Langley Swimming Centre in Oldbury is the first Sandwell Leisure Trust (SLT) facility to take up a new training tool as part of an exciting five-year partnership with Swim England.
Forty Level 2 swim teachers from across the Trust attended the Aquatic Skills Framework Stages 8-10 Diving CPD seminar, which is part of the Swim England extended education programme and provides the technical knowledge to deliver FUNdamental diving skills from the poolside in a fun and safe environment.
It covers basic diving positions, dry land practices and key teaching points, plus can be taught as a contrasting activity in a swimming lesson, during a block of diving lessons in term, or at out of term holiday camps.
Helen Done, Assistant Leisure Manager at Langley Swimming Centre, says: “SLT is extremely passionate about delivering a high-quality swimming lesson programme for our community and the new partnership with Swim England has brought us great opportunities to develop our offering even further. We’re thrilled to be adding diving and artistic swimming to our programme to give our swimmers opportunities to try new skills as well as potentially start their journey to become elite athletes.”
West Midlands Diving Development Officer for Swim England, Sarah Barrow, adds: “This is just the start of many Swim England initiatives that will further enhance the many aquatic activities across the Sandwell borough.
“Diving can sometimes be seen as intimidating at first, but it’s delivered in an engaging way and gives young swimmers a different set of skills and potential taste of being out of their comfort zone. This first stage of training also brings excitement of a new sport coming to the Trust and in preparation for a much wider programme eventually being delivered out of the SLT managed £73 million Sandwell Aquatics Centre in Smethwick, which will be officially open for use by the public in summer 2023.”
As part of the new partnership, SLT are delivering Swim England’s four specialised and renowned frameworks, providing swimming lessons for all ages and abilities - from babies through to adults. Their ‘Learn to Swim Programme’ is the leading national teaching syllabus for delivering safe, inclusive and effective swimming lessons for all ages and forms the cornerstone of curriculum swimming lessons.
It’s based on a structured, but games-led approach to ensure children enjoy learning and can easily see and monitor their progress, whilst also developing the core skills required to ensure progress to other aquatic disciplines such as Diving, Water Polo and Artistic Swimming. It even provides a clear pathway through to competitive swimming and the development of national level athletes.