On 16th April 2018, STA’s awarding organisation, Safety Training Awards, launched new level 2 teaching swimming qualifications. This includes a new Level 2 Certificate which has received endorsement against CIMSPA’s new employer-led Swimming Teacher Professional Standard.

The new qualifications replace STA’s current Level 2 Award and Certificate and are:

The launch of CIMSPA’s Professional Standard last November provided an exciting opportunity for us to re-evaluate our Level 2 Certificate as well as the Level 2 Award and all the supporting resources.

In support of the launch, STA has also created a brand-new range of learner-friendly resources and tutor materials, colourful print-bound teaching manuals for both qualifications, and an online tutor up-skill CPD so that existing tutors can deliver the new qualification.

Kaylë Burgham, Head of Aquatics at STA says the team are thrilled to be launching two new redeveloped swimming teaching qualifications.

She said: The launch of CIMSPA’s Professional Standard last November provided an exciting opportunity for us to re-evaluate our Level 2 Certificate as well as the Level 2 Award and all the supporting resources.

While our existing higher-level Certificate only required minimal changes to meet the new professional standard, we wanted to go one step further and take time to fully review both of our Level 2 qualifications. Importantly, we also consulted with our industry working group and partners to ensure the educational and practical elements of both qualifications, as well as the supporting resources, reflect the needs of today’s employers and are fit for purpose.

Richard Baker, STA’s Qualification Development Manager for Aquatics: As a team, we are delighted to be launching our new Level 2 teaching swimming qualifications. We believe they not only meet industry standards, but provide an all-encompassing curriculum for learning and teaching programmes that enable STA-trained swimming teachers to be proficient in modern learn to swim teaching methodologies and be ready for work.

Creating an employer-led professional standard for teaching swimming is a positive for the industry and we are delighted to have been involved in its development…

As a member of the CIMSPA leisure operations professional development committee, STA alongside other key stakeholders played an important role in the creation of the new professional standard for swimming teachers—a standard that has been developed by awarding organisations, employers and training providers to define the essential knowledge and skills needed to be a swimming teacher.

Claire Brisbourne, STA’s Director of Awarding Organisation and a member of the CIMSPA development committee, said: Creating an employer-led professional standard for teaching swimming is a positive for the industry and we are delighted to have been involved in its development alongside CIMSPA, other awarding organisations, employers and training providers.