Swimming is there usually such a difference

[MrsEms]

Well the other local pool that we have had DD on the waiting list for ages for rang a few weeks back and offered us a place so we took the place and looked forward to DD being able to do another activity with the saving against current school. We are part way through the first block at the new school and DD is in a combined ASA 5/6 class and is currently marked as being barely ASA 5. Old school which we are planning not to renew this block starting next week, well I've just looked at her online report and it shows her being halfway through ASA 6.
Is there such variance between swim schools or is it all down to the teacher who is assessing? So for example old school does the teacher think DD is very good but the new school the teacher thinks DD is hardly able to swim? She is the youngest in the new school in a class of 12 whereby most are about 8 so have more stamina than DD and so DD is often the slowest. In the old school the class were much smaller. The typical size was 4 or 5 since DD has been in the ASA 6 class and the teacher seems to also group them age wise so DD is with 6/7 years and then in the other section of the pool is a class of ASA 6 who look slightly older.

We had the same recently, but with a Stage 7/8 class. My DD had finished Stage 7 at a pool that didn't offer stage 8, but at the new pool, she went into a 7/8 combined class and was put straight back to 0%. Five months later, she's finished Stage 7 (again!) and about 70% of Stage 8. I think it's simply a case of the new teachers assessing them again from the beginning. We also felt that our old pool had good reasons for rushing them through - sometimes it's the number of children waiting for that class, and in our case the pool was waiting to abolish Stage 7 in addition to Stages 8-10, so they'd pushed my DD through before her butterfly was really good enough. I wonder if any of these apply to your DD's first pool?

Anyway, I keep telling myself that as long as she's swimming each week, she is progressing and keeping fit. Someone's interpretation of the criteria (or a pool's policy of assessing the previous stage all over again from scratch) doesn't change that.

Not sure if this will be helpful but anyway ..
When I was at primary school I was in set 3 (set 4 being the highest and 1 lowest for primary school level)*
In my swimming lessons my parent took me to I was in set 6* and used to swim in competitions regularly for my local town. I think it was because out of school lessons were more focused on ability regardless of age whereas the school lessons were more like right you can swim/well/not so well. Plus is probably messed around with my mates too much in school.

*forgot the actual grades, set 1-6 just an example

Thanks Wafflenose.

We were just started to wonder if the old school had moved her up too quick so we would pay the 'ridiculous' prices and we just found it a bit strange reading she can barely kick five metres front crawl but according to old school had passed 10m swimming front crawl! But maybe it genuinely is two different teachers at two different pools interpretation of what is required at ASA 5 and 6. DD will be a bit confused when she does pass ASA 5 because she's already got a certificate, but hey ho, maybe another six months in stage 5 will actually make her a stronger swimmer in stage 6.

Welcome to the mysterious world of learning to swim!

Through a combination of circumstances/timetabling DD has had 6 people involved in teaching her how to swim. Yes, they all had similar aims, but very different emphasis. Sometimes badges just appeared, other times it would take a term or 2 for her to pass (in which case they would give her a distance badge or something to make sure everybody had an award).

Ultimately most teachers are working towards getting your children to a stage when they can swim "legal" strokes in competitions if they were to do enough training (which might/might not be what you are after...a great many people are satisfied with DC being able to jump in confidently and swim 50-100m). If a child is going to be clocking up 30 or 40 lengths (sure it is a lot more) in a training session it is jolly helpful if they have learned efficient strokes/technique.

From memory things can get a bit tricky at around stage 5 or 6, so just focus on letting her enjoy the water. Maybe mention to the instructor that DD already has the badge. I am sure she isn't the first like that.

Thanks for replying Madcats.
Sounds like there can be quite a difference between teachers then.
I'm happy for her to stop now and we nearly did a few months ago because DD got 'a bit bored' and I think stage 5/6 is a fairly ok swimmer.
However DD decided one evening after watching swim club whilst waiting for a lift home that she wants to get to swim club stage.
We will see in a few months though if she changes her mind again

Maybe just take her straight to the swim team for a trial if that's what she wants and don't worry too much about the Stage brackets. My DS only did up to stage 3 in swimming lessons then started in a low level club's 'pre-competitive' section. Now he is in a competitive club swimming 4hrs a week (he is 7) with not a Stage certificate in sight.

We weren't interested in multiple swimming sessions a week as it's not my daughter's main sport.

For various reasons my daughters.learnt at different pools.

One is lengths at stage 4 one is at stage 6. one moves up when they can just about so the asa criteria, the other has tons of extra clauses. one gives badges for just travelling, other wants proficiency in all strokes at that distance so although doing a billion lengths a lesson has so far only handed put a 25m badge...

They vary so much!! Both are progressing well and love swimming. No interest in competitive swimming but on improving stroke, playing in the water etc