STA Policies

Use of Swimming Goggles - Guidelines Parents/Carers

The advantages of wearing swimming goggles during prolonged swimming activity to reduce or prevent eye irritation, to improve vision through the water and for medical reasons, are well recognised and supported by the ASA, the STA and all members of the Swimming Forum. However, If the pool water is maintained in good condition, it should not be necessary to wear goggles if bathers are likely to be in the water for only short periods such as a swimming lesson for beginners.

The use of goggles is not without its downsides:

  • Many swimming teachers have a concern, supported by much of the literature on the teaching of swimming, that goggles should not be worn when children are being taught to swim. It is considered that part of the learning to swim experience is for a child to be able to deal with splashing in the face and the ability to open his/her eyes whilst the face is immersed and swim under water with confidence. Certainly these attributes would improve the child’s ability to cope in a water related incident in a canal, pond or river.
  • A further concern relates to the goggles themselves; there is a history of eye accidents firstly as a result of goggles being made of glass or breakable plastics and secondly during the putting on and taking off of goggles. There is a British Standard for the manufacture of goggles and the Standard includes the requirement that the packaging of the goggles should contain instructions regarding the putting on and removal and the possibility of an accident occurring if the correct procedures and care are not followed.
  • Lastly not all goggles provide a watertight fit and in a teaching situation with small children, concentration and lesson time can be lost in trying to obtain a fit which leaks as little as possible.

It is difficult to provide guidelines to meet all situations but the advice from the ASA, the STA and members of the Swimming Forum is as follows:

  • There are good reasons why swimming goggles should not be worn during swimming lessons; children and their parents/carers should be informed of these and children encouraged to take part in lessons without the use of goggles.
  • It is recognised that for some children, however, medical or associated reasons necessitate the wearing of swimming goggles in order to participate and in these cases carers/parents should:
    • only purchase goggles that meet British Standards,
    • ensure that the goggles fit the child correctly,
    • ensure the child has received adequate instruction, prior to participation, as to the fitting and adjustment of goggles,
    • be aware that teachers will not be responsible for the fitting of goggles to the children.

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Changes in Membership Details

  • Members of STA are responsible for informing STA of all changes to their personal details, such as a change of address.
  • If a member does not wish to renew their membership they should advise STA.
  • Subscription refunds will only be issued if STA receives written confirmation from the member of their intention not to renew, prior to the subscription due date.
  • STA members must supply all notifications affecting changes in membership details in writing.

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Sex Offenders Act 1997 and the implications for Tutors when a candidate ticks the “YES” box

If a candidate for an STA course ticks the “YES” box to indicate that they have been investigated, convicted or cautioned for an offence that is referred to in Schedule 1 of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 the actions taken by the STA are:

  1. To write to the candidate and seek an explanation; in many cases this is due to the candidate ticking the wrong box
  2. If the candidate confirms that the “YES” box has been correctly ticked then the STA takes one of the following actions:
    • If the candidate wishes to register on an STA course that requires membership as a prerequisite then the candidate is barred from the course. The reason for this is that the STA Articles prohibit any person becoming a member who has been investigated, convicted or cautioned for an offence that is referred to in Schedule 1 of the Sex Offenders Act 1997; therefore the candidate can not become a member and can not fulfil the course requirements to obtain a certificate.
    • If the candidate wishes to register on an STA course that DOES NOT require membership as a prerequisite then the candidate is allowed onto the course provided that the Tutor is fully advised and is prepared to accept the candidate knowing of the investigation, conviction or caution.

Tutors and Course Organisers who become aware of a candidate who ticks the “YES” box should inform the STA immediately. If this occurs out of hours the Tutor or Course Organiser can adopt this policy without the need to get clearance from to the STA but they must inform the STA as soon as is practicable.

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STA Policy on Swimming Teaching where the teacher is in the water

It is preferable for the swimming teacher to conduct swimming lessons from the poolside; there are a number of reasons for this, including:

  1. Safety - the teacher is able to maintain full visual cover of all the students from the poolside and thus react quickly to any emergencies.
  2. Teacher protection - due to their proximity to the student, and the difficulty of seeing exactly were a teacher has their hands; swimming teachers can be more vulnerable to accusations of abuse if they are teaching in the water.
  3. Observation - the swimming teacher on the poolside is in a better position to analyse the student’s skills, identify technical faults and provide corrective practices.

