SwimStage 1 of 6
Stage 1
Introduction to Water Skills
What this stage is for
Confidence and independence in the water. Safe entry and exit, moving forwards and backwards, and personal water safety including the deep end.
What parents should know
This is where nervous children start. Nothing here needs a stroke — the assessor wants a child who is calm in the water, can put their face under, float on their own, and get themselves out safely. Stage 1 often takes a little longer than Stage 2, because getting comfortable submerging and floating unaided is the hardest part of the whole beginner journey.
What changed on 1 July 2025
- The order changed — head submersion now comes second, before the backstroke swim.
- The distress signal is now done while floating on the back.
- The exits are now specified: pool edge for the swim, ladder after the life jacket float.
If your child was taught before July 2025, check they have actually practised these. I see students arrive at assessments having never been shown them.
Everything the assessor marks
The assessment splits into blocks, and the goggles rule differs between them. This is the order it is worked through.
Sequence 1A
Goggles: mostly allowedGoggles allowed — except the three items marked below, which the manual specifies without them.
- Enter the water with a slide-in entry
- Submerge the head, open eyes, blow bubbles and identify an object on the pool floor no goggles
- Swim 5m on the back (any combination of arms and legs)
- Front float for 5 seconds, stand to recover
- Back float for 5 seconds, stand to recover
- Swim 10m on the front (any combination of arms and legs)
- Signal distress and call for help no goggles
- Grasp the float and hold it for 10 seconds no goggles
- Move with the float to the pool edge
- Exit safely using the pool edge
Sequence 1B
✕ No gogglesNo goggles. Done in swimwear, shorts and t-shirt.
- Fit a life jacket correctly (assistance allowed)
- Jump in wearing it and float for 30 seconds
- Climb out of the water using the ladder
On the day
| What to wear | Swimwear, plus shorts and t-shirt for Sequence 1B. |
|---|---|
| Goggles | Sequence 1A allows goggles, except three items marked below. Sequence 1B is without. |
| Pool required | Teaching pool 15m long, 1m deep — or competition pool 10m, at least 1.4m deep. |
| Students per assessor | 20 students per assessor (30 in MOE school assessments). |
The one I see catch students out
Opening the eyes underwater without goggles. That one item is specifically marked goggles-off, and plenty of children can submerge but squeeze their eyes shut — so they cannot identify the object, and that is a fail.
How long does this stage take?
Most students spend 2 to 6 months at this stage on standard weekly lessons of 45 to 60 minutes — roughly 12 to 16 hours of pool time.
Treat that as a range, not a schedule. Water confidence, attendance and coordination move it a long way in both directions, and there is no advantage in pushing a child into an assessment early to hit an average.