Water Safety Bronze - Course Criteria

This course requires additional clothing - click here for more details

Learners should wear t-shirt and shorts for the duration of the Bronze and Silver tests unless stated.
Jeans, hooded tops, very tight or very baggy items are not suitable

1. Perform a safe entry, swim 100 metres, collect a buoyant aid and show the HELP position
for 1 minute then swim 50 metres with the aid and climb out unassisted
2. Tread water for 3 minutes
3. Float in a supine position for 1 minute
4. Perform a feet first surface dive and swim 5 metres underwater
5. Perform a head first surface dive and swim 5 metres underwater
6. Swim sidestroke for 15 metres
7. Simulate the actions of a weak swimmer
8. Perform a reach rescue using an aid
9. Perform a throw rescue over 8 metres using a buoyant aid
10. Explain 3 safety rules at the swimming pool

Water Safety Silver - Course Criteria

This course requires additional clothing - click here for more details

Learners should wear t-shirt and shorts for the duration of the Silver tests unless stated
– i.e. Section 5 Add jumper or sweatshirt. Jeans, hooded tops, very tight or very baggy
items are not suitable

1. Perform a safe entry, swim 200 metres, tread water for 3 minutes, collect a buoyant aid
and show the HUDDLE position for 2 minutes, swim 100 metres with the aid and climb out unassisted
2. Tread water for 2 minutes
3. Float in a supine position for 1 minute
4. Perform a feet first and a head first surface dive
5. Remove a long sleeved jumper or sweat shirt while in deep water
6. Swim 10 metres lifesaving backstroke and 20 metres sidestroke
7. Simulate the actions of an injured swimmer with head injury and with an arm injury
8. Perform a throwing rescue over 8 metres using a rope
9. Wade 5 metres to rescue an injured swimmer using a buoyant aid
10. Explain the HELP and HUDDLE position and when and why they would be used

Water Safety Gold - Course Criteria

This course requires additional clothing - click here for more details

Learners should wear long sleeved t-shirt, sweatshirt or pullover plus trousers or tracksuit bottoms
for the duration of the Gold tests unless stated. Jeans, hooded tops, very tight or very baggy items
are not suitable

1. Swim 200 metres, tread water for 2 minutes waving one arm to attract attention and 2 minutes normally,
collect a buoyant aid show the HELP position for 1 minute and the HUDDLE for 2 minutes, swim 200 metres
with the aid and climb out unassisted
2. Perform a feet first surface dive and swim 5 metres underwater
3. Perform a head first surface dive and swim 5 metres underwater
4. Remove the long sleeved t-shirt, jumper or sweat shirt and the long trousers or tracksuit bottoms
while in deep water
5. Swim 25 metres lifesaving backstroke
6. Swim 25 metres sidestroke leading with the right arm and 25 metres sidestroke leading with the left arm
7. Simulate a weak swimmer becoming tired and then unresponsive
8. Rescue a co-operative weak swimmer 10 metres away, using a buoyant aid, accompany them back
10 metres to safety and assist them out onto the poolside
9. Rescue a tired swimmer becoming unresponsive, 15 metres away, using a buoyant aid, tow them
back 15 metres
to safety and assist them out onto the poolside
10. Explain 3 methods you could use to help if you discovered somebody in difficulty in the water