Nevertheless the STA recognise that teaching in the water can be very effective and beneficial to many students and recommends that where this takes place the following guidelines are observed:

  1. There should always be qualified lifesaving cover on the poolside; the only exception to this is if the teacher is teaching 1:1. or 1:2
    Note: It is a requirement that STA swimming teachers have an approved and in-date lifesaving certificate. However, the swimming teacher in the water is not in a position to act as a lifesaver for more than 2 people and therefore there must be additional lifesaving cover on the poolside.
  2. The teacher may teach up to a maximum of 6 pupils provided there is lifeguard/lifesaving supervision..
  3. The maximum depth of water in which a teacher can operate safely is when the water is at approximately the mid-chest line.
    Note: The swimming teacher in the water must be able to stand and walk freely and not be forced, by the depth of water, into a floating position.
  4. The teaching positions will be different when teaching in the water; the teacher must always position themselves so that they have the whole class under observation.
    Note: Particular attention must be paid when the swimming teacher is attending to an individual pupil; the teacher must be aware of the safety of the rest of the class and this may necessitate the remainder of the class being on poolside.
  5. The parent/guardian should be informed that the swimming teacher will be in the water and advise them of the reasons and benefits to the student.
  6. The parent/guardian should also be informed of the methods of manual support, if any, that will be used and obtain their consent to their use.
  7. The swimming teacher should only use methods of manual support that are appropriate to the age and ability of the student.
  8. Prior to using manual support the teacher should inform the student, explain the procedure and seek the student’s permission.
  9. Manual support should only be given when necessary and only for as long as it is required.
  10. The swimming teacher should keep their hands in view whenever possible.
  11. The swimming teacher should be easily recognisable as the instructor by, for example, wearing a “Teacher” T-shirt. If teachers are in the water for a long time they may need to wear wet suits.
The swimming teacher should not infringe on the personal space of the student and should be aware of familiarity that may come from students.

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Complaints and Appeals Procedure

Complaints

If a candidate has any complaints or concerns they should first discuss these with the course tutor. If this does not produce a satisfactory outcome candidates should write to the Chief Executive of the STA with full details. All queries will be dealt with promptly; a copy of the STA Customer Service Statement is available on request.

Appeals

Any candidate who is dissatisfied with the assessment result has the right to appeal the decision. The procedure is:

  1. The candidate should initially discuss their concerns with the course tutor; if the candidate is not satisfied with the outcome they should contact the STA for an Appeal Form.
  2. Part A of the Appeal Form should be completed by the candidate, countersigned by the Course Tutor and submitted to the STA with the relevant appeal fee. It must be lodged with the STA within 28 days of the final result being issued to the candidate.
    The STA will appoint a qualified person to act as adjudicator. The adjudicator will review the documentation, interview the candidate and course tutor and reach a decision which will be conveyed to the candidate who will countersign the Appeal Form.
    If the appeal is upheld the appeal fee will be reimbursed to the candidate.
  3. If the appeal goes against the candidate, the candidate may appeal to the Trustees of the STA; by completing Part C on the Appeal Form and submitting this to the STA, together with a further appeal fee.
    The Trustees will appoint an appeals panel to review the decision; they will consider all relevant paperwork and may, if they consider it appropriate, interview the candidate, the course tutor and the adjudicator. The panel will include an independent member.
    The decision of the appeals panel will be final and will be communicated in writing to the candidate. If the appeal is upheld the appeal fee will be reimbursed to the candidate.

Confidentiality

All paperwork relating to an appeal will be kept at the headquarters of the STA; the results will only be disclosed to the candidate.

If there is a requirement for an independent member to be on the panel, arrangements have been made with ILAM to find a suitable qualified individual.

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Customer Care Policy

The Swimming Teachers’ Association is committed to the principle of continuous service improvement in order to satisfy and wherever possible exceed customer expectations.

This customer care commitment will be sustained through:

  • Team work
  • Acceptance of the need to improve continuously at every level throughout the organisation
  • A commitment to listen and respond positively to our customers
  • Regular review and improvement
  • A commitment to learning from others
  • A commitment to ensure that all course documentation is processed within clearly defined time parameters
  • Ensuring that all correspondence is responded to within a minimum of 5 working days
  • Certificates - Provided that all requirements have been satisfied the STA will issue
  • notification of the results and the certificate, to the candidate, within 28 days of receipt of the required paperwork and fees from the course organiser.

The cornerstone of the organisations commitment to customer care is its fundamental philosophy that puts the customer first every time.

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STA Awards Returns and Exchange Policy

The STA will exchange badges and certificates on the following basis:

  • They are returned within 3 months of purchase.
  • They are current awards.
  • They are new and unused.
  • The customer returns a copy of the Invoice/Despatch note relating to the returned awards.
  • The customer agrees to pay an administration fee of 25% of the current value of the awards being exchanged.
  • The customer pays the postage for the return of the awards.

Alternatively if the customer wishes to have these awards credited to their account this will also be subject to an admin fee of 25%.

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Return of Catalogue Orders

When returning goods, please send goods unused, in the original box, within 14 days. Mark your parcel 'Swim & Save' and clearly state your reason for the return on a copy of the original invoice sent with your order.

