The ASA/ISRM Pool Swimming Standard Award

About the Award

The Award is designed to complement and support ISRM’s advice on risk assessment for child admissions during unprogrammed swimming sessions. It relates specifically to those situations when children are able to swim. By formally assessing a child’s water confidence and ability to reach a minimum swimming standard, it allows pools to be reasonably assured as to their need not to be closely supervised by an adult. Children achieving the standard will receive an award in the form of a photo ID card. This can be used as a "passport” for swimming.

The new (2005) edition of ISRM’s risk assessment guidance on child admissions places great emphasis on flexibility of implementation – making sure that no unnecessary barriers are placed in the way of families swimming together. The ASA/ISRM Pool Swimming Standard Award can play a key role in enabling this flexibility at your pool. For more details on the ISRM’s advice on formulating child admissions policies, call 01509 226474 or see our web site: www.isrm.co.uk.

How to implement the Award in your pool

Step 1 Purchase stocks of the Award photo ID card

The Award photo ID card has been specifically designed for “real world use” and is A6 (105 x 150mm) in size. The Award includes full details of the award criteria and space for the child’s name, the date awarded and the examiner’s name. There is also space for a photograph of the child for added security. The Awards are priced at £1.40 each, available from the ASA Awards Centre.

Whilst there is no need to inform ASA or ISRM of awards given, we would advise that pools should keep records of the awards they have made, and the examiners’ details.

Step 2 Train your staff to assess the award

Assessment of the ASA/ISRM Pool Swimming Standard Award can be conducted by:

• A holder of the ASA Teacher Certificate or equivalent (or above).

• A holder of the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification who has undertaken specific training related to the content of the award and the standard expected.

The Award may be conducted as part of normal unprogrammed activity or integral to a learn to swim programme.

Criteria for the ASA/ISRM Pool Swimming Standard Award

Please note: The test should be undertaken without pause or break and the whole test will only take 3 minutes and 10 seconds.

1. Jump from the side into water of 1.5 metres or more so that the head fully submerges. Alternatively, where there is only shallow water, hold a submerged mushroom float for 10 seconds.

2. Then, tread water for 1 minute.

3. Then swim 50 metres in under 2 minutes.

Step 3 Promote the award to your customers

This full colour poster will help inform your customers that the Award is available and could be of great help in enabling them to enjoy swimming with their children. Please contact ISRM if you would like copies of this poster.

Please note

It should be recognised that in some situations a child may regress in terms of swimming ability. It is essential, therefore, that the ASA/ISRM Pool Swimming Standard Award is used in conjunction with other aspects of a risk assessment. However, this standard is in excess of that set in the National Curriculum and once achieved is unlikely to be lost.

Contacts

Institute of Sport and
Recreation Management
Sir John Beckwith Centre for Sport
Loughborough University
Loughborough LE11 3TU
Tel: 01509 226474
Fax: 01509 226475
info@isrm.co.uk

ASA Awards Centre
Unit 1, Kingfisher Enterprise Park
50 Arthur Street
Redditch
Worcestershire B98 8LG
Order hotline: 0800 220292
salesawards@swimming.org
www.asa-awards.co.uk