STA vs Swim England: What’s Changing?
We're always looking for ways to provide the best possible swimming lesson experience for our swimmers and families.
As part of this commitment, we will be moving from the Swim England Learn to Swim Framework to the STA LSP Grades 1-7.
We understand that any change to swimming lessons can raise questions for parents and swimmers, so we've put together this guide to explain what's changing, what's staying the same, and what that might mean for you.
Why Are We Making The Change?
The STA (Swimming Teachers' Association) Learn to Swim Programme is a nationally recognised swimming framework used by leisure centres, swim schools and aquatic providers across the UK and internationally.
The programme provides a clear pathway from a swimmer's first experience in the water through to advanced swimming skills and aquatic activities.
The move to STA allows us to continue delivering high quality swimming lessons, while also providing a flexible and progressive programme that supports swimmers of all ages and abilities.
What's Staying The Same?
The good news is that most aspects of your swimming lessons will remain exactly the same.
You can still expect:
Qualified and experienced swimming teachers
Structured lessons with clear progression
Regular assessments and feedback
A focus on water safety and confidence
Fun and engaging lessons
Opportunities to develop swimming technique and skills
The overall goal remains unchanged: helping swimmers become safe, confident and capable in the water.
What's Changing?
The main change is the framework used to structure lesson stages and track progression.
Instead of progressing through Swim England stages, swimmers will progress through STA stages (now called grades).
The skills being taught remain very similar, but the names of some stages and the way progression is recorded may look different.
Parents may notice new stage names, certificates and badges as swimmers move through the programme.
Will My Child Need To Start Again?
In a word, no.
Swimmers will not lose any progress they have already made.
We will map existing Swim England stages across to the appropriate STA stage to ensure swimmers continue from the level that best matches their current ability.
Teachers will continue to assess swimmers and place them in the most suitable lesson group.
What Is The STA Learn To Swim Programme?
The STA Learn to Swim Programme is designed to develop swimmers through a series of progressive stages.
The programme focuses on:
Water confidence
Water safety
Floating and buoyancy skills
Core swimming techniques
Stamina and endurance
Efficient stroke development
Personal survival skills
As swimmers progress, they continue building confidence while developing strong technical foundations.
Will Lesson Times Or Prices Change?
No. The change relates to the teaching framework being used within lessons.
Lesson times, lesson structures and pricing arrangements will continue as normal unless otherwise communicated.
What About Water Safety?
Water safety remains a key part of the programme.
Learning how to stay safe in and around water is an essential life skill, and the STA programme includes water safety education throughout the swimmer journey.
This helps children develop confidence while understanding how to recognise and respond to different situations in and around water.
How Will Progress Be Measured?
Teachers will continue to assess swimmers against clearly defined criteria within each stage.
When swimmers consistently demonstrate the required skills, they will progress to the next stage.
Parents will continue to receive updates on progression, achievements and stage completion.
What Do I Need To Do?
In most cases, nothing.
We will manage the transition process and ensure swimmers are placed in the correct stage based on their current ability and progress.
If any action is required from parents or guardians, we will contact you directly with further information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my child keep their current progress?
Yes. Existing progress will be transferred to the most appropriate STA stage.
Will swimming teachers change?
No. Your lessons will continue to be delivered by our existing qualified teaching team.
Will lessons become harder or easier?
No. The overall learning outcomes remain very similar. The change is primarily to the framework used to structure progression.
Will certificates and badges look different?
Yes. Swimmers will receive STA awards and certificates as they progress through the programme.
Any Questions?
We understand that changes can sometimes feel unfamiliar, but our goal is to make the transition as smooth as possible for swimmers and families.
If you have any questions about the move to the STA Learn to Swim Programme, please speak to a member of our team or get in touch and we'll be happy to help.
