We teach and assess the children's swimming technique up to week 11 ready for the awards on week 12.  This will allow us to place them in the correct ability class for the following term. These assessments also determine which Seals award the children are tested on during the award session. The testing for the awards will be completed by the last lesson of term.

The awards include elements of water skills and all of the award citeria must be passed to gain the award. Therefore the swimming assessment may differ from the award given. If a child cannot complete certain parts of the award they will tested on a special award. No child will go home from an award session empty handed. For example; If a child is assessed as a Level 5 swimmer but is unable to complete a handstand they may receive a Seals 4 award (if all criteria passed and they do not already have this) or a Special award.

Please find a list of the awards and their criteria below;

Seals Pup 1 - NNS - 2 bouyancy aids may be used

Special Awards

• Enter the pool safely, with help
• Turn a full circle in the water

Award

• Blow bubbles in the water
• Splash legs on your front
• Float on your front
• Wet your head
• Kick 3 metres on your front

Seals Pup 2 - NNS - 2 bouyancy aids may be used

Special Awards

• Sit and enter the pool unaided
• Scoop the water and wet your face

Award

• Blow bubbles with your mouth under water
• Lie with your ears under the water
• Float on your back and sit up
• Splash legs on your back
• Kick 3 metres on your back

Seals Pup 3 - NNS/NS - 1 bouyancy aid may be used

Special Awards

• Jump into the pool to an adult
• Hold your breathe for 5 seconds

• Hum through your nose on the water
• Float on your back for 5 seconds
• Push off the wall on your front to an adult
• Kick 3 metres on your back
• Swim 3 metres on your front using arms and legs

Seals Pup 4 - NS - 1 bouyancy aid may be used

Special Awards

• Jump into the pool and swim to an adult (1 float/woggle)
• Blow bubbles rythmically and breathe three times

Award

• Blow bubbles with your face in the water
• Turn a full circle in the water
• Push off the wall to an adult on your back
• Kick 6 metres on your back
• Swim 6 metres on your front

Seals Pup 5 - L1 - no bouyancy aids

Special Awards

• Jump into the pool and swim to an adult
• Submerge completely

• Climb out of the pool unaided
• Star float for 5 seconds on your front
• Star float for 5 seconds on your back
• Kick legs 3 metres on the back
• Swim 3 metres on your front

Seals Level 1 Swimmer

Special Awards

• Turn a full circle in the water
• Mushroom float for 5 seconds

Award

• Push and Glide on your back
• Push and Glide on your front
• Swim 1 metre under water
• Kick 3 metres on your back, arms still and straight
• Kick 3 metres on your front with arms extended

Seals Level 2 Swimmer

Special Awards

• Jump into the pool,turn around and swim back to the side
• Answer 3 pool/safety questions

Award

• Demonstrate controlled breathing
• Jump in and swim 3 metres
• Push and Glide on your front for 2 metres
• Kick 6 metres on your back with good technique
• Swim 3 metres front crawl

Seals Level 3 Swimmer

Special Awards

• Jump in and collect an object, swim back to the side
• Jump in then swim back to the side with no goggles

Award

• Push and Glide on your back for 2 metres
• Submerge completely for 5 seconds
• Swim 6 metres Back crawl
• Swim 6 metres Front crawl
• Star float on your back for 10 secs

Seals Level 4 Swimmer

Special Awards

• Pick up an object from the bottom of the pool 0.9m-1.2m
• Rotate from front to back while doing a star float

• Mushroom float for 10 seconds
• Tread water for 10 seconds
• Swim 10 metres rotating from Front crawl to Back crawl
• Swim 10m using 1 arm Front crawl breathing with a float
• Swim 15 metres backcrawl with continuous, alternate arms

Seals Level 5 Swimmer

Special Awards

• Push and gilde for 5 second on the front and back
• Swim underwater 3 metres through a hoop

• Handstand on the bottom of the pool
• Swim 15 metres of Back crawl with controlled arms
• Swim 10 metres of Front crawl with breathing
• Swim 10 metres on your back using Breast stroke legs with the feet turned out
• Swim 10m front crawl and 10m back crawl continuously

Seals Level 6 

 Special Awards

• Complete a forward roll
• Tread Water for 30 seconds

Award

• Kick 10 metres Front crawl leg kick with arms extended
• Swim 15 metres front crawl breathing
• Swim 15 metres breast stroke legs on your front with float and breathing
• Swim 25 metres back crawl
• Swim 10m Dolphin kick

• Kick 10m Back crawl legs with the arms extended
• Swim 25 metres front crawl breathing
• Swim 25 metres breaststroke
• Swim 20 metres dolphin kick
• Swim 10 metres basic butterfly
• Scull 10 metres head first and return feet first