Dolphin lessons
4 years +
Our Dolphin lessons are delivered with a fun and educational approach for children aged 4 years +.
Each Dolphin class is kept very small with only 4 children per lesson, one of our qualified swimming instructors will also join the children in the pool allowing for any additional support and reassurance they may need along the way.
Here at Under the Sea, our Dolphin programme is based along the Swim England Learn to Swim framework which develops:
- Water confidence
- Water Skills
- Stroke technique
We cover stages 1 to 5 at Under the Sea with each level strategically planned over a 12-week course. By the end of all five stages, each child will be confident in swimming unaided, with a basic technique of:
- Backstroke
- Breaststroke
- Front Crawl
As well as all the associated skills such as:
- Under water swimming
- Floating
- Sculling
- Treading water
- Water safety
Throughout the five levels, all our swimmers are continually assessed and when the required standard is achieved, the award will be given and then the swimmers will move to the next level.
Dolphin 1
By completing this award you should be able to:
- Enter the water safely / exit the water safely
- Give 3 x swimming pool rules
- Hold your breath for 5 seconds with face submerged
- Swim with face submerged
- Swim on your front for 10m
- Swim on your back for 10m
- Kicking legs on front for 10m (correct technique)
- Kicking legs on back for 10m (correct technique)
- Breaststroke legs on back for 10m (correct technique)
- Breaststroke legs on front for 10m (correct technique)
- Push and glide on back
- Star float on back for 5 seconds
- Pencil float on back for 5 seconds
- Mushroom float on back for 5 seconds
- Rotational tuck: front to back
- Rotational tuck: back to front
- Rotational roll: front to back
- Rotational roll: back to front
*Floatation aids may be used to pass this stage.
**16 out of the 18 outcomes must be achieved to pass this stage.
Dolphin 2
By completing this award you should be able to:
- Jump into the pool safely
- Give 3 x water safety examples
- Hold breath and fully submerge for 5 seconds
- Retrieve an object off pool floor (shallow end and with help if necessary)
- Swim with float on front (face submerged and correct breathing)
- Swim on front for 15m (no floatation aids)
- Swim on back for 15m (no floatation aids)
- Breaststroke for 10m (full stroke)
- Back crawl for 10m (full stroke)
- Push and glide on front (face submerged)
- Star float on front for 5 seconds (face submerged)
- Pencil float on front for 5 seconds (face submerged)
- Mushroom float on front for 5 seconds (face submerged)
- Rotational tuck: front to back (no floatation aids)
- Rotational tuck: back to front (no floatation aids)
- Rotational roll: front to back (no floatation aids)
- Rotational roll: back to front (no floatation aids)
- Climb out without using the steps
*Floatation aids may be used to pass this stage.
**16 out of the 18 outcomes must be achieved to pass this stage.
Dolphin 3
By completing this award you should be able to:
- Give 3 examples of the dangers of water
- Swim on front for 25m (any method)
- Swim on back for 25m (any method)
- Breaststroke for 15m (full stroke and with floatation aids if necessary)
- Back crawl for 15m (full stroke)
- Back crawl legs for 15m
- Front crawl legs for 15m (face submerged and correct breathing)
- Retrieve an object off the pool floor (in the deep end and with help if necessary)
- Swim underwater for 5m
- Tread water for 10 seconds
- Head first scull for 10m
- Star float on front for 5 seconds (face submerged)
- Star float on back for 5 seconds
- Pencil float on front for 5 seconds (face submerged)
- Pencil float on back for 5 seconds
- Mushroom float on front for 5 seconds (face submerged)
- Mushroom float on back for 5 seconds
- Jump into the pool safely at the deep end
*Floatation aids may not be used to pass this stage unless otherwise stated.
**16 out of the 18 outcomes must be achieved to pass this stage.
Dolphin 4
By completing this award you should be able to:
- Learn the RNLI Water Safety Code
- Swim on front for 50m (any method)
- Swim on back for 50m (any method)
- Breaststroke for 25m
- Back crawl for 25m
- Back crawl legs for 25m
- Front crawl for 25m
- Front crawl legs for 25m
- Tread water for 30 seconds
- Feet first scull for 10m
- Swim through a submerged hoop (minimum 5m)
- Jump into deep water and swim through a submerged hoop
- Star jump
- Pencil jump
- Tuck jump
*Floatation aids may not be used to pass this stage unless otherwise stated.
**13 out of the 15 outcomes must be achieved to pass this stage.
Dolphin 5
Swimming Section
- Swim on front for 100m (any method)
- Swim on back for 100m (any method)
- Breaststroke for 50m
- Back crawl for 50m
- Front crawl for 50m
- Tread water for 1 minute
- Scull and floating sequence
- Surface dive (from treading water start)
Water Safety Section
(The following criteria must be achieved wearing clothing).
- Demonstrate how to get help
- Perform a ‘Shout and Signal’ rescue
- Tread water for 30 seconds
- Swim (any method) for 25m
- Float on back for 1 minute
- Jump into deep water, return to side, climb out (no steps)
- Answer three questions related to Water Safety
Floatation aids may not be used to pass this stage unless otherwise stated.
13 out of the 15 outcomes must be achieved to pass this stage.
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