Derby Phoenix Swimming Club UK - National Plan for Teaching Swimming

Guide Contents:


		What is the National Plan for Teaching Swimming?
		What are the Aims of NPTS?
		Swimming Levels

WHAT IS THE NATIONAL PLAN FOR TEACHING SWIMMING?

The NPTS has been developed by the Amateur Swimming Association to provide a template for learn to swim schemes. It has been designed to assist qualified teachers whose own experience and training will enhance the implementation of the plan.

WHAT ARE THE AIMS OF NPTS?

The NPTS is a comprehensive, integrated, progressive teaching programme based upon sound technical and educational principles and provides a standard reference for those responsible for planning swimming programmes. The NPTS aims to:

Set a national standard for performance - local schemes can equate to local standards. The NPTS aims to provide a degree of consistency throughout the country with regard to what we expect swimmers to do and how we expect them to do it.
Challenge lesson providers to structure the progress of swimmers based on achievement and not organisational convenience - progress through some learn to swim schemes is often based upon low interpretation of awards or criteria along with demands to move through the scheme as quickly as possible. Integral to the NPTS is a clear assessment process with progression through the scheme based on the achievement of clearly identified outcomes. Inevitably, therefore, some children will move through the scheme at a faster rate than others.
Develop a wide range of skills - the content of the NPTS prepares swimmers to participate in a variety of different disciplines and in so doing develops a more rounded and more skilful performer. This will increase the range of opportunities open to the swimmer in terms of future development whilst at the same time provides a sound skill basis for those wishing to progress to the competitive aspect of the sport.
Develop a wide range of skills - the content of the NPTS prepares swimmers to participate in a variety of different disciplines and in so doing develops a more rounded and more skilful performer. This will increase the range of opportunities open to the swimmer in terms of future development whilst at the same time provides a sound skill basis for those wishing to progress to the competitive aspect of the sport.
Emphasise the importance of initial orientation - time devoted to initial orientation, to generating a feeling of being at ease in the water will enhance the development of more complex skills. Great emphasis is given, therefore, to water confidence activities particularly in the first two levels of the plan.
Develop high reliability through repetition, revision and consolidation - if you take the opportunity to look around a busy swimming pool, particularly if lanes have been allocated to allow for people to swim up and down, you could be excused for thinking that, whilst we may be a nation of swimmers, in reality we are a nation of poor swimmers. Incorrect head positions, poor body alignment, ineffective kicking and pulling and the sight of people fighting against the water are all too common place.The NPTS attempts to address this problem through improvements in the quality of learn to swim provision. Implicit in this is the raising of expectations of teachers, parents and swimmers. The NPTS aims to raise these expectations to a new level; to emphasise quality in stroke execution; to establish a situation whereby all children learn how to dive effectively; to have some awareness of other disciplines in which they might participate and to enhance their understanding of the benefits which swimming can add in terms of a healthy lifestyle.
Identify the correct standards of skill performance - for too long there has been ambiguity in respect of what constitutes the correct standard of performance over a range of aquatic skills. This is particularly the case in terms of the swimming strokes where the standard expected becomes very much that of the individual teacher and will, therefore, inevitably vary from teacher to teacher and from scheme to scheme. The NPTS identifies very clearly the standards expected at different levels of performance and will hopefully develop, over time, greater consistency in the application of standards.
Provide assessment against clearly identified outcomes - assessment is a critical aspect of the NPTS as this forms the basis for progression from one level to another. The outcomes are clearly stated and provide a reference point by which progression can be easily measured.
Provide a direct link to the ASA Awards Scheme - the ASA incentive Awards Scheme provides an excellent means of motivating swimmers of all abilities whilst at the same time provides a simple way of measuring progress. The development of the NPTS has provided the opportunity to produce twelve new awards, the criteria for which match the outcome of the various levels of the Plan. The provision of the awards now becomes a logical consequence of the teaching process.

SWIMMING LEVELS

Foundation

Fun and enjoyment are critical at any stage of learn to swim but particularly at this stage. The main emphasis is placed on developing water confidence whilst working with the parent or accompanying adult. The stage takes babies from the initial introduction to the water through to achieving independence. Children who complete this stage may be ready to move straight on to level 2, the beginner stage.

Level 1: Non-Swimmer

This category covers the initial process of introducing those with no previous experience of swimming to the new water environment, developing confidence and being at ease in the water. Achieved to a great extent through informal play, the main outcomes involve moving around quite freely, submerging and opening the eyes, floating, and using the arms and legs to achieve a simple form of traveling through the water.

Level 2: Beginner

In this category, the emphasis moves from initial confidence to building a sound foundation in those aspects of "watermanship" which later on will underpin the performance of sound swimming technique. As well as becoming completely "at home" on and under the water, these include developing control in water breathing and beginning to experiment with the different methods of using the limbs for propulsion.

Level 3: Improver 1

The focus is now on building competence in the basic elements of propulsion, using the main swimming strokes with a continuing emphasis on the importance of good streamlining and breathing control. This is accompanied by the introduction of a range of aquatic skills such as sculling, treading water and swimming underwater.

Level 4: Improver 2

The aim here is essentially to consolidate the aquatic skills along with controlled breathing, so that pupils can swim competently, using correct basic techniques on three of the main strokes over the standard distance of 25 metres and on Butterfly over 10 metres. In addition, turns and essential safe foundation practices for diving are introduced.

Level 5: Advanced 1

Once an acceptable degree of basic competence is achieved in the fundamental skills at Improver 2, it is time to progress to the development of more efficient swimming. This level also consolidates the wider range of associated aquatic disciplines, synchronised swimming, water polo and diving as well as providing for the development of a greater awareness and expertise in personal water safety and survival swimming. From this stage, pupils with the interest and enthusiasm will be ready to move on to participation across the range of swimming and aquatic sports with a solid foundation.

Level 6: Advanced 2

As well as the further development of the main swimming strokes, this category acts as an introduction to the early stages of training in competitive swimming; provides a basis for swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle and continues with some more advanced activities in the other disciplines. The development of both basic aerobic swimming endurance and of swimming speed are integrated within the programme.

Level 7: Pre-competition development

This level leads logically on from Advanced 2 and has been designed specifically to lay the foundation required to prepare young swimmers to take part in the developmental coaching and training programmes run by swimming clubs in preparation for taking part in competitive swimming. The stage focuses on the consolidation of effective technique, the racing skills associated with them and a suitable range of drills and practices. The final stages introduce the more demanding aspects of training development.