Swimming

[Beansprout30]

My DS has been having swimming lessons weekly for almost four years and during the summer we spent a week abroad where he was super confident in the pool, swimming under water, jumping in etc
he has now started swimming with the school and has been put in the class where the other children have never been inthe pool at all. The instructor is saying he’s not good enough to be in the next levels and I’m saying he is.
his swimming club say he’s at level 2 working towards 3. I’m confused now as he’s been going so long, and proved he could swim while on holiday, why the school instructor treating him as a total beginner?

How old is your DC? Does he pay attention in class? The only thing I can say is that confidence in the water and technique are very different things. Maybe the instructor thinks his strokes need work? Happened to me. I was a good swimmer, Had swimming lessons etc. We were put into swimming groups at school and I swam my lengths as quickly as possible to "show off". I got kept back because of my technique. After a couple of weeks got moved up to be with all my friends again 😊. I suppose it depends on how your DC performed during the lesson?

The instructor may not have seen enough evidence yet to put him in at a different level. My guess is that they have to err on the side of caution. Water confidence is great but it’s not skill or technique, so I guess it’s about how the levels work and what’s expected at each stage?

What harm would it do to allow him to join this level for now? Once the instructor sees he’s capable, he can progress surely?

Level 2 is only 1 level above beginner so it sounds like there isn’t a huge gulf between the swim school and the school lessons. It’s unusual though that after 4 years of lessons he’s only in stage 2- I’d expect more like stage 4/5 after that long, unless you’re counting something like water babies that aren’t proper swimming lessons. As you say he can swim the distance so I’m guessing maybe it’s a technique thing? If he can’t do a proper backstroke and front crawl that will be what’s holding him back.

When schools go to our local pool, the lower ability group are in the shallow pool and the higher ability group are in the deep pool, where they can't reach the bottom. To be in the higher group, the staff need to be really confident that the kids won't panic or get into difficulty, as they can't just stand up.

Level 2 (if it's swim England stage) isn't that high, it only means he can swim 5m, which wouldn't be anywhere near enough to swim a length, or get back to the side of the deep pool. I think you should be questioning why he is only on stage 2 after 4 years, not why he isn't in the advanced group at stage 2.

Thank you all, you are right, this has got me wondering now why he hasn’t progressed very quickly. I felt he was further ahead than they say, after seeing him in the pool on holiday. It’s just a blow to his confidence as he can’t under why he’s in the bottom group with the children who have never been the pool. Plus he says because the pool is so shallow he struggles To try and swim becuase it’s not deep enough

I would speak to the instructor to get some understanding. They probably will have a valid reason but you should put the points across that you have on here. Instructors have no benefit of holding kids back though.