DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION
PROCEDURES
SCHOOL SWIMMING, WATER SAFETY PROGRAMS AND AQUATIC ACTVITIES
Responsibility of: School Support Services DoE File: DET2013/199
Effective Date: October 2013 EDOC: DET2013/399-2
Next Review Date: October 2015 Version Number: 4.3
Target Audience: All school staff
This document should be read in conjunction with School Swimming, Water Safety Programs and
Aquatic Activities Policy.
1. INTRODUCTION
These procedures have been produced to promote safe aquatic participation while minimising risks
associated with school swimming and water safety programs. This is supported by providing schools
with teacher qualifications, student ratios, and ‘duty of care’ requirements for school swimming
programs including; swimming carnivals, diving, recreational aquatic activities and student
resuscitation education.
2. DEFINITIONS
School swimming and water safety program refers to formal learn to swim and aquatic survival
education within structured school swimming and water safety programs based on skill
development and assessment of student ability.
School swimming carnival refers to amateur swimming competitions consisting of structured
swimming events.
Recreational aquatic activities/unstructured activities refers to participation in informal aquatic
activities other than the school swimming and water safety program. Such as celebration or reward
days either for individual classes or the whole school, free swim time as part of an excursion, free
swim time incorporated in a school swimming carnival, free swim time or pool play at a school camp
or free swimming in a weekly swimming program.
Ratio refers to the required number of qualified teachers/supervisors in relation to the swimming
ability and number of students participating in the designated activity/program.
Teacher in Charge refers to a Department of Education teacher who has overall responsibility for
the safety and wellbeing of the group of students in their care, at a swimming and water safety
program/activity. This teacher is in charge of organising the activity/program and has ultimate
responsibility and therefore authority while the activity/program is in progress.
Active Adult Supervisor is an adult who is continually monitoring students in and out of the water.
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DoE Procedures: School Swimming, Water Safety Programs and Aquatic Activities
Purpose built pool refers to pools in preschool settings that are used for water familiarisation and
play.
Swimming teacher is the suitably qualified teacher in accordance with the Qualifications and Ratios
Table (Attachment A). Preschools must ensure that they maintain the minimum ratio and
qualifications requirements required under the Education and Care Services National Regulations at
all times. The swimming teacher is responsible to the teacher in charge of the swimming and water
safety activity/program and holds a Working with Children Clearance Notice.
Swimming ability assessment is an assessment conducted at the beginning of a school swimming
and water safety program. The assessment of each student is required to confirm the level of
swimming ability of individual students in accordance with the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia
Swim and Survive and Bronze Star Rescue Awards (Attachment B). This assessment enables the
swimming instructor to group students according to their swimming ability.
Water Survival Challenge Proficiency is an assessment of student’s swimming proficiency
conducted at the beginning of any school aquatic activity that includes unstructured or ‘free time’.
Where there are no active records of a student’s swimming proficiency, students will be required to
complete the Water Survival Challenge Proficiency (Template A).
Independent Observer is an adult who has been notified of his/her role and responsibilities by the
person in charge of the swimming or water safety activity. This person needs to be suitably
positioned, so as to have clear vision of all participants within the defined area.
Parent signifies a child’s father, mother or any other person who has parental responsibility for the
child, including a person who is regarded as a parent of the child under Aboriginal customary law or
Aboriginal tradition.
Parental responsibility refers to a person who has:
a) daily care and control of the child, or
b) is entitled to exercise all the powers and rights, and has all the responsibilities, in relation to
the long-term care and development of the child, or
c) has daily care and control of the child and the entitlement and responsibilities at (b)
and includes a person who has been given the above responsibilities under another state or
territory law.
Risk Assessment a procedure undertaken by the teacher in charge of the swimming or water safety
program/activity to identify any potential hazards that could cause harm to students involved in the
program/ activity. The Risk Assessment should include the location of the swimming or water safety
program, the date and time when the assessment was undertaken and a completed Risk
Management Plan (Template B).
Emergency Action Plan (Template C) is a set of documented and well-rehearsed procedures which
are initiated by the teacher in charge of the swimming or water safety program/activity on the
occurrence of a major incident.
