National Curriculum Awards
The ASA National Curriculum Water Skills and Water Safety awards are popular with schools and pupils alike. Swimming is compulsory as part of the National Curriculum and is delivered at Key Stage 2 (ages 7-11).
The ASA National Curriculum Training Programme (CPD) was developed to run alongside the National Plan for Teaching Swimming to give deliverers of school swimming a better understanding of school swimming outcomes and consistency in delivery. By the end of National Curriculum Key Stage 2, pupils should be able to swim unaided, competently and safely for at least 25 metres using effective swimming strokes on their front and back.
An Ofsted report highlighted the Kellogg’s ASA Awards Scheme as a best practice model for school swimming. The 2007 report, which assessed the Key Stage 2 standards in swimming and reviewed quality of teaching, recognised the benefits of the ASA’s formal accreditation scheme. It also noted that the Kellogg’s ASA Awards Scheme is a key motivational tool for children, with many pupils reporting increased self-esteem when they progressed and achieved awards.
Ofsted also acknowledged that the Kellogg’s ASA Awards Scheme is an excellent way for teachers to assess a pupil’s ability and provided attainable targets for children.
National Curriculum – Water Safety Award
The purpose of this award is to assess the knowledge and skills relating to water safety. This is outlined in Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum which states ‘Pupils should be taught the principles and skills of water safety and survival.’
National Curriculum - Water Skills Award
It is stated that by the end of Key Stage 2, pupils should be taught to carry out a series of challenges which include:
- Swimming unaided over a distance of at least 25 metres
- Using recognised arm and leg actions lying both on their front and back
- Using a range of recognised strokes and personal survival skills
- Pacing themselves in floating and swimming challenges related to speed, distance and personal survival.
Teachers please note: Achievement of this award does not make swimmers safe in deep water. Pupils should now be urged to improve their swimming and water skills as outlined in other ASA Awards and to develop an awareness of water safety through the ASA’s National Curriculum Water Safety Award.
National Curriculum Resource Pack
This comprehensive guide to swimming and water safety in the National Curriculum was written by the ASA, RLSS and the English Schools Swimming Association. It includes invaluable, fully illustrated teaching points and practices, health and safety matters and pupils work sheets encompassing an entire programme of study.
This pack is intended as a practical resource to be used as the basis for group discussion and could also be used on poolside as a teaching aid. It is aimed at teachers who have limited knowledge of the teaching of swimming and water safety and is not intended to be detailed or theoretical. If children are involved in a purposeful, varied, challenging programme presented in an interesting and fun way, then there is every possibility that rapid progress will be made.
National Curriculum Teacher Information Pack
This pack contains essential information for the planning and preparation of a Water Safety programme. It also includes reference to support materials, discussion outlines and listings of potential hazards and quiz sheets for classroom use.
| 
