Swimsafer 2.0

Swimmerse teaches our students according to the the SwimSafer™ 2.0 syllabus.

The swimsafer 2.0 programme is nationally recognized program that aims to teach swimming proficiency and water survival skills to children while minimizing drowning incidences.

There are six stages in the program. The six-stage programme includes survival and activity skills taught each stage of the programme, and work progressively towards the next stage.

Upon completion of each stages, each child will receive a stage completion online certificate.

Swimmerse students will get a hard copy printed certification to recognize their hard work.

swimsafer 2.0 stages

Stage 1

Introduction to Water Skills

Stage 2

Fundamental Water Skills

Stage 3

Personal & Stroke Development Skills

Stage 4 (Bronze)

Personal Survival & Stroke Improvement Skills

Stage 5 (Silver)

Intermediate Personal Survival & Stroke Refinement Skills

Stage 6 (Gold)

Advance Personal Survival & Swimming Skill Proficiency

Swimsafer 2.0 Stages Summary

Stage 1 : Introduction to Water Skills

The objective is develop confidence and independence in the water, learn general and deep-end water safety. Techniques taught include the forward and backward movement, safe entry and exit and personal water safety.

Stage 2: Fundamental Water Skills

General skill development including unassisted step entry into water, sculling, feet first surface dives, personal water safety skills as well as water safety in aquatic environments. One of the goals is to achieve 25 metres of continuous swimming.

Stage 3 : Personal & Stroke Development Skills

Entry skills such as the stride jump will be taught. Skills include sculling, underwater skills and putting on a personal flotation device (PFD) whilst in water and swimming with it. One of the goals is to achieve 50 metres of continuous swimming.

Stage 4 (Bronze): Personal Survival & Stroke Improvement Skills

Development of student’s stroke techniques is a focus here, along with coordinated breathing in deep water. This stage sees the introduction of throw rescues and more personal survival skills. One of the goals is to achieve 100 metres of a variety of strokes.

Stage 5 (Silver): Intermediate Personal Survival & Stroke Refinement Skills

Fundamentals of diving will be introduced. Development of personal survival knowledge will continue with a situational context of swimming quickly away from a sinking boat. Students will be required to demonstrate efficient stroke techniques by swimming a variety of strokes over 200 metres within a given time frame.

Stage 6 (Gold): Advance Personal Survival & Swimming Skill Proficiency

Students will be required to perform a variety of strokes with efficiency over 400 metres within a given time frame for each stroke.

Personal survival skills like making use of clothing to make a personal floatation device and swimming with them, putting on a life jacket in water and demonstrating the Heat Escape Lessening Posture (H.E.L.P) technique will be taught.

Swimsafer 2.0 - Stage 1

The objective is develop confidence and independence in the water, learn general and deep-end water safety. Techniques taught include the forward and backward movement, safe entry and exit and personal water safety.

Entries & Exits	Slide-in entry Exit using ladder and from the pool edge
Sculling & Body Orientation	Front float (mushroom or jellyfish), 5 seconds, recover to a standing position Back float, 5 seconds, recover to a standing position
Underwater Skills	Submerge in waist-deep (student’s) water, open eyes and blow bubbles
Movement/Swimming/Strokes	Movement on front 10m (alternating arms & legs and/or simultaneous arms and legs) Movement on back 5m (alternating arms & legs and/or simultaneous arms and legs)
Survival & Activity skills	Signal distress and call for help Grasp a floatation aid and float with it for 10 seconds Then move (with the float) to the pool’s edge and Exit safely from water Dressed in swimwear, shorts and t-shirt demonstrate: Correctly fit a PFD, jump into the water, float for 30 seconds and then climb out of deep-water
Rescue Skills	nil
Knowledge	Rules of behaviour in, on or near the water Water safety knowledge at a swimming pool Water safety rules in various aquatic environments Principles of personal safety and survival Principles of watercraft safety Recognising an Emergency Principles when performing a rescue

Swimsafer 2.0 - Stage 2

General skill development including unassisted step entry into water, sculling, feet first surface dives, personal water safety skills as well as water safety in aquatic environments. One of the goals is to achieve 25 meters of continuous swimming.

