Water Skills Awards
Water skills awards -Grade 1 (Grade 1 test may be performed using any buoyancy aid)
This group of skills tests the pupil’s ability:-
- Enter shallow water from the poolside in a safe manner (assistance may be provided)
- Move across the pool with the water surface no lower than shoulder level
- Submerge the face in the water and blow bubbles for 3 seconds
- Push and glide from the poolside or bottom, on the front and change to a resting or standing position
- Push and glide from the poolside or bottom, on the back and change to a resting or standing position
- Travel on the back a minimum distance of 5 metres
- Travel on the front a minimum distance of 5 metres
- Rotate from the back to the front position and gain a resting or standing / position
- Propel a floating object (e.g. a ball) for 3 metres by any method
- Demonstrate a horizontal or vertical stationary floating position for 10 seconds
Water skills awards -Grade 2
This group of skills tests the pupil’s ability:-
- Enter shallow water from a standing or sitting position without the use of steps
- Submerge the head completely and blow out under water for a minimum of 3 seconds
- Hold a tucked floating position for a minimum of 5 seconds
- Swim 1 width on the front using a crawl type propulsive action
- Swim 1 width on the back using a crawl type propulsive action
- Swim 1 width on the front or back using a breaststroke type action
- Swim 1 width full stroke on the front or the back
- Demonstrate a horizontal or vertical floating position for 20 seconds
- Demonstrate a 360 degree turn or roll without making contact with the pool bottom
- Swim 2 widths without pausing using any stroke or strikes
Water skills awards -Grade 3
This group of skills tests the pupil’s ability:-
- Jump into deep water
- Swim 4 widths without a pause using any stroke or strokes
- Submerge in shallow water and retrieve an object from the pool bottom
- Tread water out of standing depth using arms and / or legs for 20 seconds
- Swim 2 widths on the front demonstrating good technique
- Swim 2 widths on the back demonstrating good technique
- Swim a minimum of 10 metres showing 3 changes of direction without touching the side or bottom of the pool
- Scull head first for 5 metres
- Swim through a hoop submerged in water of shoulder depth
- Swim continuously for 1 minute using 2 different strokes
Water skills awards -Grade 4
This group of skills tests the pupil’s ability:-
- Jump into deep water and swim 25 metres without touching the side or the bottom of the pool
- Surface dive in deep water demonstrating good technique
- Perform a forward somersault using a push and glide if necessary
- Swim breaststroke or front crawl for 25 metres showing good technique
- Swim back crawl for 25 metres showing good technique
- Scull head first for 5 metres and return sculling feet first
- Swim minimum of 5 metres using a dolphin action (with a buoyancy aid if necessary)
- Swim 2 widths of any stroke including a “correct” turn
- Enter deep water (at least 1.8 metres deep) and tread water for 20 seconds followed by a 25 metres swim
- Swim 5 metres under water
Water skills awards -Grade 5
This group of skills tests the pupil’s ability:-
- Tread water for 30 seconds followed by a 25 metres swim that includes passing through a submerged hoop
- Perform a backward somersault using a push and glide if necessary
- Perform a surface dive in deep water followed by a 10 metres swim under water
- Swim 50 metres in 90 seconds
- Swim 25 metres using an inverted breaststroke or backstroke
- Perform a racing start and swim 25 metres of front crawl
- Swim one width of front crawl finishing with a forward somersault into the poolside and a push and glide away on the back or front
- Swim one width of butterfly
- Jump into deep water attaining a good height and upright position in flight
- Swim 25 metres propelling a ball and maintaining close control throughout
Water skills awards -Grade 6
This group of skills tests the pupil’s ability:-
- Swim 75 metres within 2 minutes using 3 different strokes
- Perform the following skills consecutively and without pause; head first scull for 5 metres
- somersault; feet first scull for 5 metres and a rotation in a tucked position
- Swim 3 widths of front crawl showing 2 appropriate turns
- Swim 3 widths of back crawl showing 2 backstroke turns
- Swim 3 widths of breaststroke showing 2 breast stroke turns
- Swim 2 widths butterfly
- Perform 2 jumps into deep water gaining height and taking up a different position in flight selected from straight, tuck, pike, turning, somersault
- Propel a ball for a minimum distance of 25 metres, controlling it throughout and demonstrating 2 changes of direction of at least 90 degrees
- Plunge dive into a minimum 1.8 metres and tread water for 1 minute