20/06/2026
SUNDAY lessons, TOMORROW is distance badges.
❗️A few pointers about swimming badges.❗️
Please remember some badges take time to achieve, and with the higher badges there is a big jump between each one!
It is NOT just about swimming the distance but having the correct style / technique when doing it.
If your child doesn’t get a badge, it DOES NOT mean that they’re not progressing!
Both Marg & I are tutors for the Swimming Teachers Association & train people to be swimming teachers..children will only receive badges if they meet the required standard.
Other swim schools give badges away, when children aren’t meeting the standards set, which:
1. Is dangerous, as parents may get a false sense of security as to what their child can do.
2. Devalues the badges.
3. Is a money making exercise & rather unfair on you.
4. Makes it hard for us to group new pupils who join us from elsewhere - we’ve had children come to us with high distance badges, but they’ve never been in the deep water & then are grouped wrong. This is again unfair on everyone involved.
Standards we work towards:
- Upto 20m distance awards are gained by covering the distance on the front AND back (we have had high distance badge swimmers come to us & not be able to swim on their back - this is unacceptable)
- For 25m+ swimmers are required do demonstrate an expected full stroke standard. This ensures the stroke is strong and effective.
