We provide swimming lessons catering to children aged
from 3 to 18 years of age. We teach all abilities from
absolute beginners to coaching level.
Lessons take place at the Archbishop Holgate School in
York on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. (Other
venues to follow). We also provide intensive holiday courses. Students
can be involved in snorkelling, water polo, water
basketball, rookie life saving and stroke clinics.
News & Offers
News
Bookings are now being taken for next term's lessons.
Bookings are also now available for Badge Days on
Wednesday 12th April 2017 and Wednesday 19th April 2017.
Our course schedule may change from term to term so
please feel free to view our booking forms or contact
Stuart at
stuartbellswimschool@hotmail.co.uk or telephone
07927 332576 to discuss our current courses.
Booking Forms
To book a place on one of our courses simply
download and complete a booking form and send it back to us at the address below.
Booking Forms
Badge Days Provisional dates are Wednesday 26th
July 2017(4pm - 7pm) and
Saturday 29th July 2017 (10:30am - 12:30pm)
From May 2017 we have started to use a new booking form.
This includes information for all days and courses.
Please download the new booking form below and tick the day/course/ability level.
The Stuart Bell Swim School offers both swimming lessons and fitness sessions for adults.
Swimming is a great form of all-round exercise.
[Source: NHS Choices Livewell]
It's ideal if you want to be more active and stay healthy, whatever your age or ability.
Regular swimming can reduce the risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke.
It can also boost your mood and keep your weight under control. Swimming is a lifelong skill that could save a life.
If you can't swim, it's never too late to learn. We can cater for a variety of tastes and abilities, such as:
complete beginners
weak swimmers
improvers / stroke improvement
advanced - (e.g. stroke specific training for tri-athletes etc.)
specialist groups - (e.g. women-only, parent and toddler)
one-to-ones.
Male and female teachers are available if required.
Most classes will take place on Saturday afternoons but other times are available.
Please contact us for details.
Intensive Lessons
The Stuart Bell Swim School provides a number of intensive swimming courses during the school holidays.
Intensive courses are run over 5 consecutive days (1 hour each) day.
The benefit of an Intensive Course (compared to the normal course) is that due to the repeated teaching of key elements your child's confidence can grow and the knowledge they learn is not so easily forgotten.
Courses include:
Beginners
Weak Swimmers
Improvers
Advanced (Bronze / Silver / Gold)
1 - to - 1
We also run a 3 hour fun activity programme which incorporates:
snorkelling
rookie life saving
water polo
water basketball
Rookie Lifeguard (Life Saving)
If your children are budding lifeguards, then the Rookie Lifeguard Award developed by the Royal Lifesaving Society UK in conjunction with the ASA and the LTS, should be just what you are looking for.
As well as offering parents the comfort of knowing their children are aware the dangers of swimming in open water, the Bronze, Silver and Gold stage awards ensure children have a solid safety education, and have learned rescue and resuscitation techniques.
Each stage is sub-divided into three levels and each stage runs roughly for 10-15 weeks.
Your children can enter a course at any point during the stage and progress at his or her own speed.
The Rookie Lifeguard Programme also comes with the Water Safety Award, the Life Support Award and the Achievement Awards.
There are also other bolt-on awards that can be achieved, such as Snorkelling, Paddle Board and Beach Awards.
ASA Water Skills Awards
GRADE 1
AIMS
To provide a series of progressive awards, which
incorporate tests, designed to en-courage watermanship, confidence,
versatility, skills and endurance. All pupils need to attempt ten
skills, but in order to achieve the award it will only be necessary
to pass in eight of the tests.
This group of skills test the pupil’s ability:
1) To enter shallow
water from the poolside in a safe manner, (assistance may be
provided. This may be via the steps or from the poolside).
2) To move across the
pool with the water surface no lower than shoulder level.
3) To submerge the
face in water and blow bubbles for 3 seconds.
4) To push and glide
from the poolside or bottom on the front, and change to a
resting or standing position.
5) To push and glide
from the poolside or bottom on the back, and change to a
resting or standing position.
6) To travel on the
back a minimum distance of 5 metres.
7) To travel on the
front a minimum distance of 5 metres.
8) To rotate from the back to
the front position and gain a resting or standing position.
9) To propel a
floating object, (eg a ball), for 3 metres by any method.
10) Demonstrate a
horizontal or vertical stationary floating position for 10
seconds.
GRADE 2
AIMS
To provide a series of progressive awards, which
incorporate tests designed to en-courage watermanship, confidence,
versatility, skills and endurance. All pupils need to attempt ten
skills, but in order to achieve the award it will only be necessary
to pass in eight of the tests.
This group of skills tests the pupil’s ability:
1) To enter shallow water
from a standing or sitting position, without the use of steps.
2) To submerge the head
completely and blow out under water for a minimum of 3 seconds.