All returns will be subject to an administration fee.

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STA Policies on Baby Swimming

There is a great deal of confusion regarding baby swimming, principally the areas of concern are:

  • The earliest date at which babies can be introduced to the swimming pool
  • Submersions

Starting Baby Swimming

The policy of the STA, with regard to introducing babies to aquatic activities is:

  • Babies should only be introduced to water in line with the most recent recommendations from the Department of Health. This can be found on http://www.immunisation.org.uk. The current recommendation, at the date of publication, is “your baby does not need any immunisations before they go swimming”.
  • The teacher should ensure that the midwife, health visitor or doctor is happy for the baby to be introduced to a public swimming pool.
  • The water and air temperature must be higher than for normal public swimming; at least 30°C (32°C for babies under 3 months old or weighing less than 5.5 kilos/12 lbs).
  • Baby swimming during the first six month should not take place in sea-water (see explanatory note 1).
  • Babies should wear specialised waterproof nappies, and ideally double nappies, to prevent leakage.
  • Very careful introduction must be carried out to prevent a long-term fear of water being developed.
  • The teaching of babies and infants should only be undertaken by holders of a suitable specialist teaching certificate such as the STA Baby and Pre-School Certificate.

Submersion Policy

The policy of the STA relates to intentional submersion as a practice in a structured session. It is not intended to include accidental submersions or quick dunks which may well happen on a frequent basis (see explanatory note 2):

Introduction

  • Submersion is an important part of introducing babies to the aquatic environment but should not be the dominant focus as it can be counterproductive to a good foundation in swimming.
  • Forced submersion is not best practice; it must not be carried out.
  • Submersion should only take place when the baby is ready and only then as part of a fun exercise.
  • Submersion at an inappropriate time will lead to distress and may result in a baby permanently being frightened of water.
  • Submersion practices should be progressive and should be stopped immediately if the baby shows any signs of distress or unhappiness.
  • Submersion should only take place when the baby is prepared and involved in the fun; it should not be attempted when the baby is looking away or is unaware of what is about to happen.
  • The frequency, depth and duration of submersions should be controlled within the guidelines set out below (see explanatory note 3).

Frequency of Intentional Submersions

  • The frequency of intentional submersions should be based on the baby’s age, physical ability and experience. It will also depend upon the swimming teacher’s style and technique of teaching.
  • The number of intentional submersions per session should be built up progressively at the baby’s pace. It is suggested that an appropriate rate on increase would be an increase of 6 submersions over 6 sessions.
  • As a guideline the STA suggests that the following frequencies be used:
    • For babies under 6 months old a maximum of 6 intentional submersions per session; in addition the baby may make a number of accidental submersions. Initially there may only be one or two submersions, building up to more as the baby develops in age, physical ability and experience.
    • For babies aged 6 to 12 months old the number of intentional submersions can be built up to a maximum of 12 intentional submersions per session in addition to any accidental submersions.
    • For toddlers over 12 months old there need be no upper limit.

Depth of Submersion

  • The depth of submersion is dependent upon age, physical ability and experience of the baby. The STA recommend that:
    • No baby under 12 months should be submerged to a depth greater than 1 metre.
    • Babies and toddlers over 12 months can progressively build up to a maximum submersion depth of 1.5 metres.

Duration of Submersion

  • Babies under 12 months can progressively build up to a submersion time of 3 seconds.
  • Babies and toddlers over 12 months can progressively build up to a submersion time of 10 seconds.

Explanatory Notes

  1. The natural swallowing reflex in young babies means that some water will enter the stomach and in cases where it contains salt, the salt will be absorbed. The kidneys of very young children are not developed enough to handle salt; salt overdosing can lead to serious illness and in extreme circumstances death.
  2. An intentional submersion would be to a maximum depth and duration as specified in the policy above and would be carried out within a structured baby swimming session. Where the submersion activity involves more than 1 short submersion, within a duration specified in the policy, e.g. mini dunks then this should count as 1 submersion. See chapter 14 in Baby & Pre-school Aquatics Training Manual by STA for further explanations and definitions.
  3. The principal concern surrounding the number of submersions a baby undertakes is related to water intoxication (hyponatremia). There has not been significant or recent research on this subject other than that carried out by Karl G Rosen, MD, Phd, published by the Swedish Paediatric Association in collaboration with the Swedish Board of Health and Welfare together with the Swedish Swimming Association. His research has shown that a baby needs to drink at least 10% of its body weight for the risk of water intoxication to occur. In a study of 15 babies below the age of 6 months, undertaking a 20 minute swimming session consisting of between 5 and 10 submersions, 7 of the babies increased their body weight by a maximum of 1.6%.