Training Blog · Our In-House Curriculum
Kids Learn-to-Swim Progress Framework
Seven progress levels, from a toddler's first time in the water to confident, independent multi-stroke swimming — this is the framework our coaches use to track exactly where a child stands, lesson to lesson. It works alongside the national SwimSafer programme rather than replacing it, giving you a clearer week-to-week picture of progress between the bigger SwimSafer milestones.
The Same Coach, Tracking Every Level
Because the same coach works with your child every week, this framework becomes a genuine running record — not a form filled out once and forgotten, but a live picture of exactly which level your child is working through.
Free Assessment Available
Not sure which level your child is currently at? Book a free-to-discuss assessment slot and we'll place them on the framework accurately before lessons begin. Assessment fees may apply depending on the package.
The Overview
What This Framework Is
The Progress Framework is a free set of guidelines we use to assess where a child genuinely stands in the water — not a replacement for the national SwimSafer programme, but a companion to it. Where SwimSafer measures big, formally certified milestones, this framework gives coaches and parents a finer-grained view of progress between those milestones, level by level, lesson by lesson.
It runs across seven levels, labelled N through L6 — N for Nursery, the very first level for toddlers and complete beginners, through to L6, independent multi-stroke swimming with real technique and endurance. Each level builds on the one before it, the same way SwimSafer's stages do, but with checkpoints spaced closer together so a child's progress never feels invisible between assessments.
The full booklet — the same one our coaches use in lessons — is available as a free download below. Use it to understand where your child currently sits, what's coming next, and roughly what to expect as they move through it.
The Why
Why We Use This Framework
A few reasons a finer-grained progress framework genuinely helps, alongside SwimSafer.
Progress You Can Actually See
SwimSafer stages can take months to complete. This framework's closer-spaced levels mean there's always a visible next step, so progress feels real week to week, not just at the end of a long stretch.
Starts Younger Than SwimSafer
SwimSafer's Stage 1 generally suits children from around age 5–6. This framework's early levels — starting at N — cover toddlers and very young beginners who aren't quite there yet, so nobody's left without a clear starting point.
A Shared Language Between Coach and Parent
When your coach says "we're solidly into L3 now," you know exactly what that means — a shared, consistent way of talking about progress instead of a vague sense of "getting better."
Feeds Directly Into SwimSafer
The skills built through the later levels of this framework map naturally onto SwimSafer's early stages, so a child moving from L6 into formal SwimSafer lessons isn't starting from zero.
The Journey
The 7 Levels: N Through L6
A general overview of what each level represents. Your coach will assess exactly where your child sits within this progression.
Nursery
The starting point for toddlers and complete beginners — building comfort in the water, getting used to the coach's support, and taking the very first steps toward independent movement.
Level 1
Early water confidence — floating with support, blowing bubbles, and getting comfortable with the face in the water without assistance from a parent or coach's arms.
Level 2
First independent movement — unassisted floats, basic kicking, and short unaided glides that start to look like the beginnings of a stroke.
Level 3
Basic stroke introduction — coordinating arms and legs together for the first time, with growing distance covered unaided.
Level 4
Stroke development — refining freestyle and backstroke technique, with breathing coordination becoming more natural and less effortful.
Level 5
Stroke refinement — cleaner technique across multiple strokes, with longer continuous distances and genuine stamina starting to build.
Level 6
Independent, multi-stroke swimming — a confident swimmer with real technique and endurance, well positioned to move into formal SwimSafer stage preparation.
This is a general overview — the full downloadable booklet includes the detailed checkpoints your coach actually assesses against at each level.
Get the Full Booklet
Download the Progress Framework
The same document our coaches use in lessons, free to download.
This is a general overview — the full downloadable booklet includes the detailed checkpoints your coach actually assesses against at each level.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
From Our Training Blog
Want More?
More free resources to support your child's progress.