Did your kids do Alpha stages at swimming lessons?

[december2020]

DS (age 3.5) started swimming lessons around mid April. He can't swim without flotation devices but is water confident, not afraid of swimming and splashing and happy to jump into the pool. He's had about 6-7 lessons so far.

He's just been awarded an Alpha 1 certificate which I hadn't heard of, so I checked it out on the website. My understanding is that it's relevant for shy/timid kids who need more support to build their confidence.

But it doesn't seem to fit his description at all.

Does it mean he needs to complete these before he can even start the pre-school duckling stages?

I will of course ask the swim school to help me understand but does anyone have any experience of this? Or has gone through something similar to help me understand it better.

To note, I have no problem with him being at this stage, I just don't really understand it myself and the description on the website doesn't seem to describe him.

Hopeful bump

Maybe he hasn't reached Duckings 1 standard yet but they wanted to give him a certificate. 6 lessons is not many.

I teach my SEN class swimming and the Alpha Steps certificates are great for the ones that need some bridging into a Stage. He doesn't have to complete all the Alpha Steps to move to Duckings.

Thank you so much, it makes sense!
I had never heard of the Alpha stages before.
It makes total sense, not sure if he's doing them to bridge into a Ducklings stage, so I will ask, thank you!

Just to update, at the beginning of December last year he was awarded his Learn to Swim Stage 1 certificate, in case anyone else is in a similar position and wondering.

I think the Alpha was just to keep him engaged and motivated for receiving an award.

(edited to correct Key Stage to Learn to Swim)