Stage 1

By completing this Award, with or without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

* Enter the water safely

* Move forward for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor Move backwards for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor

* Move sideways for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor

* Scoop the water and wash the face

* Be comfortable with water showered from overhead

* Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing

* Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing

* Push and glide in a flat position on the front from a wall

* Push and glide in a flat position on the back from a wall

* Give examples of two pool rules

* Swim 5 metres on front and back without buoyancy aid

* Exit the water safely

Stage 2

By completing this Award, with or without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

* Jump in from poolside safely

* Blow bubbles a minimum of three times rhythmically, with nose and mouth submerged

* Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing without support

* Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing without support

* Push from a wall and glide on the back – arms can be by the side or above the head

* Push from a wall and glide on the front with arms extended

* Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the back for 5 metres, without the use of floatation equipment

* Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the front for 5metres, without the use of floatation equipment

* Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the front, to a back floating position, then return to standing

* Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the back, to a front floating position, then return to standing

* Perform a log roll from the back to the front

* Perform a log roll from the front to the back

* Exit the water without support

Stage 3

By completing this Award, without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

* Jump in from poolside and submerge

* Sink, push away from wall and maintain a streamlined position

* Push and glide on the front with arms extended and log roll onto the back

* Push and glide on the back with arms extended and log roll onto the front

* Travel 5 metres on the front, perform a tuck to rotate onto the back and return on the back

* Fully submerge to pick up an object

* Correctly identify three of the four key water safety messages.

* Push and glide and travel 10 metres on the back

* Push and glide and travel 10 metres on the front

* Perform a tuck float and hold for three seconds

* Exit the water without using steps

* The four key water safety messages include: 1. Always swim in a safe place 2. Always swim with an adult 3. If you fall in, float, breathe, relax 4. If someone else in trouble, call 999/112 For more

information on water safety, visit the RNLI website and take a look at our Water Safety and Survival Awards

Stage 4

By completing this Award, without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

* Perform a sequence of changing shapes (minimum of three) whilst floating on the surface and demonstrate an understanding of floating

* Push and glide from the wall towards the pool floor

* Kick 10 metres backstroke (one item of equipment optional)

* Kick 10 metres front crawl (one item of equipment optional)

* Kick 10 metres butterfly on the front or on the back

* Kick 10 metres breaststroke on the front (one item of equipment optional)

* Perform a head first sculling action for 5 metres in a flat position on the back

* Travel on back and log roll in one continuous movement onto front

* Travel on front and log roll in one continuous movement onto back

* Push and glide and swim 10 metres, choice of stroke is optional.

Stage 5

By completing this Award, without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

* Give two examples of how to prepare for exercise and understand why it is important

* Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into backstroke

* Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into front crawl

* Swim 10 metres wearing clothes

* Push and glide and swim front crawl to include at least six rhythmical breaths

* Push and glide and swim breaststroke to include at least six rhythmical breaths

* Push and glide and swim butterfly to include at least three rhythmical breaths

* Push and glide and swim backstroke to include at least six regular breaths

* Push and glide and swim 25 metres, choice of stroke is optional (performed to Swim England expected standards)

* Perform a ‘shout and signal’ rescue

* Perform a surface dive

Stage 6

By completing this Award you will be able to:

* Give two examples of how to prepare for exercise and understand why it is important

* Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into backstroke

* Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into front crawl

* Swim 10 metres wearing clothes

* Push and glide and swim front crawl to include at least six rhythmical breaths

* Push and glide and swim breaststroke to include at least six rhythmical breaths

* Push and glide and swim butterfly to include at least three rhythmical breaths

* Push and glide and swim backstroke to include at least six regular breaths

* Push and glide and swim 25 metres, choice of stroke is optional (performed to Swim England expected standards)

* Perform a ‘shout and signal’ rescue

* Perform a surface dive

Stage 7

By completing this Award you will be able to:

* Push and glide and swim 25 metres backstroke (performed to Swim England expected standards)

* Push and glide and swim 25 metres front crawl (performed to Swim England expected standards)

* Push and glide and swim 25 metres breaststroke (performed to Swim England expected standards)

* Push and glide and swim 25 metres butterfly (performed to Swim England expected standards)

* Perform a movement sequence (linking skills with strokes and sculls) of one minute duration, in a group of three or more, incorporating a number of the following skills:Sculling: head first, feet first

* Rotation: forward or backward somersault, log roll

*  Floating: star on the front or on the back, tuck float, create own

* Eggbeater: Moving, lifting one or both arms out of the water

*  Perform a sitting  dive or dive

* Push and glide and swim 50 metres continuously using one stroke (performed   to Swim England expected standards)

* Push and glide and swim 100 metres, using a minimum of three  different strokes (performed to Swim England expected standards)

* Tread water using eggbeater action for 30 second

*  Complete an obstacle course (using minimum of four objects) with feet off the  pool floor throughout.

Stage 8

By completing this Award you will be able to:

* Complete a set lasting 400 metres (e.g. 16 x 25 metres, 8 x 50 metres, 4 x 100 metres) on a specific turnaround time agreed by the teacher or coach (e.g. 1.00 minutes for each 25 metres) with a focus on stroke technique and consistency

* Swim 400 metres continuously using one stroke

* Push and streamline then kick 25 metres backstroke with or without using a board

* Push and streamline then kick 25 metres  breaststroke with or without using a board

*  Push and streamline then kick 25 metres butterfly without using a board

*  Push and streamline then kick 25 metres front crawl with or without using a board

* Perform a backstroke turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out

*  Perform a breaststroke turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out

* Perform a butterfly turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out

* Perform a front crawl turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out

* Perform a dive track or grab start, and kick butterfly underwater in a streamlined position for 5 metres with the focus on progressing it to 10 metres

Stage 9

By completing this Award you will be able to:

* Complete a set lasting 800 metres (either 16 x 50 metres, 8 x 100 metres, 4 x 200 metres) on a specific turnaround time agreed by the teacher or coach with a focus on stroke, technique and consistency

* Swim 800 metres continuously using one stroke

* Swim a continuous 100 metre individual medley (4 x 25 metres) using recognised turns with a focus on stroke technique and consistency

* Perform a 15 metre underwater kick on front from a push and glide in a streamlined position

* Perform a backstroke start then butterfly kick in a streamlined position underwater up to a maximum of 15 metres from the start point (wall). Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.

* Perform a front crawl start then kick in a streamlined position underwater up to a maximum of 15 metres from the start point (wall). Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.

* Perform a butterfly start then kick in a streamlined position up to a maximum of 15 metres from the start point (wall). Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.

* Perform a breaststroke start then perform a one and a half pull underwater. Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.

Stage 10

By completing this Award you will be able to:

*  Complete a set lasting 1600 metres (either 16 x 100 metres, 8 x 200 metres, 4 x 400 metres) on a specific timed turnaround set by the teacher or coach (e.g. 2.30 minutes for 100 metres), focus on stroke technique and consistency

*  Swim 1500 metres continuously using one stroke

*  Perform a continuous 100 metre individual medley kick (4 x 25 metres) without using a kick board

* Swim a continuous 200 metre individual medley (4 x 50 metres) using recognised turns

* Perform a front crawl relay take over – as an incoming swimmer

*  Perform a front crawl relay take over – as an outgoing swimmer.