Water Safety 

As a swimming teacher, water safety for children is one of the most important responsibilities you carry. 

 

Being a swimming teacher isn't just about teaching strokes, it's about helping children develop a good relationship with water with the assistance of good teaching and techniques, allowing them to stay safe for life.

10 Key Points on Water Safety 

Supervision is non - negotiable 

  • Emphasise to children (and their parents) that an adult must always be watching when they’re near or in water — even strong swimmers can get into difficulty.
  • Reinforce the message: "Never swim alone."

Safe entry and exit 

  • Teach children how to enter and exit the water safely (e.g. feet first, using ladders/steps).
  • Practice controlled jumping in and reinforce the message to never dive in shallow water.

Know your environment 

  • Discuss different water settings (pools, lakes, beaches) and their unique risks (e.g currents or slippery surfaces).
  • Teach children to look for safety signs, lifeguards and flags at beaches.

Respect the rules 

  • Go over pool safety rules regularly: no running, no rough play and always listen to the teacher or lifeguard.
  • Use fun games or quizzes to reinforce them — repetition helps these messages stick.

Breathing control and floating 

  • Teach breath control and floating from an early stage. Being able to float, stay calm and signal for help if ever necessary can be life-saving in a real emergency.
  • Back floating is especially important as it helps with conserving energy and breathing.

What to do in an emergency 

  • For older children, introduce the basics of what to do if they or someone else is in trouble:

    • Don’t go in after someone — call for help or use something to reach or throw.

    • Teach "Shout - Reach - Throw - Don’t Go."

Clothing challenges and water confidence 

  • Simulate a “clothed swim” session once or twice a year to show how different it feels swimming with clothes on — a great safety skill if they ever fall in unexpectedly and a memorable lesson for them.

Use 'real life' scenarios 

  • Frame lessons with real-life context:
    “What would you do if you fell into a lake?”
    “If you see your friend struggling, what should you do?"

  • This helps children think critically and apply skills beyond the pool.

Reinforce respect for water 

  • Encourage curiosity but stress boundaries. Water is fun — but it also deserves respect.
  • Talk about how conditions can change quickly, especially outdoors.

Communicate effectively with parents 

  • Keep parents informed about what their children are learning.

  • Share water safety tips, especially before holidays or summer.