To let DS stop swim lessons?

[user1478188491]

DD age 8 has just completed Stage 4 (swim England) swim lessons and it’s been a struggle for a while to keep him motivated to go every week.
He can swim confidently and strongly and swim 25m backstroke and front crawl with good breathing technique.
If anyone is familiar with the system of the swim England they go up in Stages in percentages, it took a looooong time to get from 80-100% on stage 4 and he was getting disheartened each week realising he hasn’t moved up any percent.

Would it be irresponsible to let him finish now?
Or would it be ok to stop?

I am battling with the mental ‘It’s a life skill non negotiable’ view that comes with swim lessons however he can swim and unless they want to be in Galas or competitions is this enough?

WWYD?

The trouble us they don't do endurance swims in the everlasting Swim England stages... its easy to say they should swim 100m or whatever but they don't do it!

I remember getting things like the 1000m badge at Primary school.

I’d stop the lessons and just take him swimming at other times so that he can get plenty of practice and build up his stamina.

I’d quit the lesson and go swimming with him instead. Has he siblings he can play with in the pool? If not can you arrange to go with friends. I used to go swimming with my kids and play games with them. As well as tiring them out it got them to be very comfortable in the water. I got them to do the occasional lesson when they were older to make sure there strokes were ok

Swimming lessons are often too boring for kids but I agree learning to swim is essential.

THIS

I work in the industry and the ‘swimming lessons are a scam’ posts make me mad.
Yes, I agree some teachers and organisations are in it for a fast buck. So make your feelings known! Ask to speak to the Lesson Co-ordinator or Manager, or if it’s I-2-1 the teacher. Write down your concerns.
If your child isn’t progressing or is progressing slowly, do you take them swimming yourself?
Music teachers expect pupils to practice between lessons, and I bet all of you with a child learning a musical instrument encourage them to practice between lessons.
Well, big news, swimming is a complex motor skill as well that involves learning to manoeuvre in a strange environment and co-ordinate your breathing. Learning this skill during a 30 min class with several other children can be hard going.
Practice is essential. It also helps to make swimming fun.
Can’t swim? Neither could my Dad. He took me but never went out of his depth. I have loads of happy memories of swimming thanks to Dad.

The OP disappeared after the first post leaving everyone else to fight it out regarding whether 25m is enough.
It isn’t. Regardless of your form.
I worked in a pool that wouldn’t let anyone up in the deep end unless they could swim 50m.

If you don’t like Swim England’s Framework look around and see if there are any STA pools in your area.

Look for 1-2-1 just long enough to get your DS to see that swimming can be fun. I used to have business cards with someone diving and swimming with interesting looking fish on the front of them and ‘Learn to swim….. open up a whole new world’.
Swimming can really be far more fun than ploughing across a pool with a float and someone shouting ‘kick kick kick…’
OP if you are still here talk to the swim school, what is it your son dislikes about lessons. Talk more to your son.

Water safety and lifesaving are imperative too but he needs good swim skills first not just 25m

We live near the sea. There is a storm just now. I could swim 2 miles by the time I was seven. I still swim regularly and used to swim regularly in open water events. However, I have enough respect for water to stay well away from it today.

Not enough people have the common sense to do that I sometimes think sadly. Bring back the spirit of dark and lonely water.

We are in Wales but they will be similar.
We had a break for a bit after stage 4, but about 6 months later added back onto the waiting list for stage 5.

Started when they could reopen after covid. Actually got through the higher levels a bit quicker than the lower ones.
Our pool offers sessions in the school holidays where they have a lesson every day. Some times when we did that, no one else turned up so they had 1-2-1. Either way it was a great way to maje progress.