ALAC Swim School 

Infant Classes (6 months to 3 years old) 

Available to babies from six months of age, these classes are structured for parents who want their baby to learn to swim and gain water safety skills for life.

Our programs provide education for parent/carers about aquatic environments, how to enter and exit the water safely, and swimming and water safety whilst teaching buoyancy, floatation, body position, rotation and basic swimming skills. 

Ducks 1 | 6 – 12 months 

Begin conditioning of baby for submersion using trigger words and physical cues.

• When displaying readiness, undertake submersion of baby using trigger words.
• Perform assisted front and back floating activities.
• Encourage baby to splash arms and kick legs.
• Learn to roll from side to side; front to back and back to front.

Ducks 2 | 13 – 18 months

• Extend baby’s breath control.
• Encourage independent submersions.
• Initiate independent free float activities
• Continue with assisted back floats.
• With encouragement, move legs up and down.
• Experience pulling arms through the water and reaching for objects.

Ducks 3 | 19-24 months

• Extend baby’s breath control.
• Encourage independent submersions.
• Initiate independent free float activities
• Continue with assisted back floats.
• With encouragement, move legs up and down.
• Experience pulling arms through the water and reaching for objects.

Ducks 4 | 25 – 30 months

• Independent submersions and good breath control.
• With assistance, turn and swim back to pool edge.
• Ability to hold the pool edge, hand walk along the pool edge and climb out independently.
• Front and back floats using floatation aid.
• Assisted and independent swims using arms and legs through the water.

Ducks 5 | 31 - 33 months

• Independent submersions and good breath control.
• With minimal assistance, turn and swim back to pool edge.
• Extend ability to hold the pool edge, hand walk along the pool edge and climb out independently.
• Front and back floats using floatation aid.
• Assisted and independent swims using arms and legs through the water.

Ducks 6 | Term the child turns 3

This is a transition class with parents starting the term in the water and will then be advised by the teacher as to when they can leave the class.

• Jump safely into water, turn and swim back to wall; climb out of pool.
• Good breath control; blow bubbles with face fully submerged.
• Independent submersions and can kick and paddle independently.
• Using a floating aid, rotate body from front to back.
• Retrieve objects from bottom of the pool.
• Refined propulsive movements.
• Vertical body position and independent swim.

Pre School Classes (3 to 5 years old) 

Classes designed to give children basic independent submersion, floating and gliding skills. The next step is to refine these basic swimming skills and extend to the correct body position, breathing practices, kicking techniques and freestyle arms. 

Seahorse | 1A  

• Safe Entry and Exit
• Confident submersion – blowing bubbles
• Assisted front float – 5 seconds
• Assisted back float – 5 seconds
• Assisted front glide
• Assisted back glide
• Flutter kick with aid
• Assisted jump

Starfish | 1B

• Independent front float – 7 to 10 seconds
• Independent back float – 7 to 10 seconds
• Independent front glide
• Independent back glide
• 3m flutter kick with aid – face in, blowing bubbles
• Recover object 
• Independent jump

Angelfish | 2A

• 3m front glide
• 3m back glide
• 5m front torpedo (glide with kicking)
• 5m back torpedo (glide with kicking)
• 3m freestyle (no breathing) – arms clearing the water
• Assisted kneeling dive
• Assisted sculling
• Jump, float, recover and return to wall – leisure pool

Goldfish | 2B

• 6m front torpedo (glide with kicking)
• 6m back torpedo (glide with kicking)
• 5m freestyle – straight arms clearing the water
• Independent kneeling dive
• Independent sculling
• Assisted recover object in 25m pool - shallow end
• Jump, float, recover and return to wall – 25m pool deep water

Skippy | 3A

• 7m to 8m front torpedo (glide with kicking)
• 7m to 8m back torpedo (glide with kicking)
• 10m single arm freestyle with breathing
• 10m flutter kick with board – 25m pool
• Assisted standing dive 
• Recover object in 25m pool independently – shallow end

Swordfish | 3B

• 10m freestyle – completed in the 25m pool
• 5m survival backstroke kick with aid
• Intro into backstroke
• Independent standing dive
• Independent treading water
• Somersault
• Recover object from 25m pool – deep water
• Throw rescue

School Age Classes 

Stage 1 

• Safely enter and exit the water
• Exhale in water, face submerged
• Open eyes under water to identify object
• Submerge (waist deep minimum)
• Glide forwards and recover (floatation aid acceptable)
• Float or glide backwards and recover (floatation aid acceptable)
• WSS - Confident entry into and exit from the water. Float for 10-15 seconds with a floatation aid./

Stage 2

• Glide forwards, kick 3m (correct head & body position) 
• Glide backwards, kick and recover 
• Freestyle 5m (correct head & body position, straight arms) 
• Scull / Tread water (basic hand and leg action) 
• WSS - Glide forward and recover to a standing position. Float for 30 seconds, with a floatation aid. Be pulled to safety.