Types of swimming environments
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DoE Procedures: School Swimming, Water Safety Programs and Aquatic Activities
Type of
Description Examples
environment
Closed pool A fence encloses the pool Council/Shire/Community pools
Qualified lifeguard is on duty in Darwin, Palmerston,
Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Jabiru,
The pool can be hired outside public
Tennant Creek, Pirlangimpi,
hours
Ngukurr, Yuendumu and Alice
First aid facilities may be on site Springs
Shallow Pool Depth of water is at or below waist level Preschool Pools
of students
Deep Pool Depth of water is above waist level of Most ‘closed pools’ could be
students when standing on both feet considered ‘deep pool’
depending on height of students
Supervised Water The depth of the water may vary Leanyer Recreation Park
Recreational A qualified lifeguard is on duty Palmerston Water Park
Facility
Water clarity may depend on the time of Darwin Waterfront Lagoon and
year Wave Lagoon
First Aid facilities would be present Palmerston Water Park
Natural Waterway The depth of water may vary Lake Alexander
including Sheltered There is no qualified lifeguard on duty Darwin Waterfront Recreation
Waters*
The body of water may be still or flowing Lagoon
Water clarity may depend on the time of Edith Falls (Katherine)
year Ellery Big Hole
Vegetation may surround part or all of Glenn Helen
the body of water Ormiston Gorge
There may be submerged rocks and or Berry Springs
tree branches Wangi Falls
Water level may change rapidly due to Lake Bennett
heavy rainfall Mataranka and Bitter Springs
Crocodile activity may change due to
seasonal changes
Not all natural waterways are safe for
swimming and this will need to be
identified in the risk assessment
* Absence of windy, choppy or moving
water
Open Water Coastal location not enclosed by land, Mindil Beach, Casuarina Beach,
includes ocean, gulf and any large Yirrkala
expanse of water
Not recommended for the teaching of swimming
3. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
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DoE Procedures: School Swimming, Water Safety Programs and Aquatic Activities
Principals are responsible for ensuring that:
the school provides opportunities for all primary and middle years students to participate in
swimming and water safety programs which include resuscitation education
all teaching staff including outside providers, are holders of a Working with Children Clearance
Notice
all teachers of swimming and water safety have current qualifications as outlined in the
Qualifications and Ratios Table (Attachment A)
all school staff are made aware of the policy and familiarise themselves with this document
the Risk Assessment including a Risk Management Plan and Emergency Action Plan is conducted
as outlined in this document and authorised by the principal
records of student swimming ability are updated, maintained in the Student Administration
Management System (SAMS) at the conclusion of each swim program/activity and reported to
Royal Life Saving NT Branch.
Teachers in Charge are responsible for ensuring that:
a Risk Assessment is conducted for the aquatic environment and an appropriate Risk
Management Plan and Emergency Action Plan is authorised and implemented
all participants and staff are aware of, and practice the emergency procedures, identified in the
Emergency Action Plan at the start of the swimming and water safety program, activity or event
when using a natural waterway, the managing body is contacted to confirm the designated area
is crocodile free and is safe for swimming (this may include Parks Australia, NT Parks and
Wildlife, Stations and Resort Management)
the Excursions Policy Consent Form requesting parents identify the swimming ability of
individual students is returned for all swimming and water safety programs/activities
no student is permitted to enter the water without a completed Consent Form that includes
parental assessment of the child’s swimming ability
information obtained from Consent Form, SAMS and Royal Life Saving Australia is taken to all
swimming and water safety programs, swimming carnivals and recreational activities
at the beginning of a school swimming and water safety program, a swimming ability assessment
of each student is conducted and recorded in accordance with these procedures
at the beginning of any school unstructured aquatic activities, where there are no records of a
student’s swimming proficiency, students are required to complete the Water Survival Challenge
Proficiency (Template A); and that
o all students are issued with a coloured band. Proficient students are issued with a green
band, non-proficient students are issued with a yellow band and non-swimmers are issued
with a red band. Assessment information is located in the supporting documents for this
policy
records of student swimming ability are updated in SAMS at the conclusion of each swim
program/activity and report to Royal Life Saving NT Branch
sun smart procedures and practices are followed by students and staff
they take overall responsibility for the department’s duty to ensure the safety and wellbeing of
the students in its care at a swimming or water safety program/activity
a First Aid Kit is available for use at the aquatic location
an adult with a current First Aid Certificate is present during all swimming and water safety
programs/activities
the adult/teacher to student ratios set out in the Qualifications and Ratios Table (Attachment A)
are adhered to.
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DoE Procedures: School Swimming, Water Safety Programs and Aquatic Activities
4. PROCEDURES
4.1 Duty of Care
The teacher in charge has overall responsibility for ensuring that the department meets its duty to
ensure the safety and wellbeing of the group of students in its care at a swimming and water safety
program/activity.
