevant aspects of the PSOP.
15. Swimming Teacher – The term swimming teacher has been used during the generic teaching section, this term includes baby and pre-school teachers, disability teachers and swimming teachers.

Swimming Teacher Qualifications

STA Award in Aquatic Teaching – Baby and Pre-School Swimming (STA BPS) – The Baby and Pre-School qualification aims to produce teachers that can teach aquatic activities, including paddle strokes to babies and pre-school children during adult and children lessons.

STA Diploma in Aquatic Teaching – Baby and Pre-School (DBPS) – The STA Diploma expands and develops a baby and pre-school swimming teacher’s current technical knowledge and provides them with the latest academic research and theories.

STA Award in Teaching Swimming (STA A) The Award in Teaching Swimming aims to produce teachers that can teach up to 12 non-swimmers, beginners and improver participants and deliver the STAnley Series of awards, as well as the Octopus and Goldfish Series of STA’s International Learn to Swim Programme.

STA Certificate in Teaching Swimming (STA C) The Certificate in Teaching Swimming aims to prepare holders to teach, without supervision, participants of all levels.

STA Award in Aquatic Teaching – People with Disabilities (STA PDS) – The People with Disabilities qualification aims to train teachers to teach aquatic activities to individuals and groups with most types of disabilities.

Lifesaving Qualifications

STA Pool Lifeguard (STA PL) – The Pool Lifeguard qualification is designed to train lifeguards in key skills to provide constant poolside supervision of a swimming pool when working within and aquatic environment. The content of the course includes pool rescue skills, CPR, first aid, supervision, accident prevention and dealing with poolside emergencies in accordance with the National Occupational Standards and sections 140-185 of Managing Health and Safety in Swimming Pools and British Standard BS EN 15288 Part 2, Safety Requirements for Operations.

STA Pool Emergency Responder (STA PER) – The content of the qualification includes pool rescue, CPR, first aid. Pool Emergency Responder is not a substitute for the Pool Lifeguard qualification but has been primarily designed for hotel and leisure club facilities which incorporate smaller and shallower swimming pools compared to that of the traditional swimming pool but can assist a lifeguard team during an emergency situation should one arise. These types of facilities may not require lifeguards to provide supervision but do require individuals who are trained and able to respond to an emergency should it arise in accordance with the National Occupational Standards and Managing Health and Safety in Swimming Pools and British Standard BS EN 15288 Part 2, Safety Requirements for Operations.

Safety Award for Teachers (STA SAT) – The Safety Award for Teachers is designed to train swimming teachers in pool rescue. The content of the qualification includes pool rescue, CPR, basic first aid skills to assist a swimming teacher in their role within an aquatic environment. It will allow them to deal with poolside emergencies for structured sessions in accordance with National Occupation Standards and Managing Health and Safety in Swimming Pools and British Standard BS EN 15288 Part 2, Safety Requirements for Operations. This qualification is designed to assist aquatic instructors / teachers in an aquatic environment.