Competitive swimming - age and stage query

[Helenjohanna]

I’ve tried searching, but I think it might take some time to find my specific topic! Please do link me if my query has been covered, though.

My son is six and has nearly finished Stage 6 at our local swimming pool, which uses the Learn to Swim framework. I’ve checked the website, and after Stage 7, it becomes advanced skills, broken down into three more stages, before the child learns lifeguarding.

I think my son would be up for competitive swimming. He seems rather young, though, and I wouldn’t say he’s a fast swimmer. But how does it work? Would he be automatically eligible for competitive swimming after Stage 7? Would the swimming teacher direct me towards next steps, or do parents have to ask? I’m planning to contact the person in charge once he’s in Stage 7, but I’m curious as to other parents’ experiences with this. Where we go, we literally drop off and collect; there is no time for discussion with the teachers.

He seems a little young to swim competitively, but I wouldn’t want him to stop progressing just because of his age. I had thought that there were more swimming stages after Stage 7 - I only realised tonight that he was nearly at the end, hence I’m suddenly quite curious about how it works.

One other advantage is that if they are a good swimmer they can do a lifeguard course at 16 and it's a great way to earn money and get work experience. And if you want to do Camp America you get more pocket money as a lifeguard.

My son only started swimming at 5 so at your son's age OP he was only about stage 1/2! But he worked his way through the stages and has continued way beyond most children, through bronze/silver/gold, various personal survival courses and teenfit swimming. He now swims once a week for fun and is a qualified lifeguard (he's 16). So you can just keep it as a hobby and still get a lot out of it - see how things go.

Just be aware a swim school stage 7 standard will be lower than a swim clubs!

He's no need to keep swim school stages and swim club training up. The swim club will do technique work as part of their training.

And don't worry about doing both. It's only a need to pick one or another if you are getting to county/ regional level and really a necessity for national level.
But remember county+ level is top 15-25 in each stroke and distance from county, region and then whole of England (after top 24 in Britain qualify for British summer champs).

There is so much they learn in the way of life skills through regular training that id always encourage it

All these replies are helpful. Thank you, everyone.