When can we stop swimming?!!

[redkite27]

My ds who is 9, has now completed stage 8 of swimming lessons and just about to start stage 9. Picture shows the new list of competencies he has to complete for stage 9. I have added it so you can see what he is able to do.

My question is when does it stop?! The swimming pool tells me the whole lot of lessons finish at stage 10, but when have other stopped going to lessons every week? What he is going to be doing now sounds quite advanced.

I don't mind him carrying on and I want him to be a strong swimmer, capable of using all pools and flumes and swim in the sea (safely of course) and really enjoy water as he grows up but just not sure how long he should carry on to achieve this?

When did others stop the lessons?

Is he enjoying himself? Does he want to do the lessons Would he prefer racing, or a watersport, or something completely different instead?

He's already safe in water.

So now it's up to you/him.

Swimming is obviously absolutely fantastic - the best? - exercise so a good choice to carry on for life.

My dd is 16 and swims club, I swim club, and my dd14 stopped when she could swim 400m as she hates it.

I don't think you should stop no. We swam in the sea and were so confident. It has really stood me in good stead.

Although as a swim teacher who teaches in two different locations for two different companies, I can tell you that stage 8 in one is about stage 4 in the other! The Swimengland pathway is open to interpretation.

He doesn't mind doing it, he isn't particularly keen to carry on though!

Stage 8 is 400m so the list you've attached isn't what he can do, it's what he's about to start doing.

Just my view, but our grandkids have recently started lessons,believe this level thing is fairly universal here, I’d be happy for them to stop when they feel competent and safe in their ability to swim , do they need to be able to do all the different strokes, especially ones like butterfly, can’t actually say I’ve ever seen your average swimmer doing anything but front crawl, breaststroke and backstroke at our baths

Thank you this is really helpful. He does a lot of sport and swimming isn't top of his list sadly. I have made him carry on to get as good as he can, so may leave it up to him.

I stopped with both when they could swim lengths comfortably, probably about 8 years old. Also they wanted to try other sports.

If he doesn't enjoy swimming then stop now.
The venue DD learnt in did basic swimming Level 1-7, and then 8-10. Level 8-10 of swim England are an intro to other water sports so comp swimming (which is what your DS is doing), synchro, water polo, diving and rookie lifeguards.

Yes it is the stage he is moving in to. The stage 8 list disappeared from the site, but I have managed to find it and what he can now do is attached here 👍🏽

It might be worth trying him at a club first. Club is a lot more fun with racing etc and friends, it's totally different to the stages which are a kind of chore really. Maybe he'll enjoy that better. If he's sporty, swimming is essentially exercise for all other sports as it works your lungs. Every swimmer I know, is up there at the top with cross country runners despite only running once a year!

That's what I thought this stage 9/10 sounds more like competitive swimming and not sure that we need that given that he isn't massively keen.

That is so helpful thank you. I will suggest it and such a good point regarding the advantages of being a swimmer. He is super sporty

Along with Club, which can be a shock to the system - DDs trial was an hour non-stop swimming and she could barely talk afterwards although soon got used to it. I'd look at other watersports in the area - pool scuba, polo, underwater , hockey, junior surf lifeguards, kayak / canoe / sailing clubs probably having indoor sessions now.

Rookies life guarding is definitely worth it rather than the Level 8-10 comp if he isn't into that

We stopped before that level. She had stopped enjoying lessons and wasn't really making any progress so there didn't seem to be much point in continuing. I would like her to be able to swim further than she can at the moment (and me and her dad both love the water, snorkelling, diving, etc) but it seemed like it would be counterproductive to keep going. Hopefully she will pick it back up in future when the time is right for her.

I sent my daughters to swimming lessons and when daughter was crying going up the stairs ( stress aches ) she had joined the swim team after all stages. I had phoned up and said she won't be back she can swim

How long has he been doing it out of interest? My DD’s have been going for about 6 months and on stage 2. Also wondering how long to keep them in (obviously higher than stage 2.)

Yes, I think life guarding could be better for him and useful as well!

@Imjustlikeyou2 Stage 1-3 is mostly water confidence and floating, stage 4 proper intro to technique, they'll be a competent swimmer by stage 5/6, most finish at stage 7.
The Swim England stages are available online.

The lower stages get very little actual swim time in a group sessions. I didn't put DD in lessons until she was 7 and could doggy paddle a couple of lengths, jump in the deepend, swim underwater etc, she went straight in at stage 4 moved up after 3 months and then got stuck on 5 for a while but that was because they werent assessing the skill she needed. She did Level 8-10 synchro and diving alongside stages 5 and 6 swimming and then did rookies and comp swimming alongside each other. S she did normal lesson on a Saturday and 2x intro sport lessons midweek (present from my parents) before moving to a team at 9. The going regularly makes a difference and at our pool if you have lessons you get free pool access so would go several times a week in the holidays too.

As an aside we went from practically living at the pool to never going, she hasn't actually been in a pool since she was 12 and gave up comp swimming /COVID. But swims regularly in the sea / paddle boards instead

He started (excluding the madness of baby swimming 😂) when he was in reception, so been doing it now for 5 years.

@Singleandproud so is stage 7 the usual point to stop the lessons?

After stage 4 it's for fun/sport so keep doing it as long as you're enjoying it.

My 9 year old is on stage 10. I can't see any improvement in technique from earlier versions but we've come this far so might as well finish it off.

As far I can see she can hit all the targets but getting this stage signed off is slow going, I'm not sure if we're just a cash cow for them at this point

This was my concern today when the pool told me that they have to finish stage 10 to be competent and safe! Do they just want to £40 a month to carry on 😂