Stage 3A - Skippy 

• 7m to 8m front torpedo (glide with kicking)
• 7m to 8m back torpedo (glide with kicking)
• 10m single arm freestyle with breathing
• 10m flutter kick with board – 25m pool
• Assisted standing dive 
• Recover object in 25m pool independently – shallow end

Stage 3B

• Freestyle 10m with breathing 
• Glide backwards and kick 5m (waist deep water) 
• Breaststroke leg action 5m (on back with board) 
• Demonstrate survival sculling (on back correct head & body position) 
• Demonstrate forward roll (basic) 
• WSS - Glide and swim 10m, recover to upright position. Support body in an upright position and signal distress.

Stage 4

• Freestyle 15m (regular breathing correct head & body position) 
• Backstroke 10m (correct head & body position) 
• Survival Backstroke 10m (arm recovery below water) 
• Breaststroke 5m (basic, correct head & body position) 
• Scull Head first on back (without leg action) 
• Recover an object (chest deep water) 
• Swim in deep water 
• WSS - Swim and survival scull for 60 seconds. Grasp an object and be pulled to safety.

Stage 5

• Freestyle 25m (correct head & body position and technique) 
• Backstroke 15m (correct head & body position and technique) 
• Survival Backstroke 15m (symmetrical leg action) 
• Breaststroke 15m (symmetrical leg & arm action) 
• Demonstrate a surface dive (shoulder deep and recover an object) 
• WSS - Step in entry. Scull for 60 seconds using a combination of survival sculling and horizontal sculling, keeping the face above water. Graspo a floatation aid thrown for support and swim for 60 seconds. Be pulled to safety by a partner. 

Stage 6

• Freestyle 50m (correct technique) 
• Backstroke 25m (correct technique) 
• Survival Backstroke 25m (correct technique) 
• Breaststroke 25m (correct technique) 
• Demonstrate a dive entry (shoulder deep minimum required) 
• WSS - Dive entry into deep water. Rotation of the tucked body keeping the face above water. Swim slowly for 3 minutes using two recognised survival strokes. Grasp aid thrown for support and kick to safety.

Stage 7

• Scull feet first on back (sculling hand action) 
• Demonstrate eggbeater kick (alternating leg action) 
• Swim150m (correct technique Backstroke 25m, Breaststroke 50m, 
• Freestyle 50m, survival backstroke 25m) 
• WSS - Enter water using a compact jump. Swim slowly for four minutes using two recognised survival strokes.

Stage 8

• Sidestroke 25m (scissor leg action required) 
• Demonstrate Dolphin Kick (basic) 
• Swim 200m (correct technique, Backstroke 50m, Freestyle 50m, 
• Breaststroke 50m, Sidestroke 25m, survival backstroke 25m) 
• WSS - Dressed in swimwear, shorts and t-shirt demonstrate - 2 minutes survival sculling, floating or treading water then; 3 minutes swimming slowly using three recognised survival strokes keeping the arms below the surface, changing each minute.

Stage 9

• Butterfly 10m 
• Demonstrate tumble turn (basic) 
• Swim 300m (correct technique) - Freestyle 50m, Backstroke 50m, Freestyle 50m, Survival Backstroke 50m, Breaststroke 50m, Sidestroke 50m
• Basic principles of resuscitation 
• Non-contact rescues. Defensive position and reverse. Delivery of floatation aid in deep water

Stage 10

• Shallow water entries and exits
• Rotate about eh vertical & horizontal axis, Eggbeater kick with arms for support
• Surface dive recover object in 1.2m water, Swim underwater 4m
• Swim: Freestyle 100m, Breaststroke 50m, Backstroke 50m, Survival Backstroke 50m, Survival Sidestroke 50m, Butterfly 15m
• Continuous Swim 100m (2 strokes)
• Survival swim 100m wearing short length clothes (50m freestyle, 50m survival). Float 2 min with aid. Safely use lifejacket (fit out of water, enter and float for 1min)
• Reach rescue person 1m from safety, Initiative in assessment and rescue
• Hazards and personal safety, risks and personal influences, responding to emergencies.

