STA invites the UK and international aquatics community to be a part of the 2025 Aquatic Excellence Awards
Awards that recognise international excellence in grassroots swimming and aquatics.
Why STA Aquatic Excellence Awards?
As a national governing body for swimming and lifesaving, and a registered educational charity, the STA is committed to promoting the highest standards in swimming teaching, lifesaving, and water safety education. For over 93 years, the STA has championed excellence across the aquatic sector, representing over 20,000 members and partnering with swim schools and leisure operators throughout the UK and internationally.
The STA Aquatic Excellence Awards are a celebration of the outstanding achievements and contributions made across the industry in the last 12 months. These awards shine a spotlight on individuals, teams, and organisations delivering exceptional standards in learn-to-swim programmes, lifesaving and pool plant training – in line with STA’s charitable objectives.
What will an STA Aquatic Excellence Award mean to your business?
Winning an STA Aquatic Excellence Award will provide recognition that you or your organisation has been judged and deemed to demonstrate excellence in their STAr award category by a national governing body for swimming and lifesaving, and it provides an opportunity for you to promote your services as award-winning. Winners will also be exclusively provided with a STA Aquatic Excellence Award logo.
The STA Aquatic Excellence Awards are open to all UK and International learn to swim individuals and organisations that work in the given STAr award categories.
Nominations and Applications will be judged ‘blind’ by STA’s Trustees and the winner’s will be chosen on the basis that the entry fulfils the STAr awards criteria.
- The individual awards for Swimming Teacher, Tutors, Member and Water Safety Educator of the Year, are nomination only entries. STA may contact the applicant who nominated a teacher, tutor, member or water safety educator for further information as part of the judging process.
- The other six STAr awards require the business / organisation to enter themselves.
- If you wish to supply additional supporting information or images highlighting any special features or services you would like us to consider, please upload up to two labelled files with your nomination / entry.
- Please fill in all sections of the entry form, ensuring you supply full contact details.
- Incomplete or incorrect entry forms will be disqualified from entry.
- Entries received after the closing date of Thursday 31st July 2025 will not be entered.
- The judges (STA Trustees) reserve the right to move entries into relevant categories. You will be notified of any suggested changes.
- The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence shall be entered into.
- The finalists will be announced on the STA website in September 2025.
- The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at STA’s National Conference on Friday 17th October.
- Award Applications Open – TBC
- Award Applications Close – Thursday 31st July 2025
- Finalists Announced – September 2025
- Awards Presentation Evening – Friday 17th October 2025 at STA’s National Conference – book your place here.
2025 STAr Award Categories
With our headline sponsor Zoggs UK, there are 12 awards to be won in 2025 and those wishing to nominate / enter should do so by Thursday 31st July to be in with the chance of winning a coveted STAr award.
NOMINATE YOUR:
- STAr Swimming Teacher of the Year
- STAr Tutor of the Year – Aquatics
- STAr Tutor of the Year – Lifesaving & First Aid
- STAr Tutor of the Year – Pool Plant
- STAr Member of the Year
- STAr Water Safety Educator of the Year
OPEN ENTRIES:
- STAr STA Swim Academy of the Year
- STAr Swim School Provider of the Year (under 500 participants per week)
- STAr Swim School Provider of the Year (over 500 participants per week)
- STAr Not-for-Profit Community Campaign of the Year)
- STAr Approved Training Centre of the Year – (less than 50 courses delivered over the last 12 months)
- STAr Approved Training Centre of the Year – (more than 50 courses delivered over the last 12 months)
STAr NOMINATION ENTRIES
The first six are individual awards for Swimming Teacher, Tutors in Aquatics, Lifesaving & First Aid, and Pool Plant, Member and Water Safety Educator of the Year, and are now open for nominations only.
STAr Swimming Teacher of the Year
Who should YOU NOMINATE?
All swimming teachers perform a special job, but the purpose of this award is to recognise a swimming teacher who has gone above and beyond in their role. The award aims to acknowledge the remarkable achievements of one individual who has made a real difference in grassroots swimming teaching, within all disciplines, over the last 12 months.
The judges will be looking for a swimming teacher that has made a significant difference or impact to a participant, group or made an exceptional difference in their community. They must demonstrate a high quality, safe, inclusive and fun approach to teaching swimming which is participant centred.
STAr Tutor of the Year – Aquatics
Who should YOU NOMINATE?
This is open to all STA Tutors with an Aquatics discipline. It will be rewarded to recognise the achievements of an individual STA Tutor over the last 12 months.
The award will acknowledge the role they have played as a STA Tutor and the judges will be looking for examples of the impact, they have made in helping train the next generation of aquatic professionals. They must demonstrate innovative delivery, supporting learner development and responding to individual needs, whilst complying with STA and ATC policies and procedures.
STAr Tutor of the Year – Lifesaving & First Aid
Who should YOU NOMINATE?
This is open to all STA Tutors with Lifesaving & First Aid disciplines. It will be rewarded to recognise the achievements of an individual STA Tutor over the last 12 months.
