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Education

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Original poster

What level swimming classes do you think you DC should get to before you let them give up?

57 replies

MilkRunningOutAgain · 01/08/2015 17:48

My DD is not that keen on swimming at the moment, but I do want her to be confident before she gives it up, it being a life skill. There aren't many pools locally so we are stuck with one I don't really like where the teachers seem extremely strict and which has horrible facilities, doors falling off changing rooms, showers don't work etc. , at the moment it isn't really working for her. She goes every week without much complaint but doesn't really make much effort and seems to take a long time to progress to the next level, she just doesn't seem to be noticed much. I think the main reason she doesn't moan is that we always visit the play park next to the pool, and she loves that. The alternative is 45minutes drive away, though it is much nicer, with warm clean changing rooms etc. no idea whether the teachers are more encouraging. But this would take up most of Saturday mornings, so isn't something I'm keen to do.

Anyway, I'm hoping the end is in sight as she can now swim a length reliably, thanks to her school, which has a small pool, getting some lovely swimming teachers in over the summer term and giving all pupils 2 lessons a week. DD is now level 4 and can swim quite confidently, she has not learnt proper breathing techniques and is just starting on the different strokes. What level did your DCs get to before you thought they were good, confident swimmers?

OP posts:

EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 01/08/2015 17:56

My DC got to life-saving before they were allowed to give up. (DD is now a swimming teacher herself). I can't swim, so was determined they would be able to, by hook or by crook!

Your local pool sounds horrible, though. If your DD were to take school lessons, what pool would be used?

EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 01/08/2015 17:57

Sorry - just re-read your post and see that your DD is already having school lessons. If you are pleased with them, just let her continue, but how many weeks each term do they take place?

EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 01/08/2015 17:59

I wasn't happy with one swim teacher DS had and complained about her (apparently, lots of parents did, I found out afterwards). Would that be an option for you?

museumum · 01/08/2015 18:02

50metres (two lengths or one of it's an Olympic pool). That's the required distance for a lot of water sports like kayaking or sailing.

YeOldeTrout · 01/08/2015 18:07

I think my standards are unusually high and possibly unnecessarily high. I like them to continue in lessons most of the time until 10yo or stage 7 on our local scheme.

Most people seem to stop around the time they feel okay to turn their back on their child while in pool.

areyoubeingserviced · 01/08/2015 18:10

When they complete all stages at the leisure centre?

MrsPnut · 01/08/2015 18:16

DD2 has just moved from staged lessons to a swim squad and I will expect her to continue until she is about 12 or 13 because it's good exercise and a great skill to have.

Have you looked at whether the swimming pool do 1 to 1 lessons? DD did those for most of her time there and it really helped her to power through the stages. She could also do other things that she enjoyed as well like tumble turns and standing dives because there was no-one else to consider.

starlight2007 · 01/08/2015 18:16

I said at least 50 meters..My Ds can swim 400m but is still going.

My DS was in lessons..The changing rooms are a bit of a none issue to most kids, however the none progress is the bit that would bother me..My DS used to have lessons at our local pool a few minutes walk but he was making very little progess. I eventually swapped him to lessons that were in private pools with less students and teachers in the pool..It takes 1.5 hours for lessons, driving and I pay more however I fell I am paying to learn to swim now and he has come on in leaps and bounds.

Could you swap to another teacher ? it sometimes is the teacher

TeenAndTween · 01/08/2015 18:24

I think 50m (out of depth) for basic water safety.

We were advised stage 7 to get good enough with all strokes that they won't degrade once you give up.

nearly 11yo DD2 is working towards stage 6. She is completely confident & competent, but her crawl and backstroke degrade if she hasn't swum for a while. She can attempt butterfly, but can't do good style yet. We are going to keep her going at least another year until end of primary, it is good for her fitness and her general coordination (which is poor).

bruffin · 01/08/2015 18:29

Mine went until they passed their bronze medallion , then did their nplq when they were old enough. Ds has had work ss a lifeguard since he was 16

atticusclaw · 01/08/2015 18:32

Definitely further than stage 4, that's not very far through the scheme at all

youarekiddingme · 01/08/2015 18:35

I also told DS he had to teach stage 7 as that's where they are confident in all strokes, breathing and turning as well as entry into and out of water, treading water and able to swim a good few hundred meters reliably. we live on the coast though so that swayed my decision somewhat!

He used to get really fed up for a period then started enjoying it again in stage 6. He's now stage 8 and about to go into stage 9.

Well actually he's not because he's been talent spotted by swimming coach and is joining a club. It's amazing how they change their mind

DebbieFiderer · 01/08/2015 18:38

I would agree to at least the end of stage 7. DD1 has finished stage 7 and stopped lessons, but is now swimming with the local club instead. She can swim well enough for me to be confident to leave her on her own in the pool (although I won't until she is 8 as that is he rule at our local pool). She definitely still needs to be doing some regular swimming though as her technique isn't great and if she stopped now she wouldn't necessarily be a competent swimmer as an adult.

youarekiddingme · 01/08/2015 18:57

How old is your DD?

Flossieflower01 · 01/08/2015 19:03

Swim all the strokes confidently, do at least a mile distance without stopping and some lifesaving- so all the stages and then some. 50 m is nothing and won't help them if they fall into a river etc.

Hulababy · 01/08/2015 19:04

Dd stopped when she was on stage 6. She had done her 400m badge and was due to finish her stage 6. The swimming pool then closed due to asbestos issues and when it reopened they no longer did lessons. She didn't go to do other lessons.

Her normal lessons would have only gone up to stage 6 anyway. Anything above that was another session completely and was working more towards different strokes and mastering them rather than anything more.

Hulababy · 01/08/2015 19:06

There will also be many many children when the whole idea of swimming lessons just aren't going to happen. They're not cheap especially when you get to the higher levels which usually require more commitment than once a week term time only lessons.

Sparklingbrook · 01/08/2015 19:33

Level 10 they did til here.

After that they had to wear hats and flippers and literally swim up and down length after length like endurance or something. Ds1 hated it, so we called it a day.

sanfairyanne · 01/08/2015 19:47

ideally level 10 but i did let one finish at level 7. hopefully he will be able to take lessons again as a teen/adult to improve his stroke

sanfairyanne · 01/08/2015 19:48

and he had done his mile

voddiekeepsmesane · 01/08/2015 19:50

As a life skill I do not think that learning different strokes, being able to 'swim' 2 lengths of an Olympic pool is necessary. Being confidant in the water and being able to stay afloat for an extended period of time is all that is required IMO. The rest is just money down the drain. We took DS out of lessons as soon as he reached these milestones and now swim for fun...because that is what swimming is about on the whole ...FUN. And they wonder why less people are taking up swimming now (recently on the news) maybe because children are pushed to the point where it no longer is fun to swim?!

voddiekeepsmesane · 01/08/2015 19:51

*confident

Georgethesecond · 01/08/2015 19:53

We made ours get their bronze and 800m

Wildernessrock · 01/08/2015 19:54

Mine will stay until level 10 but i think if they complete level 7 they will be pretty good swimmers so end of level 7 would be my minimum.

DarylDixonsDarlin · 01/08/2015 19:54

Reading this with interest, as DS is keen to pack it in and I said he had to finish stage 5 at least, but he may as well keep going while I still take DD there every week anyway. He reluctantly agreed and he's also doing a couple of the summer holiday pop up lessons for the personal survival etc.

It doesn't help that in our case, he'd done a term and a half of stage 5 when they changed the way they assessed swimming pupils, and they sort of wiped the slate clean of all the ticks the children had previously had on the checklist and started all over again. (yes I have complained, what a joke eh!)

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