Planning an aquatics programme for most teachers will differ from planning for other strands of the curriculum, as it involves liaison with other personnel who may deliver the programme. However, this does not diminish the role of the class teacher, who should ensure that the programme caters for the needs of the class and forms part of the school plan for aquatics.
In addition to the considerations for planning the class programme outlined, the following guide will aid the planning process for aquatics.
The teacher should consider
- the number of qualified swimming teachers required to meet the needs of the class. Where a class teacher is a qualified swimming teacher, he/she can teach any of the strand units of the programme. The class teacher who is not a qualified swimming teacher may work alongside the qualified swimming teacher.
- how the class can be organised to cater for a wide range of abilities if necessary
- where the practical difficulties related to the changing of clothes can be overcome, an infant programme for aquatics may be considered. It could focus on the strand units ‘Hygiene’, ‘Water safety’, ‘Entry to and exit from the water’ and ‘Understanding and appreciation of aquatics’. Simple elements of the ‘Buoyancy and propulsion’ strand unit could also be included. It is essential that the children experience many structured play activities in water
a fifth and sixth-class programme should draw on all strand units of the programme, with an emphasis on some units for individuals or groups within the class: for example a few reluctant swimmers may benefit from extra time devoted to structured water play or simple buoyancy and propulsion activities; more competent swimmers may benefit from an emphasis on improving stroke technique- each lesson should contain a range of activities from different strand units where possible to ensure a balanced approach.
- establishing liaison with the local pool personnel, outlining the proposed unit of work and his/her role in the aquatics lesson.
Exemplar 18 is designed for a mixed ability class of any age. It incorporates activities from all of the strands.
EXEMPLAR 18 - An aquatics lesson (any mixed-ability class)