Entries & Exits	Perform a step-in entry
Sculling & Body Orientation	Front float (mushroom or jellyfish), 10 seconds, recover to a standing position Back float, 10 seconds, recover to a standing position Swim 5m on front, rollover and continue swimming 5m on back Scull, float or tread for 30 seconds (incorporated in Survival & Activity Skills)
Underwater Skills	Search for and recover an object in chest deep (student’s) water Demonstrate a feet-first surface dive in chest deep water
Movement/Swimming/Strokes	Movement on front 25m – front crawl or breaststroke Movement on back 15m – backstroke or survival backstroke
Survival & Activity skills	Scull, float or tread water for 30 seconds Dressed in swimwear, shorts and t-shirt demonstrate: 1. Swim 15m using any survival stroke 2. Swim to pool edge and climb out Then, Put on an appropriately sized PFD and jump into the water (at least 1.4m deep), swim 25m with PFD, then climb out of the water
Rescue Skills	nil
Knowledge	Rules of behaviour in, on or near the water Water safety knowledge at a swimming pool Water safety rules in various aquatic environments Principles of personal safety and survival Principles of watercraft safety Recognising an Emergency Principles when performing a rescue

Swimsafer 2.0 - Stage 3

Entry skills such as the stride jump will be taught. Skills include sculling, underwater skills and putting on a personal flotation device (PFD) whilst in water and swimming with it. One of the goals is to achieve 50 metres of continuous swimming.

Entries & Exits	Perform a stride/straddle entry
Sculling & Body Orientation	Scull head first on the back, 5m Scull, float or tread water for 1 minute (incorporated in survival & Activity Skills)
Underwater Skills	In chest-deep water swim through hoops on pool bottom 2 metres apart.
Movement/Swimming/Strokes	Swim 50 metres continuously 25m using either Front-Crawl (with side breathing) or Breaststroke 25m using either Backstroke or Survival Backstroke
Survival & Activity skills	Scull, float or tread water for 1 minute Dressed in swimwear, shorts and t-shirt demonstrate: 1. Swim 25m to a PFD 2. Correctly fit a PFD in water, swim 50m with PFD, then climb out of the water
Rescue Skills	nil
Knowledge	Rules of behaviour in, on or near the water Water safety knowledge at a swimming pool Water safety rules in various aquatic environments Principles of personal safety and survival Principles of watercraft safety Recognising an Emergency Principles when performing a rescue

Swimsafer 2.0 - Stage 4 (Bronze)

Development of student’s stroke techniques is a focus here, along with coordinated breathing in deep water. This stage sees the introduction of throw rescues and more personal survival skills. One of the goals is to achieve 100 meters of a variety of strokes.

Entries & Exits	Enter water using a compact jump
Sculling & Body Orientation	Demonstrate a forward somersault in the water. Scull, float or tread water for 2 minutes (incorporated in Survival & Activity Skills)
Underwater Skills	In at least 1.4m deep water, perform feet-first surface dive, swim through hoops on pool bottom for 2m
Movement/Swimming/Strokes	Swim 115 metres continuously 25 metres Front Crawl 25 metres Breaststroke 25 metres Backstroke 25 metres Survival Backstroke 15 metres Sidestroke
Survival & Activity skills	Scull, float or tread water for 2 minutes Dressed in swimwear, shorts and t-shirt demonstrate: 1. 3 minutes swimming slowly using survival backstroke, sidestroke and breaststroke, changing each minute 2. Wave and call for help intermittently 3. Swim to a flotation aid and kick to pool’s edge, then climb out of water
Rescue Skills	Throw a floatation aid to a partner 2m away and instruct the partner to kick to the edge
Knowledge	Rules of behaviour in, on or near the water Water safety knowledge at a swimming pool Water safety rules in various aquatic environments Principles of personal safety and survival Principles of watercraft safety Recognising an Emergency Principles when performing a rescue

Swimsafer 2.0 - Stage 5 (Silver)

Fundamentals of diving will be introduced. Development of personal survival knowledge will continue with a situational context of swimming quickly away from a sinking boat. Students will be required to demonstrate efficient stroke techniques by swimming a variety of strokes over 200 metres within a given time frame.