3) To hold a tucked
floating position for a minimum of 5 seconds. (This may be on
the front or back with the face submerged or kept out of the
water).
4) To swim one width on
the front using a crawl-type front paddle propulsive action.
5) To swim one width on
the back using a crawl-type leg action.
6) To swim one width on
the front or back using a breaststroke type action.
7) To swim one width full
stroke on the front or back with arm recovery over the water.
8) To demonstrate a
horizontal or vertical floating position for 20 seconds.
9) To demonstrate a 360
o
turn or roll from a horizontal or vertical position without
making contact with the pool bottom.
10) To swim two widths
without pausing, using any stroke or strokes.
GRADE 3
AIMS
To provide a series of progressive awards, which
incorporate tests designed to en-courage watermanship, confidence,
versatility, skills and endurance. All pupils need to attempt ten
skills, but in order to achieve the award it will only be necessary
to pass in eight of the tests.
The phrase "Good Style" implies that the stroke is
easily recognisable as one of the four major competitive strokes but
does not necessarily fully comply with ASA law. This group of skills
tests the pupil’s ability:
1) To jump into water
of at least full reach depth.
2) To swim four widths
without a pause using any stroke or strokes.
3) To submerge in
shallow water and retrieve an object from the pool bottom
using both hands.
4) To tread water out
of standing depth using arms and/or legs for 20 seconds.
5) To swim two widths
on the front demonstrating good technique.
6) To swim two widths
on the back demonstrating good technique.
7) To swim a minimum
of 10 metres showing three changes of direction without
touching the side or bottom of the pool.
8) To scull head first
for 5 metres.
9) To swim through a
hoop submerged in water of shoulder depth.
10) To Swim
continuously for 1 minute using two different strokes with
good style.
GRADE 4
AIMS
To provide a series of progressive awards, which
incorporate tests designed to en-courage watermanship, confidence,
versatility, skills and endurance. All pupils need to attempt ten
skills, but in order to achieve the award it will only be necessary
to pass in eight of the tests.
The phrase "Good Technique"
implies that the stroke complies with ASA law.
This group of skills tests the pupil’s ability:
1) To jump into water of at least full reach
depth and swim 25 metres without touching
the side or bottom of the pool.
2) To surface dive in water of at least full
reach depth demonstrating good technique.
3) To perform a forward
somersault using a push and glide if necessary.
4) To swim breaststroke or
front crawl for 25 metres showing good technique.
5) To swim back crawl for
25 metres showing good technique.
6) To scull head first for
5 metres and return sculling feet first.
7) To swim a minimum of 5
metres using a dolphin leg action.
8) To swim two widths of
any stroke including a "correct" turn complying with ASA law.
9) To enter water of at
least full reach depth and tread water for 20 seconds followed
by a 25 metres swim.
10) To swim 5 metres under
water.
GRADE 5
AIMS
To provide a series of progressive awards, which
incorporate tests, designed to en-courage watermanship, confidence,
versatility, skills and endurance. All pupils need to attempt ten
skills, but in order to achieve the award it will only be necessary
to pass in eight of the tests.
This group of skills tests the pupil’s ability:
1) To tread water for 30
seconds followed by a 25 metres swim, which includes passing
through a submerged hoop.
2) To perform back wards
somersault using a push and glide if necessary.
3) To perform a surface dive in water of at
least full reach depth followed by an underwater swim of at least 5 metres.
4) To swim 50 metres in 90
seconds.
5) To swim 25 metres using
an inverted Breaststroke or Backstroke.
6) To perform a head first
entry into water of at least full reach depth and swim 25 metres
of Front Crawl.
7) To swim one width of
Front Crawl finishing with a forward somersault into the
poolside and a push and glide away on the back or front.
8) To swim one width of
Butterfly.
9) To jump into water of
at least full reach depth attaining a good height and an
up-right position in flight.
10) To swim 25 metres
propelling a ball and maintaining close control throughout.
GRADE 6
AIMS
To provide a series of progressive awards, which
incorporate tests designed to en-courage watermanship, confidence,
versatility, skills and endurance. All pupils need to attempt ten
skills, but in order to achieve the award it will only be necessary
to pass in eight of the tests.
The phrase "Good Technique"
implies that the stroke complies with ASA law.
This group of skills tests the
pupil’s ability:
1) To swim 75 metres 2
minutes using three different strokes and demonstrating good
technique.
2) To perform the following skills
consecutively and without pause:
head first
scull for 5 metres
somersault
feet
first scull for 5 metres and a 360° rotation in
vertical tucked position.
3) To swim three widths of Front Crawl showing 2
appropriate turns and demonstrating good
technique.
4) To swim three widths of
Back Crawl showing 2 Back Crawl turns and demonstrating good
technique.
5) To swim three widths of
Breaststroke showing 2 Breaststroke turns and demonstrating good
technique.
