What swim level is DS?

[Sprogonthetyne]

DS is 9 and he's autistic so proper swim levels didn't go well (sensory environment of pool, been in a group & following instructions are separately manageable, but no at the same time). However because of his poor risk awareness and tendency to fall over, I wanted him to be able to swim just in case, and have been teaching him myself.

Today we did lane swimming (in public swim bit, but during the day when everyone just goes up and down) and he managed 12 length in a 25m pool. He can do breaststroke resonablely well when asked and also did a couple of passable lengths of backstroke, but unless specifically asked to do a length of either stroke he defaults to breaststroke armes with kicking legs. His front crawl isn't great, he can just about manage a length but unless reminded he tends to put his head up to breath insted of turning it to the side, which makes his feet sink.

He can also tread water, float (not massively well), dive in the deep end and get sinkies off the bottom.

Roughly what swim level would this make him?

The definitions vary between swim schools ime.

Thanks for answering even if there is no definite answer. His school have sent out a digital form to concent to school swim lessons next term, but it just has a one line box for current swim level, so can't put in a rambling explanation.

Surely it just means can they swim or not?

Levels are set more by proper strokes than by distance.

If you look here: Learn to Swim Stage 1-7 Awards | Swim England Learn to Swim you can click on the individual stages and find the best fit.

Just write:
Can swim more than 25m and treadwater. Little formal stroke technique.

Gives them the information they need.

If he finds swimming lessons hard it might be worth a conversation with the school to come up with a plan on how to make the lessons more accessible for him.

The Swim.England levels expect perfectly technical front crawl, breaststroke, back strike and butterfly, with breathing techniques. It doesn't natch your description really.

Is there space to write "can swim 25m but not proper technique?"

I've tried, they say because it's on the curriculum, he has to go. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up just sitting on the bus with his 1:1, but the need to actually see it before they'll take it seriously.

If at the start of the length you remind him he needs to do breaststroke/ backstroke, for the full length, with both arms and legs, then he can do it for 25m, it's more without the prompting (ever lenght) that he reverts back to freestyle.

I'm no expert, I've just watched an awful lot of swimming lessons over the past 10 years! I would put that skill level at Stage 4.