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Octanauts 1

By completing this Award, with or without  flotation equipment or support, you will be able to:

  1. Enter the water safely.

  2. Move forward for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.

  3. Move backwards for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.

  4. Move sideways for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.

  5. Scoop the water and wash the face.

  6. Be comfortable with water showered from overhead.

  7. Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing.

  8. Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing.

  9. Push and glide in a flat position on the front from a wall.

  10. Push and glide in a flat position on the back from a wall.

  11. Give examples of two pool rules.

  12. Exit the water safely.

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Whilst swimming in stage 1 our swimmers​

  • Gain confidence

  • Learn how to safely enter and exit the pool

  • Become comfortable with moving around the pool in a variety of directions

  • Learn to confidently float on their front and back which is an essential survival skill

  • Learn to become streamlined to make them more efficient in the water

Octanauts 2

By completing this Award  without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

  1. Jump in from poolside safely to a minimum depth of 1.0 metre.

  2. Blow bubbles a minimum of three times rhythmically, with nose and mouth submerged.

  3. Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing without support.

  4. Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing without support.

  5. Push from a wall and glide on the back – arms can be by the side or above the head.

  6. Push from a wall and glide on the front with arms extended.

  7. Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the back for 5 metres, without the use of floatation equipment.

  8. Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the front for 5 metres, without the use of floatation equipment.

  9. Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the front, to a back floating position, then return to standing.

  10. Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the back, to a front floating position, then return to standing.

  11. Perform a log roll from the back to the front.

  12. Perform a log roll from the front to the back.

  13. Exit the water without support.

Whilst swimming in stage 2 our swimmers :

  • Continue to build on the skills they have learnt in Stage 1

  • Swimmers work towards 5metres on their front and back whilst building on the skills they have been introduced to during stage 1

Octanauts 3

By completing this Award, without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

  1. Jump in from poolside and submerge to a minimum depth of 1.0 metre.

  2. Sink, push away from wall and maintain a streamlined position.

  3. Push and glide on the front with arms extended and log roll onto the back.

  4. Push and glide on the back with arms extended and log roll onto the front.

  5. Travel 5 metres on the front, perform a tuck to rotate onto the back and return on the back.

  6. Fully submerge to pick up an object.

  7. Correctly identify three of the four key water safety messages.

  8. Push and glide and travel 10 metres on the back.

  9. Push and glide and travel 10 metres on the front.

  10. Perform a tuck float and hold for three seconds.

  11. Exit the water without using steps.

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Whilst swimming in stage 3:​

  • Strength and stamina are improved whilst working towards 10metres on the front and back.

  • New skills are introduced and breaststroke developed during this stage

Octanauts 4

By completing this Award, without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

  1. Perform a sequence of changing shapes (minimum of three) whilst floating on the surface    and demonstrate an understanding of floating.

  2. Push and glide from the wall towards the pool floor.

  3. Kick 10 metres backstroke (one item of equipment optional).

  4. Kick 10 metres front crawl (one item of equipment optional).

  5. Kick 10 metres butterfly on the front or on the back.

  6. Kick 10 metres breaststroke on the front (one item of equipment optional).

  7. Perform a head first sculling action for 5 metres in a flat position on the back.

  8. Travel on back and log roll in one continuous movement onto front.

  9. Travel on front and log roll in one continuous movement onto back.

  10. Push and glide and swim 10 metres, choice of stroke is optional.

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Whilst swimming in stage 4:

  • Octanauts 4 swimmers begin in the deep end of the pool.

  • Front Crawl, Back crawl, Breaststroke and Dolphin leg action are developed during this stage.

  • Swimmers also work towards their 15meters award.

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Whilst swimming at stage 5:

  • We work on stamina and strength is developed further with Swimmers working towards their 25metres in each stroke.

  • Buttterfly is introduced in this stage in addition to skills relating to varied aquatic sports.

Octanauts 5

By completing this Award you will be able to:

  1. Perform a flat stationary scull on the back.

  2. Perform a feet first sculling action for 5 metres in a flat position on the back.

  3. Perform a sculling sequence with a partner for 30-45 seconds to include a rotation.

  4. Tread water for 30 seconds.

  5. Perform three different shaped jumps into deep water.

  6. Push and glide and swim 10 metres backstroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).

  7. Push and glide and swim 10 metres front crawl (performed to Swim England expected standards).

  8. Push and glide and swim 10 metres breaststroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).

  9. Push and glide and swim 10 metres butterfly (performed to Swim England expected standards).

  10. Perform a handstand and hold for a minimum of three seconds.

  11. Perform a forward somersault.

  12. Demonstrate an action for getting help.

Octanauts 6

By completing this Award you will be able to:

  1. Give two examples of how to prepare for exercise and understand why it is important.

  2. Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into backstroke.

  3. Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into front crawl.

