The Milestones Programme
From learning to swim to becoming a swimmer
Big Squids is our advanced, bespoke programme for 5 to 10-year-olds. Our five steps of aspirations, not tests, help every child progress in their own way and at their own speed.
The five steps
From first confidence to confident swimmer
Our continued commitment to teaching swimming in engaging and calm ways helps to grow confidence, water safety and technical skills. Just like Baby Squids, we teach in kind, supportive and nurturing ways. Tap a stop on the path to see what your child will work towards.
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Step 1 is about building water confidence and independent movement. Learning to control our bodies in different positions and using movements and understanding their effects. We’ll also work up to putting face in and the beginning of breath control.
Propulsion
- Move freely in the shallow end for 5m: walk, hop, skip, jump
- 5m leg kick on front and back, with equipment or support
- Push and glide "rocket" from the wall, with equipment or support
- Introduction to breaststroke leg kicks, with support
- Dolphin wiggle while standing
Rotation
- Spin or roll front-to-back without touching the floor, with support
Floatation
- Star float on front and back, 3–5 seconds, with support: ears in, regain feet
Breathing
- Goggles, cheek dips, chin in, calm with water on the face
- Bubbles or hums building to 3 rhythmic breaths
Water Safety
- Safe entry and exit using steps and swivel entry / climb exit
- Move 5m along the rail; safe seated entries and exits
- Sitting dive or jump (assisted) from the wall or a big mat
- Can give two examples of pool rules
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Step 2 is about finding balance in the water and learning to float. Floating is the fundamental skill to swimming and water safety and the beginning of moving independently on front and back. We’ll start exploring underwater with bigger submersions and breathing techniques.
Propulsion
- 5m independent push, glide, front crawl (unaided)
- Full arm strokes, surface recovery, rhythmic breathing
- 5m independent backstroke, hands by sides, long kicks
- 5m breaststroke leg kick, early arm pull
- Dolphin wiggle, standing into prone
Rotation
- Vertical-to-horizontal transition, minimal support
Floatation
- Back star float, 5–10s, reduced support, regain feet
- Introduction to the mushroom float
- Tuck-and-rotate: front, tuck, back float, reverse
Breathing
- Side-breathing holding a float, humming rhythmically
Water Safety
- Jump in, surface, float, swim back to the wall
- Independent jumps, big toes over the edge, feet first
- Big mat: standing, sitting, rolls, dolphin dips
- A sitting dive, with support if needed
- Full submerge to collect an object, eyes open
- Exit the water safely without support
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Step 3 is about putting swimming skills together. We’ll be building our strokes technique with a focus on coordination and how different parts of our body work together. We’ll explore bi-lateral breathing and the beginnings of self-rescue sequences.
Propulsion
- 10–15m swim, front crawl, backstroke or breaststroke
- Push, glide and swim 10–15m with rhythmic side breathing
- Push, glide and swim 10–15m backstroke, shallow arm pull
- 10m breaststroke leg kick with an early arm pull
- 5m independent dolphin kick, arms by the sides
Rotation
- Log rolls: front to back and back to front, 5–10m each way
Floatation
- Star float into backstroke leg kicks, moving 10m
- Two different float shapes, held 5 seconds each
- Back star float, 10 seconds, progressing into shape changes
- Tuck-and-rotate sequence, repeated
Breathing
- Bilateral breathing (both sides) for 10m
Water Safety
- Sink a toy, dive to retrieve it, surface safely
- Jump, submerge, surface, float, swim back, unaided
- Independent jumps, feet first, no assistance
- A sitting dive, unaided
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Step 4 is all about developing technique and timing. We’ll be refining each stroke and coordinating arms, legs and breathing with a focus on the process of when to do what. We’ll also learn more key water safety skills and extensions to survival floats.
Propulsion
- 15m continuous swim, mixed strokes
- 15m front crawl, streamlined technique
- 15m backstroke, streamlined technique
- 10m breaststroke kick, good technique
- 10m dolphin wiggle, early arm pull
Rotation
- Surface dive, floor to wall
- Headfirst sculling for 5m in back float
- Log roll continuously, front and back
- A 360-degree somersault in the water
Floatation
- Star, pencil, mushroom floats, 10–30s
- Sequence of 3 changing float shapes
- "Survival float" for 30 seconds
Breathing
- 5m underwater swim, calm exhale
Water Safety
- Jump entry, 180° rotation, return
- Treading water and sculling, introduced
- Raised-fist help signal, back floating
- Sitting and kneeling dives, unaided
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Step 5 is about distance, building stamina and water safety. We’ll be focussing on swimming a technical 25m front crawl to Swim England and STA industry standards, plus advancing skills like treading water and swimming in clothes.
Propulsion
- 25m front crawl and backstroke, industry standard
- 10m breaststroke and butterfly, industry standard
- Push, glide, swim all four strokes to standard
Rotation
- A handstand, held unaided for 3 seconds
- A forwards somersault
- A tumble turn (or touch-turn) off the wall
Floatation
- Treading water, 30 seconds to 1 minute
Breathing
- Advanced, rhythmic breathing, all four strokes
Water Safety
- Full sequence: clothed entry, swim 10m, float, exit
- Straddle, pencil and fall-in entries, with recovery
- Float on the back for 1 minute, unaided
- Tread water 30 seconds; 360-degree rotation
- "Shout & Signal" and HELP position, floating object
- Feet- and head-first sculling on the back, 5–10m
- Sitting, kneeling and standing dives
Common questions
A few things parents often ask us before their child starts, or partway through the programme.
Are these steps a test?
No, they're aspirations, not a test or a tick-box exercise. We know every child is individual, so we help them understand and learn in their own way and at their own speed, rather than measuring them against a fixed pass mark.
What if my child has additional needs?
We adapt how we teach, not what we teach. Children with different physical or neurodiverse needs work towards the same STA and Swim England-recognised milestones as everyone else, in whichever way best suits their abilities. The standard is the same, taught in kind, supportive and calm ways.
Got a younger child too?
Baby Squids is our programme for 0-4 year-olds, from their very first splash through to confident, independent swimming. Explore the Baby Squids journey →