To download a list of accredited centres, click here
In today’s rapidly changing world of sport and leisure provision, providers of swimming programmes must focus on the delivery of a best value service, which makes a real difference to the lives of people. The scheme Aquamark has been developed to assist providers of swimming programmes to meet these challenges.
Aquamark is original and unique, designed specifically to help organisations providing swimming programmes to improve and enhance the service. It has been designed for all organisations involved in providing swimming programmes, including:-
Local authorities
Private leisure contractors
Swimming club
Private swim schools
Local Education Authorities
To assist in improving the level of swimming ability in the UK.
This is broken down into the following objectives:-
- To ensure effective implementation of ASA National Plan for Teaching Swimming, or the principles implicit in the National Plan for Teaching Swimming;
- To assist the provision of a consistently effective service to customers and participants, and to ensure that this service continues to improve in the future;
- To provide a framework to assist organisations to meet the requirements of Best Value;
- To provide a benchmark to which swimming programme providers can aspire;
- To facilitate sharing of best practice and to develop role models;
- To encourage the continuing professional development of teachers and coaches;
- To provide information on effectiveness of service delivery to customers and participants;
- To provide an external validation of performance.
| Aquamark comprises three main elements: |
1. Programme Criteria
Principles relating to how organisations providing swimming programmes should operate (developed by the swimming industry)
2. Self Assessment
Instructions and guidance regarding carrying out Self Assessment against the Aquamark Criteria, to enable providers to measure progress and plan and implement improvements.
3. Assessment
Optional Assessment against the Aquamark Criteria, carried out by industry experts who are trained as assessors. This provides an external, objective peer assessment of your strengths and areas for improvement, and potentially results in formal industry recognition in one of two categories:
i) Approved Scheme
ii) Premier Scheme
The Aquamark Criteria are sub-divided into the following four Modules and 20 Areas:
Module 1: Programme Operation
1.1 Teaching Methodology
1.2. Programme Content
1.3. Lesson Planning
1.4. Programme Delivery
1.5. Programme Monitoring
1.6 Health and Safety Management
1.7 Child Protection
1.8. Facilities and Equipment
Module 2: Staffing
2.1 Staff Planning and Recruitment
2.2 Staff Education, Training and Development
2.3 Staff Communication
2.4 Child Protection
Module 3: Customer Relations
3.1 Participant/Customer Care
3.2 Participant/Customer Feedback
3.3 Session Bookings
3.4 Advertising and Promotions
Module 4: Policy and Strategy
4.1 Strategy Development and Implementation
4.2 Research
4.3 Financial Management
4.4 Partnerships
4.5 Management Style
The Aquamark Scheme assessment is an assessment of your organisation against the scheme’s quality criteria, by selected swimming professionals, who are trained as assessors. The Assessment process is designed to :-
1. Provide a comprehensive, industry recognised means of measuring the progress of organisations providing swimming programmes;
2. Provide an incentive for organisations providing swimming programmes to make improvements in the way they operate;
3. Recognise good practice amongst organisations providing swimming programmes, and to identify role models;
4. To provide the basis for comparison and information sharing regarding practices;
5. To provide a credible 'best value' validation.
As a result of the assessment, organisations will receive:
- Scores for each 'area' in the quality criteria and an overall score.
- A summary of key strengths and key areas for improvement.
- Verbal feedback by the assessor team to explain the written findings, if required.
Organisations reaching the required scores in all four quality criteria modules are awarded recognition as:
'ASA Premier Scheme for Teaching and Coaching of Swimming'
Organisations reaching the required scores in modules one and two are awarded recognition as:
'ASA Approved Scheme for Teaching and Coaching of Swimming'
Organisations can apply to be assessed on Modules One and Two only, if required.
| Who is eligible for assessment? |
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All organisations providing swimming programmes are eligible and are encouraged to apply for an assessment. This includes:
Local authorities sport and leisure departments;
Private leisure contractors;
Swimming clubs;
Private swim schools;
Local Education Authorities.
The assessment will cover the full range of swimming programmes that the organisation is providing. (e.g. you cannot have an assessment just for the 'beginners' part of the programme).
Organisations do not have to be providing swimming programmes covering the full range of development to apply for an assessment; e.g. from 'beginners' through to 'excellence'. An organisation which only provides 'beginners' swimming lessons could apply. The quality criteria covers the requirement to develop 'exit routes' through partnerships with other providers.
The assessment and the resulting recognition is owned by the organisation proving the swimming programme, not by the facility. Therefore, where there is more than one operator providing swimming programmes in one facility, each of these providers should apply for an assessment. Clearly, if the relationship between these providers achieves an integrated, seamless swimming development service, this will be reflected in the assessment scores of the partners.
Where one organisation is providing swimming programmes at a number of facilities (e.g. a leisure contractor), the programmes are assessed separately at each facility. Separate recognition is given for the programmes at each facility. If these programmes are assessed as part of one assessment, the assessment time might be reduced due to the corporate elements. This would lead to a discounted assessment fee.
| Do you need some guidance on the process? |
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Email us at contactaquamark@swimming.org
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