The Swim England Pre-school Foundation Framework

GoggleSquad is proud to be a Swim England Swim School and use the Swim England Pre-school Foundation Framework to keep track of babies’ and toddlers’ progress.

What is the Swim England Pre-school Framework?

The Swim England Pre-school Framework is designed to introduce babies and toddlers to the joy of swimming in a safe and supportive environment. It is is tailored for the youngest learners, serving as an important precursor to the structured Swim England Framework Stages 1-7. Recognising the importance of early water familiarisation and development of essential water skills, the programme places a strong emphasis on building confidence, comfort, and a positive relationship with the aquatic environment.

Through interactive and engaging activities, it aims to instill a foundation of water safety awareness and basic aquatic movements, laying the groundwork for future swimming proficiency. This introductory framework employs play-based learning, incorporating songs, games, and gentle exercises to create an enjoyable and nurturing atmosphere for the youngest participants.

Parents and guardians are actively involved in the learning process, fostering a sense of security and bonding during these early aquatic experiences. Under the guidance of instructors, babies and toddlers gradually get used to the water, gaining fundamental skills that serve as building blocks for their swimming journey.

The key focus areas of the Pre-School Framework are:

  1. Giving children confidence from the word go.

  2. Teaching the core skills needed to learn the four strokes through fun and games.

The Pre-school Framework is about helping to support younger, less independent swimmers, pre-school children and babies. It also caters for toddlers, helping to keep them motivated if they are struggling with building water confidence. One of the ways to help keep them motivated is a range of bright awards with fun and friendly characters to reward them as they progress.

Discovery Duckling Awards

The Discovery Duckling Awards are the start of the learn to swim experience for all children. These awards are for babies and toddlers and pre-school children who are new to swimming lessons. Ideal for gaining water confidence while staying close to adult support, these awards are followed by the Duckling Awards. The Discovery Duckling Awards 1-4 each have their own certificate and badge.

Discovery Duckling 1

By the end of this stage, your child should be able to:

  1. Enter the water safely and comfortably, with full adult support.

  2. Bob up and down in the water, in an upright position, with full adult support.

  3. Float on the back and return to an upright position, with full adult support.

  4. Be at ease with water being poured on the back of the head.

  5. Move smoothly through the water, in an upright position, with full adult support.

  6. Exit the water safely with full adult support.

Discovery Duckling 2

By the end of this stage, your child should be able to:

  1. Enter the water safely and comfortably, with full adult support.

  2. Float on the back, with full adult support.

  3. Splash hands in the water.

  4. Complete a 360 degree turn, with full adult support. (The adult should hold the child close to them at first and then at arm’s length, the child should be facing away from the adult).

  5. Move through the water in a streamlined position on the back, with full adult support.

  6. Be at ease with the face being washed or splashed.

  7. Move smoothly through the water, in an upright position, with full adult support.

  8. Travel on the front or back, with full adult support.

  9. Make progress towards holding the side of the pool, with full adult support.

  10. Exit the water safely, with full adult support.

Discovery Duckling 3

By the end of this stage, your child should be able to:

  1. Enter the water safely, with full adult support. Swimmers should be encouraged to sit on the side and wait for adult instruction.

  2. Float on the back, with full adult support behind the head, shoulders and hips.

  3. Reach and grab toys on the water surface.

  4. Rotate 180 degrees either using a log roll or an upright position, with full adult support.

  5. Move through the water in a streamlined position on the front, with full adult support.

  6. Be at ease with water being showered over the face.

  7. Travel on the back using floatation equipment, with full adult support.

  8. Hold the rail or side of pool and move towards the step or ladders using floatation equipment, with full adult support.

  9. Exit the water safely with adult supervision.

Discovery Duckling 4

By the end of this stage, your child should be able to:

  1. Enter the water safely from a seated or standing position and return to the wall or pool side, with full adult support.

  2. Float on the front using floatation equipment, with full adult support.

  3. Reach and grab toys on top of and under the surface of the water.

  4. Rotate 180 degrees either using a log roll or an upright position, using floatation equipment and with minimal adult support.

  5. Push away from the wall in a streamlined position, with full adult support.

  6. Be at ease wetting or splashing the face and putting the chin in the water.

  7. Travel on the front using floatation equipment, with full adult support.

  8. Hold the rail or side of pool and move towards the steps or ladders using floatation equipment, with full adult support.

  9. Exit the water safely with adult supervision.

Duckling awards

Building upon the foundation of the Discovery Duckling Awards, the Duckling Awards offer the next exciting phase in your child's swimming journey.

Tailored to make the process of learning to swim a joyful experience for toddlers, these awards are specifically crafted to involve parents or guardians in the aquatic adventure.

Within the realm of Duckling Awards, your child can strive for four vibrant accolades, each accompanied by its own distinctive certificate and badge.

Starting with Duckling 1, youngsters take their initial steps into independent movement in the water. Progressing through the levels, by Duckling 4, they'll master the art of jumping in, submerging, floating, and covering an impressive 10 meters unassisted.

Beyond the aquatic skills acquired, Duckling Awards play a pivotal role in nurturing heightened independence and water confidence, laying a solid foundation for the upcoming challenges of Stage 1 in the Learn to Swim Framework. Dive into the journey where each splash is a step towards greater aquatic prowess!

Duckling 1

By completing this Award you should be able to:

  1. Make a supervised safe entry with adult support if required.

  2. Float on back with adult support behind the head without floatation equipment.

  3. Blow bubbles at the water surface.

  4. Wet the head without submersion.

  5. Kick 5 metres on back with adult support.

  6. Travel without adult support for 2 metres to a floating object.

  7. Enter the pool, rotate and return to the side with adult support.

  8. Exit the water safely with minimal adult support.

Duckling 2

By completing this Award you should be able to:

  1. Make a sitting entry with adult support if required.

  2. Rotate 180 degrees either using a log roll or an upright position, using floatation equipment and without adult support.

  3. Submerge the face with confidence and without force under adult supervision.

  4. Blow an object for a distance of 2 metres.

  5. Travel 3 metres using arms and/or legs without adult support.

  6. Move 5 metres along the rail or wall without adult support.

  7. Enter the pool, rotate and return to the side with minimal adult support.

  8. Exit the water safely with minimal adult support.

Duckling 3

By completing this Award you should be able to:

  1. Make a supervised jump to an adult with or without support.

  2. Float on the front or back without adult support.

  3. Push off on the front or back in a streamlined shape from a supporting adult.

  4. Blow bubbles with the mouth and nose underwater.

  5. Travel 5 metres on the front to the side of the pool without adult support.

  6. Kick 5 metres on the front holding a float (the adult may hold the other end of the float).

  7. Enter the pool, rotate and return to the side without adult support.

  8. Climb out of the water with adult support if required.

Duckling 4

By completing this Award you should be able to:

  1. Jump into the water unaided, but supervised.

  2. Perform a mushroom or star float.

  3. Rotate 360 degrees either using a log roll or an upright position.

  4. Push and glide achieving a streamlined position on the front or back.

  5. Submerge completely.

  6. Travel 10 metres on the front or back, without adult support.

  7. Jump into the water, turn around, swim back to the point of entry and hold on to the side or rail.

  8. Climb out of the water with adult support if required.