Stage 11

• Deep water entries and exits
• Forward and backward somersault
• Surface dive and recover object in 1.5m water, Swim underwater 5m
• Swim: Freestyle 100m, Breaststroke 100m, Backstroke 50m, Survival Backstroke 50m, Survival Sidestroke 50m, Butterfly 15m
• Continuous Swim 100m (2 strokes)

Stage 12

• Safe dive entry
• Eggbeater kick without arms
• Surface dive and rescue 2 objects in 1.5m water. Swim underwater 5m
• Swim: Freestyle 150m, Breaststroke 100m, Backstroke 100m, Survival Backstroke 50m, Survival Sidestroke 50m, Butterfly 25m.
• Continuous Swim 200m (4 Strokes)
• Survival swim 100m wearing long length clothes (50m freestyle, 50m survival). Float 3 min with aid. Safely use lifejacket (fit in water, float for 2 min, swim 50m). Float 3min with aid. Safely use lifejacket (fit in water, float for 2 min, swim 50m).
• Throw & Wade rescue person 10m from safety. Initiative in assessment and rescue.
• Hazards and Personal Safety. Risks and personal influences. Responding to emergencies.

Stage 13

• Defensive position
• Surface dive and recover 2 objects in 1.8m water. Swim underwater 8m.
• Swim: Freestyle 150m, Breaststroke 100m, Backstroke 100m, Survival Backstroke 50m, Sidestroke 50m, Butterfly 25m
• Continuous Swim 200m (4 strokes)
• Survival Swim 100m wearing long length clothes (50m freestyle, 50m survival). Float 3min without aid. Safely use lifejacket (fit in water, float for 2min, swim 50m).
• Wade & Swim Rescue person 15m from safety. Initiative in assessment and rescue.
• Hazards and Personal Safety. Risks and personal influences. Responding to emergencies.

Stage 14

• Defensive blocking and reverse
• Individual search in deep water
• Swim: Freestyle 200m, Breaststroke 100m, Backstroke 100m, Survival Backstroke 50m, Sidestroke 50m, Butterfly 25m.
• Continuous Swim 300m (4 strokes)
• Survival swim 100m wearing long length clothes and shoes (50m freestyle, 50m survival stroke). Float 4min with aid. Safely use lifejacket (fit in water, float for 2min, swim 50m).
• Non-contact Tow Rescue person 15m from safety in deep water. Initiative in assessment rescue and aftercare.
• Hazards and Personal Safety. Risks and personal influences. Responding to emergencies.

Stage 15

• Escape techniques
• Team search in deep water
• Swim: Freestyle 200m, Breaststroke 100m, Backstroke 100m, Survival Backstroke 100m, Sidestroke 100m, Butterfly 25m.
• Continuous Swim 300m (4 strokes)
• Survival Swim 100m wearing long length  clothes and shoes (50m freestyle, 50m survival). Float 4min without aid. Safely use lifejacket (fit in water, group huddle for 2 min, swim 50m).
• Contact tow rescue person 25m from safety in deep water. Initiative in assessment rescue and after care.
• Hazards and Personal Safety. Risks and personal influences. Responding to emergencies.

Squads   

Squads has 4 levels and will be graded by the time of their freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke. This reduces the congestion in the lanes and decreases the chance on collision injuries to students.

Students will be assessed each term and will be advised if they need to move up a level.

Endurance Squads - For students who have passed stage 6. This is the first level of squads and doesn’t require a minimum time to be in this level. Students will be moved to Squads 1 when their freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke for 50 metres meet the minimum requirements.

• Squads 1 – The first level of timed squads. Students will need to swim 50 metres of freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke in the required time.
• Squads 2 – The second level of timed squads. Students will be told by their teacher when they are ready for this level.
• Squads 3 – The final level of squads offered by the Swim School.

Adult Lessons 

There are 3 levels available, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. All lessons are 30 minutes long with day and night classes available. There is a maximum of 6 adults to the class.

• Beginner – For any adult who has no or limited experience in the water.
• Intermediate – For adults that have a basic understanding of freestyle, backstroke or breaststroke.
• Advanced – Is for any adult who knows their strokes and is looking for stroke correction and to build up their stamina.

Private lessons

The Swim School offer private one on one lessons. These lessons must be booked for the full duration of the term and each lesson runs for 30 minutes. To enquire about private lessons please contact the Swim School on alacswimschool@albany.wa.gov.au