6) To swim two widths
of Butterfly.
7) To perform 2 jumps into
deep water of at least full reach depth gaining height and taking up
a different position in flight selected from straight, tuck pike,
turning, somersault.
8) To propel a ball for a
minimum distance of 25 metres controlling it throughout and
demonstrating two changes of direction of a least 90o.
9) To plunge dive into water of at least full reach
depth holding the glide for 5 metres.
10) To plunge dive into water
of at least full reach depth and tread water for one minute.
ASA Challenge Awards
In this scheme, pupils are challenged to achieve
targets for which they need an efficient performance using a wide
range of skills. Stamina is also an important factor in the highest
award of the series. Throughout this scheme all strokes should be in
good style. This implies that the stroke is easily recognisable as
one of the four major competitive strokes but does not necessarily
comply with ASA law. The strokes should be co-ordinated, smooth,
efficient and completed without undue stress.
BRONZE CHALLENGE
Section A and B may be competed on two separate
occasions, but each Section must be completed without pause and in
the order listed.
This group of skills tests the pupil’s ability:
Section A
1. To jump into water of at least full reach depth.
2. To swim 10 metres followed by a surface dive into
water of at least full reach depth and under water swim for a
distance of 5 metres.
3. To tread water in a vertical position for 3
minutes.
4. To scull head-first on back position for 15
metres, with the feet at, or near the surface throughout.
Section B
5. To swim 400 metres using two strokes. A minimum
of 100 metres is to be swum on each stroke.
6. To climb out at the deep end without assistance.
SILVER CHALLENGE
Section A and B may be competed on two separate
occasions, but each Section must be completed without pause and in
the order listed.
This group of skills tests the pupil’s ability:
Section A
1. To plunge dive into water of at least full reach
depth.
2. To swim 100 metres in less than 3 minutes using
any stroke. A change of stroke may only occur at the completion of a
length of the pool.
3. To tread water for 2 minutes with ONE hand behind
the back.
4. To swim 10 metres, followed immediately
by two surface-dives into water of at least full reach
depth, one head first and one feet first to bringing an
object to the surface on each occasion.
5. To scull headfirst on the back for 10 metres and
return by sculling 10 metres feet first. A horizontal position must
be maintained throughout.
Section B
6. To swim 800 metres, 400 metres on the front and
400 metres on the back. A change of stroke may only occur every 50
metres.
7. To climb out at the deep end without assistance.
GOLD CHALLENGE
Section A and B may be competed on two separate
occasions, but each Section must be completed without pause and in
the order listed.
This group of skills tests the pupil’s ability:
Section A
1. To plunge dive into water of at least full reach
depth and swim 100 metres, in 2m. 30s. or less, using two different
strokes, 50 metres of each.
2. To tread water for 3 minutes, with one hand
remaining above the head throughout. The arm raised may be changed
no more than 5 times.
3 To scull headfirst on the back for 10 metres, move
into a tucked position and turn through 360° keeping the head
above the water. Return to the starting point by sculling feet-first
with the feet at, or near, the surface throughout and the hands
close to the hips.
4. To swim 10 metres, perform a forward somersault
without touching the pool bottom and continue to swim in the same
direction for a further 10 metres.
Section B
5. To swim 800 metres using 3 of the following
strokes; front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, butterfly, English
backstroke or sidestroke for a minimum distance of 200 metres per
stroke. A change of stroke may only occur every 100 metres. This
swim to be completed in 25 minutes.
6. To climb out at the deep end without assistance.
HONOURS CHALLENGE
Section A and B may be competed on two separate
occasions, but each Section must be completed without pause and in
the order listed.
This group of skills tests the pupil’s ability:
Section A
1. To make straddle entry into water of at least
full reach depth, swim 5 metres into a piked surface dive to
retrieve an object weighing approximately 2 Kg from water of full
reach depth. Carry the object using a backstroke or sidestroke for a
distance of 20 metres, to land it on the poolside.
2. To scull 10 metres headfirst on the back.
Complete a back somersault finishing in a back layout position.
Perform a roll to take up a front layout in a fully extended prone
position. Carry out a front somersault finishing in a front layout
position. Tuck and rotate backwards into a back layout position and
continue to scull feet first for 15 metres. (Throughout all sculling
and layout positions, hands must remain close to the hips and feet
must be kept together on or near the surface of the water).
Section B
Tests 3 and 4 are to be completed in a total time of
twenty minutes.
3. To swim 200 metres front crawl, 200 metres back
crawl and either 100 metres breaststroke OR 50 metres butterfly. A
change of stroke may only occur every 100 metres (except for
butterfly).
4. To swim 500 metres freestyle, during
which, surface dive twice headfirst and twice feet first. On
each surface dive, swim through two hoops 4 metres apart
without surfacing; (the tops of the hoops to be at least 1
metre below the surface of the water).
