Swimming and Water Safety in Schools
School Swimming Assessment videos
The Swim England School Swimming Assessment videos are designed for school swimming teachers and school swimming lesson providers.
They will help you have a better understanding of the three national curriculum requirements for school swimming and water safety, and what strokes, water safety and self-rescue skills should look like when your pupils perform them to an acceptable standard.
The videos will also help you identify when your pupils progress beyond the national curriculum minimum requirements, supplying you with lesson activity ideas that will continue to grow their confidence and skills in the water.
There are a total of 43 videos in the collection, which will support you in delivering an engaging, yet challenging and educational school swimming programme for all your pupils.
The videos are available to all members of our School Swimming and Water Safety Charter and can be used in conjunction with our School Swimming Awards.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are 43 videos in total, separated into the following categories:
National curriculum requirements
Three videos explaining what each of the national curriculum requirements mean.
First assessment lesson
One video explaining how the first lesson in your school swimming programme should look – where pupils’ basic skills and confidence in the water are assessed so they can be grouped according to their ability.
Strokes – All pupils
Three videos showing pupils performing each of the strokes – breaststroke, backstroke and front crawl – to the minimum acceptable standard for the national curriculum.
This is what all pupils in your class should work towards.
Strokes – Most pupils
Three videos showing pupils performing a progression from the minimum standard in breaststroke, backstroke and front crawl.
This is what most of your pupils are likely to be able to perform, and should be encouraged to work towards if they meet the minimum requirement quickly.
Strokes – Some pupils
Three videos showing pupils performing further progressions in breaststroke, backstroke and front crawl.
These are recommended for some pupils who are excelling in your school swimming programme and need something additional to help them stay engaged and continue to grow their capabilities in the water.
Water safety and self-rescue
11 videos showing pupils correctly performing essential water safety and safe self-rescue skills outlined in the national curriculum and School Swimming and Water Safety Charter.
Additional lesson activities
15 videos featuring additional lesson activities, which help pupils to learn, improve and link together their core aquatic skills such as floatation, buoyancy and coordination. This category also features different entry and exit methods for pupils to try.
Cross-curricular links
Four videos showing teacher-led activities that provide links with other subjects in the curriculum such as science, maths and English.
The videos are available to all members of our School Swimming and Water Safety Charter. Not yet a member? Sign up here.
The complete set of 43 films are available to schools who have signed up to the Charter and can be viewed online from the schools resources hub.
Some of the films are also available to providers who have signed up to the Charter and can be viewed online in the providers resources hub. You will find the videos under Video Resources.
The videos are available to all members of our School Swimming and Water Safety Charter, and will soon be available to those who have purchased the Swim England Expected Standards videos through Vimeo.
See ‘where can I access the videos?’ for more information.
Anyone with access to the videos has the option to view online and/or download. However, we do not recommend you download the videos, as they are regularly updated. The videos are best viewed online where they remain current.
Yes. Schools who pay for the School Swimming and Water Safety Charter have access to all 43 films, which are available to download from the schools resource hub.
Ask the person in charge on administering payments for your school’s Charter membership – they will have been issued with private link to the hub where you will be able to view the videos.
Pool operators/school swimming providers that are signed up to the School Swimming and Water Safety Charter have access to view some of the videos from the collection.
Speak to the person in charge of signing up your centre for charter membership – they will have been issued with private link to the hub where you will be able to view the videos.