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Policy Statement

The Newbridge Swimming Awards Scheme has been established to ensure a consistent, high‑quality approach to swimming instruction and water‑safety education across the school. Developed in partnership with Splash Swim School, the scheme is underpinned by the nationally recognised criteria of both the Swimming Teachers’ Association (STA) and the Swim England Learn to Swim programme. 

The purpose of the scheme is to provide all pupils with a structured, progressive pathway that supports the development of essential water‑confidence skills, competent stroke technique, personal survival skills, and safe conduct in and around water. The award levels are designed to be inclusive and accessible, enabling pupils of all abilities to make measurable progress. 

Through this 3 week programme, pupils receive systematic teaching, daily assessment opportunities, and clear feedback on their development. Awards are issued in recognition of demonstrated competence against defined criteria, ensuring consistency, fairness, and alignment with national expectations. 

The Newbridge Swimming Awards Scheme forms an integral part of the school’s PE curriculum and contributes to meeting national curriculum requirements for swimming and water safety. By combining the expertise of Splash Swim School with established national frameworks, the scheme ensures that all pupils receive high‑quality provision that promotes confidence, safety, and lifelong participation in swimming. 

Newbridge Preparatory School welcomes registrations for admission from all sections of society and is non-discriminatory in line with the Equality Act (2010) and Equal Opportunities Policy. This applies to all pupils (including those in our EYFS setting) and includes inappropriate discrimination on the grounds of gender, age, religion or belief, physical ability or disability (including HIV status), learning ability, other special educational needs or academic or sporting ability; race (including colour, nationality, ethnicity, family, cultural or linguistic background).

Admission to Newbridge Preparatory School is considered for children aged 2-11. The standard admission points are shown in the table below, although admission at other times during the academic year will be considered if places/sessions are available.

The target class size for each year group from Reception onwards is 18 pupils, but the right is reserved to vary that number in any particular year such that the total number of pupils at Newbridge Preparatory School taken as an average from Reception to Year Six totals 18 pupils.

Newbridge Swimming Award Scheme

 

Octopus 1 – (Can be done with 2 armbands on) 

  • Make a safe entry into the pool with adult support. 
  • Kick 2 meters on back with adult support 
  • Float on the back with support behind the head. 
  • Blow an abject across the surface of the water.  
  • Be comfortable being showered with water from above 
  • Travel without assistance 2m to a floating object.

 

Octopus 2 – (Can be done with 2 armbands on) 

  • Make a safe entrance into the pool. 
  • Blow an object for 2m without support. 
  • Rotate through 180° without assistance. 
  • Move 5m along the rail or wall without assistance.  
  • Travel 3m using arms and/or legs without assistance.  
  • Blow bubbles with mouth underwater.   

 

Octopus 3 – (Can be done with 2 armbands on) 

  • Use a push off to begin swimming 
  • Travel 5m on front 
  • Travel 5m on back  
  • Star float on front and back with support 
  • Submerge face 

 

 

Octopus 4 – (Can be done with 2 armbands on) 

  • Submerge completely under water 
  • Rotate through 360° without assistance 
  • Travel 10m on front 
  • Travel 10n on back 
  • Swim 2m on front, rotate and continue for 2m on back.  

 

Stage 1 – To be completed with no swimming aids 

  • Enter water safely 
  • Swim 5m on front, using arms and legs.  
  • Kick 5m on back using a float.  
  • Blow bubbles with face under the water.  
  • Float on back with head supported 
  • Move from flat on back to upright position 
  • Move from front to upright position 
  • Push to an instructor from the wall to an instructor on front 
  • Push to an instructor from the wall to an instructor on back 
  • Give 2 safety points related to water. 