Entries & Exits	Demonstrate a dive entry (crouching)
Sculling & Body Orientation	Demonstrate a backward somersault in the water Scull, float or tread whilst putting on a PFD in water (incorporated in Survival & Activity Skills)
Underwater Skills	In at least 1.4m deep water, perform feet-first surface dive, swim through hoops on pool bottom for 3m
Movement/Swimming/Strokes	Swim 50m Front Crawl (1:30 minutes) 50m Breaststroke (1:50 minutes) 50m Backstroke (1:40 minutes) 50m Survival Backstroke 25m Sidestroke Dolphin Kick 10m on front
Survival & Activity skills	Dressed in swimwear, long pants and t-shirt demonstrate the following sequence: 1. Enter deep water using a straddle jump 2. Perform a backward somersault 3. Submerge feet first surface dive, 4. Swim underwater for 3m through hoops and resurface 5. Swim 45m quickly using front crawl 6. Wave and call for help 7. Retrieve a PFD in water and fit it while treading water 8. Demonstrate HEat Escape Lessening Posture (H.E.L.P.) technique 9. Then swim 25m with PFD and climb out of the water
Rescue Skills	Throw a flotation aid to a partner 3m away and instruct the partner to kick to the edge
Knowledge	Rules of behaviour in, on or near the water Water safety knowledge at a swimming pool Water safety rules in various aquatic environments Principles of personal safety and survival Principles of watercraft safety Recognising an Emergency Principles when performing a rescue

Swimsafer 2.0 - Stage 6 (Gold)

Students will be required to perform a variety of strokes with efficiency over 400 metres within a given time frame for each stroke.

Personal survival skills like making use of clothing to make a personal flotation device and swimming with them, putting on a life jacket in water and demonstrating the Heat Escape Lessening Posture (H.E.L.P) technique will be taught.

Entries & Exits	Demonstrate a standing dive
Sculling & Body Orientation	Scull, float or tread for 5 minutes (incorporated in Survival & Activity Skills)
Underwater Skills	In 1.8m deep water, perform head-first surface dive (tuck or pike) and perform ear equalisation, if necessary and swim through hoops on pool bottom for 5m
Movement/Swimming/Strokes	Swim 100m Front Crawl (3:00 minutes) 100m Breaststroke (4:00 minutes) 100m Backstroke (3:20 minutes) 50m Survival Backstroke 50m Sidestroke 15m Butterfly
Survival & Activity skills	Dressed in swimwear, long pants, t-shirt, perform the following sequence: 1. Enter deep water using a compact jump 2. Perform a head-first surface dive to a depth of 1.8m (and perform ear equalisation, if necessary) 3. Swim 5m underwater through hoops and resurface 4. Swim 45m quickly using front crawl 5. Then, swim slowly for a further 50m using any preferred survival swim stroke 6. Remove pants in deep water and make a float with it while treading water for 5 minutes 7. Demonstrate HEat Escape Lessening Posture (H.E.L.P.) technique with the self-made float for 1 minute 8. Then swim 25m with the self-made float and climb out of the water
Rescue Skills	Using a suitable buoyant aid, tow (non- contact) rescue of a person 10 metres from safety.
Knowledge	Rules of behaviour in, on or near the water Water safety knowledge at a swimming pool Water safety rules in various aquatic environments Principles of personal safety and survival Principles of watercraft safety Recognising an Emergency Principles when performing a rescue

More on Swimsafer 2.0

Important Information to the requirements, criteria and water safety knowledge can be found at the articles below.

swimmerse swimsafer 2.0