The ASA National Curriculum Water Skills and Water Safety awards are popular with schools and pupils alike. Swimming is compulsory as part of the National Curriculum and is delivered at Key Stage 2 (ages 7-11).
The ASA National Curriculum Training Programme (CPD) was developed to run alongside the National Plan for Teaching Swimming to give deliverers of school swimming a better understanding of school swimming outcomes and consistency in delivery. By the end of National Curriculum Key Stage 2, pupils should be able to swim unaided, competently and safely for at least 25 metres using effective swimming strokes on their front and back.
An Ofsted report highlighted the Kellogg’s ASA Awards Scheme as a best practice model for school swimming. The 2007 report, which assessed the Key Stage 2 standards in swimming and reviewed quality of teaching, recognised the benefits of the ASA’s formal accreditation scheme. It also noted that the Kellogg’s ASA Awards Scheme is a key motivational tool for children, with many pupils reporting increased self-esteem when they progressed and achieved awards.
Ofsted also acknowledged that the Kellogg’s ASA Awards Scheme is an excellent way for teachers to assess a pupil’s ability and provided attainable targets for children.