Bradford Aquatics syllabus

Aqua Skills 1 with buoyancy aids

  1. Water safety (poolside)
  2. Enter water safely
  3. Blow bubbles
  4. Wet face (Putting the face in the water or by pouring water over the head)
  5. Swim five metres front or back using an alternating kick

Watermanship with buoyancy aids (Certificated)*

  1. Hygiene
  2. Safety
  3. Confidence exercises
  4. Water games
  5. Star float on front and back
  6. Push and glide on front and back
  7. Travel ten metres on back using an alternating kick
  8. Swim ten metres front paddle

Aqua Skills 2 without floatation aids

  1. Jump in or enter the water unassisted
  2. Blow bubbles with face in the water
  3. Star float front or back
  4. Swim five metres front or back
  5. Swim five metres breaststroke legs (on front and can use aids)

Aqua Skills 3

  1. Jump in unassisted
  2. Push and glide front and back (Face in the water on front)
  3. Blow bubbles with the face in water holding it for five seconds
  4. Swim ten metres front or back
  5. Swim five metres breaststroke
  6. Demonstrate three dry side shape drills

Grade 1 (Certificated)*

  1. Hygiene
  2. Safety
  3. Confidence exercises
  4. Swim ten metres on back using an alternating leg kick
  5. Swim ten metres front paddle
  6. Swim ten metres breaststroke

Aqua skills 4

  1. Mushroom float and hold it for five seconds
  2. Tread water for ten seconds
  3. Rotate from back to front and front to back without standing
  4. Swim through a hoop
  5. Forward roll in water
  6. Jump in deep water and swim 25 metres (recognised stroke with ease)
  7. Swim ten metres (of a second recognised stroke)

Aqua skills 5

  1. Push and glide holding a streamlined position
  2. Handstand in shallow end (safe depth)
  3. Jump in and swim 50 metres full stroke (25 metres on the front and 25 metres on the back) continuously with ease
  4. Swim ten metres of a third stroke (all strokes to be a reasonable standard)

Grade 2 (Certificated)*

  1. Water Safety (including open water)
  2. 50 metres first stroke
  3. 25 metres second stroke
  4. 25 metres third stroke
  5. 10 metres Dolphin kick
  6. Safety exercise
  7. Water Tricks
  8. 5 metres head first sculling
  9. 2 Mobility exercises

Aqua Skills Bronze

Pass 8 out of 10.

  1. Pick up an object from 1.5 metres using piked surface dive
  2. Safe entry, swim 200 metres using 3 different full strokes a minimum of 25 metres per stroke (2 strokes of a good standard / reasonable and with correct turns)
  3. Tread water holding a large ball in one hand in the air for 1 minute
  4. In pyjamas straddle jump, tread water swim minimum of 10 metres, remove and inflate trousers
  5. Two forward jumps with body straight on entry into water of at least full reach depth, gaining height and taking up a different position in flight selected from tuck, pike and star
  6. A correct hand touch turn for backcrawl and breaststroke (with pull out) covering a distance of 5 metres before and after the turn
  7. Minimum of 5m streamlined underwater dolphin kick
  8. 10 metres head first sculling 10 metres feet first (continuous)
  9. Introduce fins and hand paddles
  10. Push and glide forward somersault (tucked and piked)

Grade 3 (Certificated)*

  1. 100 metres first stroke with correct turns
  2. 50 metres second stroke with correct turns
  3. 50 metres third stroke with correct turns
  4. Ten metres Dolphin Butterfly (with correct breathing)
  5. Safety
  6. Five out of seven water skills
  7. Two mobility exercises

Aqua Skills Silver

Pass 7 out of 9.

  1. Swim ten metres controlling a ball (head up Front Crawl). Tread water for two minutes holding a ball then throw the ball three metres
  2. Ten metres head first sculling tub, ten metres feet first sculling
  3. A Front Crawl tumble turn covering a minimum distance of five metres before and after the turn
  4. Demonstrate a reaching rescue to a casualty no more than a metre away
  5. Complete each of the following covering 25 metres on each stroke showing an appropriate turn. Back crawl - breaststroke, breaststroke - front crawl
  6. Swim four widths of any stroke showing correct use of the pace clock for start and rest periods
  7. Swim for three minutes continuously in a circuit, and include the following: one feet first surface dive, one swim through a hoop, tread water for 15 seconds with one arm out of the water throughout. Finish by climbing out of deep water safely
  8. In clothes, straddle jump and swim 25 metres any stroke, then tread water and remove clothing 
  9. A correct turn for butterfly covering a minimum of five metres before and after the turn

Aqua Skills Gold

Pass 7 out of 9.

  1. Tread water (eggbeater leg kick) for one minute with one arm out of the water for 30 seconds signalling for help
  2. Swim front crawl head up with a ball for 15 metres. Pick up the ball with one hand and throw it to land in a hoop positioned five metres away
  3. Push and glide on the back, perform a back circle with body stretched throughout
  4. Scull head first for ten metres, back somersault, scull feet first for ten metres, and show a star float for at least five seconds.
  5. In clothes straddle jump and swim 50 metres, at the end of the swim remove clothes and demonstrate the H.E.L.P. position for one minute
  6. Three pre-swim loosening exercises
  7. Mini schedule with drills
  8. Demonstrate a throwing rescue to a casualty who is five metres away
  9. Complete a continuous swim of 100 metres, during which you must do one head first and one feet first surface dive, and swim through two submerged hoops five metres apart on two separate occasions

Proficiency Grade 4 (Certificated)*

  1. Swim 100 metres breaststroke 
  2. Swim 100 metres back crawl
  3. Swim 100 metres front crawl 1, 2 and 3 with correct turns
  4. Swim 25 metres Dolphin butterfly
  5. Time swim 50 metres in one minute using one stroke
  6. Scull ten metres head first, perform a half tub and continue to scull feet first for a further ten metres
  7. Surface dive to pick up brick, carry and land it safely
  8. Survival skills dressed in blouse/shirt/long sleeved top and long trousers
  9. Answer three questions on survival

About our syllabus

Bradford Aquatics Swim School

It is our aim to provide a comprehensive syllabus for all ages and abilities with achievable goals to encourage and reward success and introduce other aquatic activities.

Certifcates * – As indicated will be issued free of charge.

Badges – When merited the teacher will give the pupil a badge slip. Please present this slip to reception to:

  1. Enable us to update your child's achievement record.
  2. To purchase the appropriate badge. 

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