As an educational charity and a national governing body for swimming and lifesaving, STA is committed to improving water safety awareness so everyone can #LoveWaterSafely.
Water is a vital life skill. Whether at the pool, the coast, rivers or inland waterways, knowing how to stay safe in and around water can save lives.
That’s why STA supports and promotes the Water Safety Code, to provide clear, practical guidance that anyone can understand and follow.
Why Water Safety Matters
- Every year, accidental drownings occur across the UK – many of which are preventable.
- Drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental death in children, with hundreds of lives lost each year across the UK.
- Understanding risks, making safe choices, and knowing what to do in an emergency can make all the difference.
- At STA, water safety is embedded across everything we do – from our swimming teaching qualifications and learn to swim programmes, through to the resources we provide for teachers, adults and children.
- We believe that everyone should have access to the knowledge and skills needed on how to stay safe in and around water.
The Water Safety Code
The Water Safety Code is a simple set of four key messages designed to help people stay safe:
Click below to download your own copy of the Water Safety Code poster:
Float to Live
Float to live is water safety advice and an initiative launched by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). If you find yourself struggling in the water, following these five simple steps could save your life:
- Tilt the head back with ears submerged
- Try to relax and breathe normally
- Move the hands and legs to help stay afloat
- Spread the arms and legs to improve stability
- Call for help or swim to safety once breathing is under control.
Supporting Water Safety Through Education
Water safety is not just about reacting in an emergency – it’s about building confidence, awareness and good decision-making from an early age.
STA supports this through:
- Swimming teaching qualifications that include water safety education
- Learn to swim programmes that build water confidence and survival skills at every stage
- Ongoing professional development for swimming teachers
- Campaigns and initiatives that raise awareness nationwide and globally, including International Learn to Swim Week and Drowning Prevention Week
- Partnership working with the Swimming Alliance, APPG for Swimming and the National Water Safety Forum.
By equipping teachers, adults and children with practical knowledge, we help create safer environments both in and out of the water, as part of our charity objectives.
Access More Resources
Visit STA Online to see our water safety resource hub, which contains water safety lesson plans, activities, presentations, posters and more!
STA has developed a free, downloadable Water Safety Advice Booklet in partnership with the RNLI, designed to educate young people and their families about staying safe in and around water.
This bright and engaging booklet offers a fun, interactive way to help young people learn about essential water safety skills.
Our Partnership with the RNLI
STA is proud to support water safety education in partnership with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
The RNLI plays a leading role in drowning prevention and water safety awareness across the UK and Ireland. Through shared messaging like the Water Safety Code, we are working together to ensure more people have access to consistent, trusted guidance.
By aligning our education and training with nationally recognised safety messaging, we can help reinforce life-saving behaviours across all ages and abilities.
Supporting water safety resources can be found from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) at www.rnli.org/education