(e.g. walking on poolside, staying away from water if there’s no adult, identifying stretches of dangerous water) 

 

Stage 2 – To be completed with no swimming aids 

  • Enter water safely and independently 
  • Swim 10m on front 
  • Swim 5m on back (arms not needed) 
  • Fully submerge under water 
  • Log roll from front to back 
  • Log roll from back to front 
  • Star float on back 
  • Star float on front 
  • Push and glide on front with arms over head 
  • Push and glide on back with arms over head 

 

Stage 3 – To be completed without swimming aids 

  • Swim 15m on front with face consistently submerged.  
  • Swim 10m backstroke kick (no float) 
  • Using a float, demonstrate a basic breaststroke leg action.  
  • Push and glide on back, arms extended then log roll onto front.  
  • Push and glide on front, arms extended then log roll onto back.  
  • Fully submerge to pick up an object (depth 1m).  
  • Tuck float 
  • Answer 3 questions about water safety outdoors 

(e.g. stay away from open water, stay near an adult at an area of dangerous water, if you fall in try to relax and get help.) 

 

Stage 4 – To be completed without swimming aids 

  • Swim 25m front crawl using side breathing  
  • Swim 10m backstroke using arms.  
  • Swim 5m breaststroke using arms and legs (woggle can be used for support) 
  • Kick 10m butterfly 
  • Head first sculling on back for 5m 
  • Push and glide then swim 10m on both front and back.  
  • Swim on back, log roll and complete swim on front (15m) 
  • Swim on front, log roll and complete swim on back (15m) 

 

 Stage 5 – To be completed without swimming aids 

  • Swim 50m on front using consistent bilateral breathing.  
  • Swim all 4 strokes using arms and legs in coordination.  
  • Scull on back 5m head first 
  • Handstand in shallow water (1m deep).  
  • Perform a sequence of 3 different floats (star, tuck and survival) without touching the floor.  
  • Tread water for 30 seconds.  
  • Swim to a floating object and use lifesaving leg kick for 10m.  
  • Push and glide on front, log roll and then continue the glide on back.  
  • Float for 5 seconds, swim to a floating object then use it to swim back to the side.  

 

Stage 6 – To be completed without swimming aids 

  • Swim 75m efficient front crawl 

(consistent bilateral breathing, high elbow and fully extended arms) 

  • Swim 75m efficient back crawl 

(rolling shoulders and consistent arms, constant body position in water) 

  • Swim 25m efficient breaststroke 

(use correct timing PULL– BREATHE– KICK- GLIDE; use consistent leg kick using the bottoms of the feet) 

  • Swim 25m butterfly 

(Consistent arm recovery in coordination with butterfly leg kick) 

  • Submerge underwater, swim underwater 5m to an object and retrieve.  
  • Complete a forward somersault 

 

Stage 7 – To be completed without swimming aids 

  • Swim 100m efficient front crawl and backstroke 

(consistent bilateral breathing, high elbow and fully extended arms) 

  • Swim 50m efficient breaststroke. 

(use correct timing PULL– BREATHE– KICK- GLIDE; use consistent leg kick using the bottoms of the feet) 

  • Swim 50m efficient butterfly 

(use keyhole pull to push up shoulders, leg kick should be timed with 2 kicks for every pull) 

  • Swim 50m in less than 70seconds  
  • Swim 25m Old English backstroke 
  • Swim 25m wearing clothing (without goggles) 
  • Tread water for 1minute wearing clothing (without goggles) 
  • Huddle position in water wearing clothing.  
  • Scull on back 10m headfirst  
  • Scull on back 10m feet first 

 

Stage 8 – To be completed without swimming aids.  

  • Swim 200m using a mixture of strokes (see stage 7 for stroke technique) 
  • Swim 50m in less than 60seconds 
  • Swim front crawl using tumble turns 
  • Swim butterfly and breaststroke using correct 2-handed touch turns.  
  • Swim 4 x 2L Individual medley 
  • Swim 25m polo crawl moving a ball 
  • Submerge underwater, swim underwater 10m to an object and resurface.  
  • Perform a throw rescue and a reach rescue to a partner.  
  • Understand dangers with helping another person in the water and how to avoid them.  

(last resort is enter the water, always take a floating item, calm them down, get help from people close first, call 999)