  4. Swim 10 metres wearing clothes.

  5. Push and glide and swim front crawl to include at least six rhythmical breaths.

  6. Push and glide and swim breaststroke to include at least six rhythmical breaths.

  7. Push and glide and swim butterfly to include at least three rhythmical breaths.

  8. Push and glide and swim backstroke to include at least six regular breaths.

  9. Push and glide and swim 25 metres, choice of stroke is optional (performed to Swim England expected standards).

  10. Perform a ‘shout and signal’ rescue.

  11. Perform a surface dive.

Whilst swimming in stage 6:

  • Swimmers begin personal Survival skills from stage 6.

  • As well as building on their stoke technique, speed and stamina across all stokes with an introduction to competitive swimming skills.

Octanauts 7

By completing this Award you will be able to:

  1. Push and glide and swim 25 metres backstroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).

  2. Push and glide and swim 25 metres front crawl (performed to Swim England expected standards).

  3. Push and glide and swim 25 metres breaststroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).

  4. Push and glide and swim 25 metres butterfly (performed to Swim England expected standards).

  5. Perform a movement sequence (linking skills with strokes and sculls) of one minute duration, in a group of three or more, incorporating a number of the following skills:Sculling: head first, feet first
    Rotation: forward or backward somersault, log roll
    Floating: star on the front or on the back, tuck float, create own
    Eggbeater: Moving, lifting one or both arms out of the water

  6. Perform a sitting dive or dive.

  7. Push and glide and swim 50 metres continuously using one stroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).

  8. Push and glide and swim 100 metres, using a minimum of three different strokes (performed to Swim England expected standards).

  9. Tread water using eggbeater action for 30 seconds.

  10. Complete an obstacle course (using minimum of four objects) with feet off the pool floor throughout.

Whilst swimming at stage 7:

  • We work on development of stokes and skills,

  • An introduction to diving and experience of all aquatic skills.

  • Rescue, polo, diving, synchro and competitive swimming

Octanauts 8

By completing this Award you will be able to:

  1. Complete a set lasting 400 metres (e.g. 16 x 25 metres, 8 x 50 metres, 4 x 100 metres) on a specific turnaround time agreed by the teacher or coach (e.g. 1.00 minutes for each 25 metres) with a focus on stroke technique and consistency.

  2. Swim 400 metres continuously using one stroke.

  3. Push and streamline then kick 25 metres backstroke with or without using a board.

  4. Push and streamline then kick 25 metres breaststroke with or without using a board.

  5. Push and streamline then kick 25 metres butterfly without using a board.

  6. Push and streamline then kick 25 metres front crawl with or without using a board.

  7. Perform a backstroke turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.

  8. Perform a breaststroke turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.

  9. Perform a butterfly turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.

  10. Perform a front crawl turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.

  11. Perform a dive track or grab start, and kick butterfly underwater in a streamlined position for 5 metres with the focus on progressing it to 10 metres.*

Whilst swimming in stage 8:

  • We work on the development of competitive swimming strokes and skills,

  • Working towards 400m.

  • Octanauts 8 is our Bronze challenge group

Octanauts 9

By completing this Award you will be able to:

  1. Complete a set lasting 800 metres (either 16 x 50 metres, 8 x 100 metres, 4 x 200 metres) on a specific turnaround time agreed by the teacher or coach (e.g. 1.30 minutes for 50 metres) with a focus on stroke technique and consistency.

  2. Swim 800 metres continuously using one stroke.

  3. Swim a continuous 100 metre individual medley (4 x 25 metres) using recognised turns with a focus on stroke technique and consistency.

  4. Perform a 15 metre underwater kick on front from a push and glide in a streamlined position.

  5. Perform a backstroke start then butterfly kick in a streamlined position underwater up to a maximum of 15 metres from the start point (wall). Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.*

  6. Perform a front crawl start then kick in a streamlined position underwater up to a maximum of 15 metres from the start point (wall). Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.*

  7. Perform a butterfly start then kick in a streamlined position up to a maximum of 15 metres from the start point (wall). Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.*

  8. Perform a breaststroke start then perform a one and a half pull underwater. Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.*

Whilst swimming in stage 9:

  • We work on the development of competitive swimming strokes and skills,

  • Working towards 800m.

  • Octanauts 9 is our Silver challenge group

Octanauts 10

By completing this Award you will be able to:

  1. Complete a set lasting 1600 metres (either 16 x 100 metres, 8 x 200 metres, 4 x 400 metres) on a specific timed turnaround set by the teacher or coach (e.g. 2.30 minutes for 100 metres), focus on stroke technique and consistency.

  2. Swim 1500 metres continuously using one stroke.

  3. Perform a continuous 100 metre individual medley kick (4 x 25 metres) without using a kick board.

  4. Swim a continuous 200 metre individual medley (4 x 50 metres) using recognised turns.

  5. Perform a front crawl relay take over – as an incoming swimmer.

  6. Perform a front crawl relay take over – as an outgoing swimmer.

Whilst swimming in stage 10:

  • We work on the development of competitive swimming strokes and skills,

  • Working towards 1500m.

  • Octanauts 10 is our gold challenge group

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