ONE QUALIFICATION. READY TO TEACH.

Swim England has announced a landmark overhaul of its teaching qualification structure, introducing a new streamlined, one qualification pathway to becoming a swimming teacher. SwimNation speaks to Sarah Green, Head of Workforce Education at Swim England, about the new Level 2 in Teaching Swimming and what the changes mean for the sector and for future swimming teachers.

Why did you make the changes to Level 2 qualification?

We completed a sector wide consultation with our operators, our approved training centres (ATCs), our tutors and our swimming teachers. It highlighted a clear need for changes. Learners are seeking faster, more accessible training with a stronger emphasis on practical skills rather than academic content. There is also growing demand for a ‘one-course’ approach, without the intensity of a combined course. At the same time, our partners need high-quality teachers with the confidence and capability to deliver exceptional lessons from day one.

How’s it been received by your ATCs and tutors?

The new qualification has been extremely well received. It offers a clear, streamlined pathway to becoming a swimming teacher, making the process simpler and more accessible for learners. It places a strong emphasis on practical skills and real-world readiness, ensuring learners feel confident from day one. For tutors, the structure is more balanced and supportive, reducing pressure and allowing them to deliver exceptional lessons. Overall, this approach creates a better experience for everyone involved and will ensure the sector is equipped with highly skilled, confident swimming teachers.

Why should someone choose to qualify via Swim England?

Our Learn to Swim programme is the foundation of aquatic learning in the UK. It’s used across an estimated 80 per cent of all swimming lessons, which equates to around 1.77 million people (primarily children) each year.

The new ‘one-stop-shop’ qualification consolidates the learning journey for our future swimming teachers whilst maintaining Swim England’s high professional standards and has been designed in direct alignment with our Learn to Swim programme. This guarantees that new teachers possess the skills, methods and syllabus knowledge needed to deliver our Learn to Swim programme effectively.

Why is the new qualification good for the sector?

Accelerating the qualification process for learners gives operators the necessary leverage to develop their professional workforce more easily and expand their aquatic offerings, so that more people can access high-quality swimming lessons.

Does quicker mean less quality?

No, definitely not. Just because the route to becoming certified is quicker, doesn’t mean corners are being cut. The SEQ Level 2 in Teaching Swimming features a total of 50 hours’ qualification time, including 38 hours of guided learning with a tutor, convenient online self-directed learning and assessment time. The qualification offers a balance of theory and hands-on teaching, with practical assessments taking place in live lesson environments.

We have found people learn better from guided learning and practical sessions, rather than writing pages and pages of lesson plans. We want our teachers to feel ready to start from day one – the dedicated guided learning really supports them to be confident from the get-go. It also helps learners who may have SEN requirements, such as dyslexia, and benefit from more practical learning.

Tell us more about how you are making training more straightforward?

We are currently developing a new, integrated online platform for our learners, similar to a ‘google classroom’, which will launch later in 2026. This platform will feature multiple-choice assessments and a central resource hub for all learning materials, significantly streamlining the process for both learners and tutors. This in turn will help our tutors dedicate more time to providing high-quality, real-time practical training and feedback.

For tutors, the structure is more balanced and supportive, reducing pressure and allowing them to deliver exceptional lessons

What happens if you already have the Level One Swimming Assistant qualification and want to upskill to become a swimming teacher?

The most straightforward way, whether you’re completely new to teaching or hold a Level 1 Swimming Assistant qualification, is to complete the new SEQ Level 2 in Teaching Swimming.

What if you’re not confident to dive straight into being a swimming teacher?

We’ve also introduced a fantastic new one-day CPD, Learn to Swim Helper, which is an entry pathway available for people aged 14+. It’s a great stepping stone and can support young learners and any individuals who, for whatever reason, want to build their confidence and ‘test the water’ before committing to the SEQ Level 2 in Teaching Swimming.