ASA National Plan for Teaching Swimming (NTPS)

Overview of the ASA National Plan for Teaching Swimming (NTPS) 10 Stages at Gwyn Evans Leisure & Activity Centre

We offer a full range of swimming lessons for children and adults through the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) New Plan for Teaching Swimming which supersedes the old programme.

This is a national syllabus for delivering aquatics and provides stages for your child to progress and become competent, confident and safe in water.

All the lessons are delivered by our ASA qualified and experienced team of teachers.

Lessons run on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturdays.

The length of each set of lessons varies in accordance with local school terms.

Additionally you can take advantage of the intensive courses which run during the school holidays. The swimmers ‘journey through aquatics’ starts from the age of 4 years here at Gwyn Evans Leisure & Activity Centre through the Fundamental Movement Skills, Stage 1 – 7 of the NPTS.

The following is an overview of stages 1 – 7:

Stage 1 – 13 outcomes to accomplish

  1. Enter water safely
  2. Move forward for a distance of 5 meters
  3. Move backwards for a distance of 5 meters
  4. Move sideways for a distance of 5 meters
  5. Scoop water & wash face
  6. Be at ease with water showered from overhead
  7. Move into a stretched floating position using aids
  8. Regain an upright position from on the back with support
  9. Regain an upright position from on the front with support
  10.  Push & glide in a horizontal position to or from the wall
  11.  Take part in a teacher led partner orientated game
  12.  Demonstrate an understanding of the pool rules
  13.  Exit the water safely

Stage 2 – 10 outcomes to accomplish

  1. Jump in from poolside safely
  2. Blow bubbles rhythmically with nose and mouth submerged
  3. Regain an upright position from on the back without support
  4. Regain an upright position from on the front without support
  5. Push & glide from wall on back
  6. Push & glide from wall on front
  7. Travel on back for 5 meters, aid may be used
  8. Travel on front for 5 meters, aid may be used
  9. Perform a rotation from the front to the back an upright position
  10. Perform a rotation from the back to the front an upright position

Stage 3 – 9 outcomes to accomplish

  1. Jump in from poolside & submerge
  2. Sink, push away from wall on side & maintain a streamlined position
  3. Push & glide on front with arms extended and log roll onto the back
  4. Push & glide on back with arms extended and log roll onto the front
  5. Travel on the front, tuck to rotate around the horizontal axis to return on the back
  6. Fully submerge to pick up an object
  7. Answer question on the Water Safety Code
  8. Travel 10 meters on back
  9. Travel 10 meters on front

Stage 4 – 13 outcomes to accomplish

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of buoyancy
  2. Perform a tuck float for 5 seconds
  3. Perform a sequence of changing shapes (min of 3) whilst floating on the surface
  4. Push & glide from the wall to the pool floor
  5. Kick 10 meters Backstroke (1 item of equipment optional)
  6. Kick 10 meters Front crawl (1 item of equipment optional)
  7. Kick 10 meters Butterfly on front or back (1 item of equipment optional)
  8. Kick 10 meters Breaststroke on back (1 item of equipment optional)
  9. Kick 10 meters Breaststroke on front (1 item of equipment optional)
  10. Perform on the back a head first sculling action for 5 meters in a horizontal position
  11. Travel on back & roll in one continuous movement onto front
  12. Travel on front & roll in one continuous movement onto back
  13. Swim 10 meters, choice of stroke is optional (to expected ASA stroke standard)

Stage 5 – 12 outcomes to accomplish

  1. Perform a horizontal stationary scull on the back
  2. Perform a feet first sculling action for 5 meters whilst horizontal on the back
  3. Perform sculling sequence with partner for 30-45 seconds to include rotation
  4. Tread water for 30 seconds
  5. Perform 3 different shaped jumps into deep water
  6. Swim 10 meters Backstroke
  7. Swim 10 meters Front crawl face in water
  8. Swim 10 meters Breaststroke
  9. Swim 10 meters Butterfly
  10. Perform a handstand & hold for a min of 3 seconds
  11. Perform a forward somersault, tucked, in the water
  12. Demonstrate an action for getting help

Stage 6 – 11 outcomes to accomplish

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of preparation for exercise
  2. Sink, push off on side from wall, glide, kick & rotate into Backstroke
  3. Sink, push off on side from wall, glide, kick & rotate into Front crawl
  4. Swim 10 meters with clothes on
  5. Swim Front crawl to include rhythmical breathing
  6. Swim Breaststroke to include rhythmical breathing
  7. Swim Butterfly to include rhythmical breathing
  8. Swim 25 meters, choice of stroke optional, but ASA expected standard
  9. Perform a ‘shout & signal’ rescue
  10. Perform a surface dive
  11. Exit water without using steps

(Rhythmical breathing to Front crawl as bilateral or unilateral, Breaststroke as exhaling during the arm recovery / inhaling at any stage of the arm pull, Butterfly swimmers are encouraged to breathe every two stroke)

Stage 7 – 10 outcomes to accomplish

  1. Swim 50 meters Backstroke
  2. Swim 50 meters Front crawl
  3. Swim 50 meters Breaststroke
  4. Swim 50 meters Butterfly
  5. Perform a movement sequence of 1 minute duration, in a group of 3 or more, incorporating a number of the following skills:
    1. Sculling – head first & feet first
    2. Rotation – forward / backward somersault, log roll
    3. Floating – star on the front / on the back, tuck float
    4. Eggbeater – moving, lifting one or both arm out of the water link skills with strokes & scull
  6. Perform a sitting dive
  7. Swim 50 meters continuously using one stroke
  8. Swim 200 meters, using a minimum of 3 different strokes
  9. Tread water using egg beater action for 30 seconds
  10. Complete an obstacle course with feet of the bottom throughout

Once the swimmer has developed the core range of skills required from the Fundamental Movement Skills they will then be offered the opportunity to take part in the Fundamental Sport Skills, Stages 8 – 10 in each sport discipline and are available in Competitive Swimming, Diving, Synchronised Swimming, Water Polo and Life Saving Skills.

Stages 8, 9 and 10 of the NPTS are discipline specific and have synergy with grass roots programmes developed by the disciplines to support their individual sport.

These are as follows:

Stages 8, 9 and 10 Competitive Swimming have developed Awards specifically to support the NPTS.

  • Flip n Fun = Diving
  • Aqua Fun = Synchronised swimming
  • Mini-Polo = Water Polo
  • Life Saving Skill = Rookies

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