Welcome to our new Swimming Academy in conjunction with the new Swim Ireland syllabus. As part of the new Syllabus there are some changes to the levels we have previously taught. 

Below is a guide to the new levels and the appropriate previous level from our last Academy as a guide to help you understand which level to enrol your child in.

Levels 7 & 8 are advance levels which means that well advanced children will be developed and rounded to the highest standards and be able to slip seamlessly straight into club swimming and swimming as a sport for life, hopefully ending one day as member of the Swim Ireland High Performance Squad here at the National Aquatic centre

Level One:

Awareness of: the water environment

Introduces: Floating and breathing

1. Understanding of basic pool rules
2. Walking in water with water at shoulder level
3. Enter & exit pool safely with assistance
4. Float on front and back with an aid and assistance
5. Get face wet without submerging
6. Blowing bubbles
7. Regain feet from a floating position with an aid and assistance
8. Kick on front and back with aid

Cost: €75 for Members and €85 for Non-Members  - 40 Minute class (Capacity 8)

Level Two:

Awareness of: the underwater environment

Introduces: submerging and manoeuvrability with no assistance in water

Reinforces: being safe around water, building confidence

1. Understanding of basic pool rules
2. Pick up objects from the bottom of the pool in shallow water
3. Enter and exit pool safely without assistance
4. Using a board/aid float on back unassisted
5. Bob up and down repeatedly, submerging body and blow bubbles through nose and mouth
6. Roll 180 degrees form front to back then regain feet
7. Kick on front with aid unassisted
8. Kick on back with aid unassisted

Cost: Cost: €75 for Members and €85 for Non-Members  - 40 Minute class (Capacity 10)

Level Three:

Awareness of: moving through the water

Introduces: freestyle and backstroke and a greater confidence with entries

Reinforces: floatation skills and being confident underwater

1. Performa a surface dive
2. Safe pool entry
3. Demonstrate a floating position on front and back for 10 seconds
4. Push off wall and glide on front and back then regain feet
5. Demonstrate rotary breathing – show the head turning to the side to breathe
6. Rotate 360 degrees without touching the pool floor
7. Demonstrate a freestyle arm action with a board for 5 metres
8. Demonstrate a backstroke arm action with a board for 5 metres

Cost: Cost: €75 for Members and €85 for Non-Members  - 40 Minute class (Capacity 12)

Level Four

Awareness of: the swimming strokes

Introduces: being upside down, treading water and diving Reinforces: varied methods of entry

1. Using an aid, tread water using a cycling action and a breaststroke type leg action for 20 seconds
2. Demonstrate a handstand from the bottom of the pool
3. Demonstrate a sitting dive and glide
4. From a floating position swim through a submerged hoop
5. Push and glide on front and back holding glide for 2 metres
6. Swim 5 metres freestyle breathing to the side
7. Swim 5 metres backstroke tummy  up
8. Swim 5 metres froggy arms
9. Kick on front and back with board for 10 metres

Cost: Cost: €75 for Members and €85 for Non-Members  - 40 Minute class (Capacity 12)

Level Five

Awareness of: orientation of the body in the water

Introduces: basics of tumbling and streamlining

Reinforces: swimming and kicking on the front and back

1. Demonstrate a forward somersault from a standing position
2. Demonstrate a kneeling dive
3. Demonstrate 3 different floating
4. Demonstrate a good push off from the wall on front and kick in a streamline position
5. Demonstrate understanding of bi-lateral breathing
6. Swim 10 metre freestyle breathing to the side
7. Swim 10 metre backstroke keeping head still
8. Swim 10 metre on front showing breaststroke type actions
9. Kick on from and back for 15 metres with no support

Cost: Cost: €75 for Members and €85 for Non-Members  - 40 Minute class (Capacity 12)

Level Six

Awareness of: linking skills, timing and distance

Introduces: undulation and sculling and the use of good technique in the swimming strokes

Reinforces: manoeuvrability underwater, and builds on diving techniques

1. Tread water for 30 seconds keeping the head clear of the water
2. Surface dive and retrieve and object from the pool floor in deep water
3. Demonstrate a kneeling dive and swim out
4. Demonstrate a good push off with streamlining, on front and back from good starting position
5. Using a pull buoy scull 10 metres on front in a forward direction
6. Swim 2 x 15 metres freestyle showing good technique and breathing without stopping
7. Swim 2 x 15 metres backstroke showing good technique without stopping
8. Using a kickboard 2 x 15 metres breaststroke
9. Kick 10 metres arms by side using a butterfly style undulating action
10. Swim 4 x 10 metres each of freestyle and backstroke without stopping

Cost: €75 for Members and €85 for Non-Members  - 40 Minute class (Capacity 12)

Levels 7 & 8

These are the levels for children who were successful on the previous Academy Levels and are now looking to move to Advance Levels, on the pathway towards elite swimming

Level Seven

Awareness of: personal safety in water

Introduces: continuous swim for 50m and personal survival

Reinforces: butterfly stroke and varied methods of moving through water

1. Demonstrate life jacket use/survival position i.e H.E.L.P or huddle
2. Demonstrate a front somersault from floating position
3. Demonstrate a crouching dive
4. Using a pull buoy scull 15 metres on front head first and feet first
5. Swim 25 metres freestyle with good technique
6. Swim 25 metres breaststroke with good technique
7. Swim 15 metres breaststroke with correct timing
8. Attempt butterfly arms and legs together for 5 metres
9. Tread water attempting eggbeater kick for 45 seconds then swim 25 metres
10. Swim 50 metres using 2 different strokes holding good technique, attempting turns without stopping

Cost: €75 for Members and €85 for Non-Members  - 40 Minute class (Capacity 12)

Level Eight

Awareness of: competence in water

Introduces: rhythm, endurance and underwater swimming

Reinforces: streamlining, sculling and pulling technique

1. Demonstrate a standing dive into deep water
2. Demonstrate a good push, glide and streamline on front and back; hold and kick water for 5 metres
3. Using a pull buoy scull 15 metres on front and back head first and feet first
4. Swim 50 metres freestyle demonstrating good rhythm and breathing
5. Swim 50 metres backstroke demonstrating good rhythm and breathing
6. Swim 25 metres breaststroke attempting pull out and regular breathing
7. Swim 10 metres using a butterfly action
8. Using a kickboard kick 4 x 25 metres freestyle and backstroke
9. Pull 25 metres freestyle using a pull buoy
10. Swim 100 metres using 2 different strokes holding a technique and turns without stopping

Cost: €75 for Members and €85 for Non-Members  - 40 Minute class (Capacity 12)

To Book ALL of the above levels

Drop in and Book in person in the Sales Office

* This method gets precedence over Telephone Bookings

Or call the National Aquatic Centre Sales Office

01 6464 300

Please Note: The NAC swim instructors will assess each child accordingly and ensure that each child is placed into a level that is suitable for their ability.

The NAC swim instructors may add additional activities into each separate level to ensure the highest possible standard within the lesson.

Parents must view from the Pool Grandstand.

They cannot sit on pool deck & Prams and Buggies are not permitted on pool deck either