PADI Swim Schools are PADI Scuba Dive Centers that offer an internationally recognised swim instruction program in affliation with Starfish Aquatics Institute (SAI). The PADI Swim School program offers state-of-the-art swim lessons that follow a similar philosophy to PADI Scuba Courses in that they are designed to meet the learning needs of each individual student and progress only as the student is ready for the next step

Learning to swim takes commitment. If our students are committed to attending our classes, we guarantee that our students will see progress.

PADI SWIM SCHOOL POWERED BY STARFISH AQUATICS INSTITUTE

The Starfish Aquatics Institute’s vision of “Saving Lives One At A Time” is a vision we wholeheartedly share at Water Orphans. The PADI Swim School curriculum consists of courses containing age-appropriate activities that focus on development of core aquatic skill competencies. The curriculum is built around the concept that there are core aquatic skills (competencies) that every student needs to know to be proficient in the water. The core competencies provide the foundation that will enable students to first learn functional self-survival skills, and after this basis is set, they will learn the correct swimming stroke technique by building upon what they already know.

The stage of skill development is identified by one of five colours – White, Red, Yellow, Blue and Green. A pre-determined benchmark (skill) must be met in order to achieve the next colour level. The students will track achievement of skills in their personal record book. Parents are encouraged to read through the books and participate in the tracking of each student’s progress. Each lesson is 45 minutes for students older than three years who can swim in a class set-up with an instructor. Each lesson is 30 minutes for students in our baby classes (mostly younger than three years) who is joined in the water with a parent/caregiver. We have classes each day of the week, from Mondays to Fridays. Classes are structured according to each students’ level of performance during the assessment. Classes are kept as small as possible and consist of approximately five students per class. The water temperature is kept around 30 degrees to ensure that students do not get cold during the lesson. We have an indoor heated pool and we do our best to ensure that there are no interruptions in our class schedule.

SWIM ASSESSMENT

During the first meeting an assessment will be done. After the assessment parents are under no obligation to register students with Water Orphans for further lessons.
The assessment will give us an opportunity to talk about the program as well as your available class options. It will also give you an opportunity to view our facilities.

You will require a full hour for the assessment.
The student(s) being assessed must also attend the assessment.
The assessment will start off with a quick tour of our facilities after which we will talk for about 15 – 20 minutes during which we explain the lesson plan to you as well as the rules applicable to our swim school specifically.
CONTACT US TO BOOK AN ASSESSMENT

2024 TERM DATES, PRICING AND PAYMENT STRUCTURE

We have four terms in every calendar year and the specific term dates are confirmed annually in advance. We are closed on public holidays.

OUR 2024 SWIM TERM DATES ARE:
TERM DATES
1 8 JANUARY – 20 MARCH
2 2 APRIL – 22 JUNE
3 29 JULY – 21 SEPTEMBER
4 30 SEPTEMBER – 7 DECEMBER

STAR BABIES // TOTS

Swimming lessons for babies and toddlers
(ages 6 months to 36 months)

The purpose of this course is to foster in very young children a high comfort level in the water while at the same time training the adults/caregivers who accompany them about water safety and drowning prevention. This course does not teach children to become accomplished swimmers or to survive in the water but it is a confidence-building, fun and loving experience. One adult/caregiver must be in the water with each child. Swim diapers are compulsory.

SWIM SCHOOL

Swimming lessons for kids and adults
(ages 3 years +)

The core competencies for Swim School include functional life-safety water skills that focus on self-rescue and water safety concepts. This foundation prepares the student to learn swimming strokes in Stroke School. Swim lessons are fun. Students are introduced to snorkeling, skin diving and fun water fitness games while developing swim skills.

STROKE SCHOOL

Stroke development and correction for kids and adults
(ages 4 years +)

Stroke development and correction is for students of all ages who have achieved all the Swim School benchmarks. Students will refine freestyle and learn stroke technique for backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke and develop endurance. Fun and Fitness activities introduces lifetime aquatic skills that include stroke skill development, fitness swimming, water exercise, games, introduction to snorkeling, skin diving and scuba diving.

For specific term dates and our rates please refer to the table above marked “2023 term dates pricing and payment structure” and click on read more button.

SWIM INSTRUCTOR TRAINING

(ages 18 years +)

This qualification is best suited for people with a passion for teaching and a love for water.. The PADI Swim School, powered by the Starfish Aquatics Institute, offers an Internationally recognised swim instruction curriculum with safety concepts built in at every level.

For more information with regards to PADI SWIM, click on the following link https://www.starfishaquatics.org/padi-swim-school.html#/

Become a PADI/SAI International Swim Instructor and teach any person from six months to swim.  .

The total cost for the course is R9 600 and includes the following:

  • Online theory
  • PADI/SAI IFSTA accreditation
  • Full first year membership fee (annual renewal fee payable).
  • 30 hours practical (in-water) training with an International PADI/SAI Swim Instructor trainer (additional practical training hours with swim students may be booked at R100 per 45-minute lesson)

All theory is completed online, a convenient way for student instructors to complete the independent study portion of the swim instructors’ course at home before the practical part of the course starts. You can work at your own pace, using your laptop/desktop/tablet/mobile device to complete the theory online.

The online theory consists of:

  • Videos
  • Quizzes
  • Worksheets and downloadable resources
  • Practicum and reflection assignments for in-water practice
PADI SWIM SCHOOL and STROKE SCHOOL

The learning path starts with the prerequisite Fundamentals of PADI SWIM SCHOOL, where student instructors complete these units:

  • Elements of effective teaching
  • Safety and risk management
  • Curriculum overview
  • The Starfish Swimming Code of Practice and Child Protection Policy

After completing the Fundamentals module, student instructors will learn:

  • appropriate safety skills
  • trust and submersion
  • body positions and air recovery
  • forward movement and direction change
  • rotary movement
  • integrated movement
  • functional (beginner) strokes on the front and back
  • safety skills and habits

Moving onto PADI STROKE SCHOOL, student instructors learn to develop effective technique for:

  • Freestyle
  • Backstroke
  • Butterfly
  • Breaststroke
  • Teaching Starts, Turns and Endurance
PADI STARBABIES and STARTOTS

Student instructors will learn how to:

  • introduce infants and toddlers to the water in a fun and loving environment
  • teach parents/caregivers evidence-based methods to teach their infants and toddlers how to float, submerge, move in the water, and roll over
  • incorporate songs and activities into classes
  • educate parents/caregivers about water safety and drowning prevention strategies

PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

Student instructors will practice how to deliver the PADI SWIM SCHOOL, STROKE SCHOOL STARBABIES and STARTOTS learning activities in-water and gain teaching experience.

ANNUAL RENEWAL

Swim instructor credentials are renewed annually by online exam and payment of annual renewal fee, to retain teaching status. Depending on the USD/ZAR exchange rate at the time of making the annual renewal payment, the renewal fee amounts to approximately R2100.