The award will acknowledge the role they have played as a STA Tutor and the judges will be looking for examples of the impact, they have made in helping train the next generation of lifesaving and first aid professionals. They must demonstrate innovative delivery, supporting learner development and responding to individual needs, whilst complying with STA and ATC policies and procedures.
Nominate
STAr Tutor of the Year – Pool Plant
Who should YOU NOMINATE?
This is open to all STA Tutors with a Pool Plant discipline. It will be rewarded to recognise the achievements of an individual STA Tutor over the last 12 months.
The award will acknowledge the role they have played as a STA Tutor and the judges will be looking for examples of the impact they have made in helping train the next generation of pool and spa plant professionals. They must demonstrate innovative delivery, supporting learner development and responding to individual needs, whilst complying with STA and ATC policies and procedures.
STAr Member of the Year
Who should YOU NOMINATE?
The purpose of this award is to recognise an STA member who has made an outstanding contribution to support other STA members with their career progression and further support STA’s charity objectives.
The judges will be looking to acknowledge an individual who has inspired, mentored and acted as a source of positive encouragement for other STA members.
STAr Water Safety Educator of the Year
Who should YOU NOMINATE?
This award recognises anyone involved in water safety education, and who over the last 12 months has played a pivotal role in helping to promote the importance of learning to swim and how to be safe in and around water, in line with STA’s charity objectives.
The judges will be looking for unwavering commitment, dedication and passion as well as innovative methods for ensuring everyone has access to water safety information and skills.
STAr OPEN ENTRIES
The next six awards are open to all qualifying learn to swim providers who work in the given STAr criteria, and they are encouraged to enter directly with a written or video submission.
STAr Swim Academy of the Year
Who should ENTER
All STA Swim Academies* are eligible to enter themselves. The award will reflect how the Academy has implemented innovative learn to swim strategies that have expanded the opportunity for people of all ages and abilities in their communities to learn a key life skill.
The judges will also be looking for examples of how the Academy has delivered best practices in swimming teaching through training, education and career development.
STAr Swim School Provider of the Year (under 500 participants per week)
Who should ENTER
This is open to swim schools operating in either the public or private sector, who deliver learn to swim programmes to under 500 participants per week. The award will recognise innovative inclusive learn to swim strategies that have expanded the opportunity for people of all ages and abilities in their communities to learn a key life skill. Through new initiatives to support inclusivity, retention of participants and a diverse lesson offering.
The judges will be looking for examples of how the swim school has delivered best practices in swimming teaching by following STA’s learn to swim ethos, going above and beyond to support participants and their families to create a lifelong love of aquatics.
STAr Swim School Provider of the Year (over 500 participants per week)
Who should ENTER
This is open to swim schools operating in either the public or private sector who deliver learn to swim programmes to over 500 participants per week. The award will recognise innovative inclusive learn to swim strategies that have expanded the opportunity for people of all ages and abilities in their communities to learn a key life skill. Through new initiatives to support inclusivity, retention of participants and a diverse lesson offering.
The judges will be looking for examples of how the swim school has delivered best practices in swimming teaching by following STA’s learn to swim ethos, going above and beyond to support participants and their families to create a lifelong love of aquatics.
STAr Not-for-Profit Community Campaign of the Year
Who should ENTER
This award recognises the incredible work organisations undertake to promote and get more people learning to swim. It is open for anyone involved in aquatics and who has delivered a not-for-profit swimming-related campaign in their communities over the last 12 months.
The judges will be looking for the award winner to show how they engaged with their audience and who benefitted, and demonstrate the positive impact the campaign made.
STAr Approved Training Centre of the Year (less than 50 courses delivered over the last 12 months)
Who should ENTER
This is open to STA ATCs who have delivered less than 50 course within the last 12 months, May 2024 – May 2025. The award will reflect how the ATC has consistently managed its compliance responsibilities to the highest level, while also delivering excellent, high-quality courses for learners. The award will recognise the ATC’s practices regarding inclusivity, equality and diversity, and all activity that supports STA in fulfilling its charity objectives.
The judges will be looking for the ATC to demonstrate how they have engaged with STA, facilitated learners needs, used innovated delivery methods to support learner development and shown compliance and quality assurance excellence, alongside examples of best practice and exceptional initiatives.
STAr Approved Training Centre of the Year (more than 50 courses delivered over the last 12 months)
Who should ENTER
This is open to STA ATCs who have delivered more than 50 course within the last 12 months, May 2024 – May 2025. The award will reflect how the ATC has consistently managed its compliance responsibilities to the highest level, while also delivering excellent, high-quality courses for learners. The award will recognise the ATC’s practices regarding inclusivity, equality and diversity, and all activity that supports STA in fulfilling its charity objectives.
The judges will be looking for the ATC to demonstrate how they have engaged with STA, facilitated learners needs, used innovated delivery methods to support learner development and shown compliance and quality assurance excellence, alongside examples of best practice and exceptional initiatives.