The swimming teacher is responsible to the teacher in charge of the swimming and water safety
program/activity.
4.2 Qualifications
The swimming and water safety program/activity must be conducted by a suitably qualified teacher
in accordance with the Qualifications and Ratios Table (Attachment A).
For swimming and water safety programs/activities conducted in purpose built pools e.g. pools in
preschool settings, teachers of swimming and water safety are required to have a current minimum
qualification of Royal Life Saving Australia Swim Teacher Rescue Award and a completed Emergency
Action Plan and Risk Management Plan for the purpose built pool.
4.3 First Aid
It is the responsibility of the teacher in charge of the swimming and water safety program/activity to
ensure that a First Aid Kit is available for use at the aquatic location, and that an adult with a current
First Aid Certificate is present during all swimming and water safety programs/activities.
In the case of drowning or severe accident an ambulance must be called. All accidents should be
reported to the principal, and the Injury, Incident or Hazard Report Form must be completed on the
same day as the accident.
If a serious injury/incident occurs or a dangerous hazard is identified, NT WorkSafe must be notified
immediately by telephone 1800 019 115 and, if required, in writing within forty-eight hours by
submitting the Incident Notification Form. If in doubt about reporting requirements, contact NT
WorkSafe for advice.
4.4 Risk Assessment, Risk Management Plan and Emergency Action Plan
A Risk Assessment must be conducted for the aquatic environment being used, and a Risk
Management Plan and Emergency Action Plan must be designed for that environment by the
teacher in charge of the program/activity in consultation with the certified swimming teacher.
All participants and staff should be aware of and practice the Emergency Procedure identified in the
Emergency Action Plan at the start of the swimming and water safety program/activity. Safety
equipment must be available at all times during programs/activities. An essential item is a rescue
tube, other items could include; flotation device (kickboard), broom handle, length of rope
(minimum six metres), and personal flotation device (PFD).
4.5 Natural waterways including sheltered waters and open water
When using a natural waterway the teacher in charge of the swimming and water safety
program/activity must contact the managing body prior to and on the day of the event to confirm
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DoE Procedures: School Swimming, Water Safety Programs and Aquatic Activities
the designated area is crocodile free and is safe for swimming (this may include Parks Australia, NT
Parks and Wildlife, Stations and Resort Management).
Swimming and water safety programs/activities conducted in a natural waterway must have the
area for instruction clearly defined, and a designated independent observer who has clear vision of
all participants at all times during the program. From time to time authorised swimming areas may
be subject to closure for health and safety reasons. Hence information and warning signs should
always be observed.
Open water such as the ocean or a large bay must not be used for the teaching of swimming.
Teacher Qualifications and Ratios vary for different types of swimming environments.
4.6 Jellyfish safety precautions
As Chironex fleckeri (the major box jellyfish) are prevalent in Northern Territory ocean waters during
the wet season, particularly between 1 October and 31 May, school swimming and water safety
programs/activities are not permitted in the sea during this time.
If swimming programs are implemented in the sea during the dry season, (typically June to
September), students should enter the water with caution as Chironex fleckeri are known to
frequent Northern Territory waters all year (based on the historical data of stings).
It is essential that protective clothing such as a stinger suit be worn by students if undertaking
swimming and water safety programs/activities in the sea during the dry season. The minimum
requirement must be coverage of the torso, arms and upper legs. Vinegar should be taken to the
venue as an added safety precaution. Dousing the jellyfish stung area with vinegar and calling 000 is
an immediate first aid measure.
For more information, please visit
https://nt.gov.au/wellbeing/emergencies-injuries-and-accidents/bites-and-stings/jellyfish
4.7 Sun protection
Teachers and students participating in a swimming or water safety program should apply a broad
spectrum SPF 30+ water resistant sunscreen at least twenty minutes before going outdoors.
Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours when outdoors and available shade should be used
whenever possible to reduce exposure to the sun. Teaching staff and students participating in
swimming and water safety programs/activities are strongly encouraged to wear sun protective
clothing and lip balm.
Sunscreen should be kept below thirty degrees Celsius and expiry dates should be checked to ensure
sunscreen remains effective.
4.8 Consent forms
It is the responsibility of the teacher in charge of the swimming and water safety program/activity to
ensure that a Excursions Policy Consent Form requesting parents to identify the swimming ability of
individual students be returned for each student involved in swimming and water safety programs,
swimming carnivals and recreational aquatic activities. This form will indicate to teachers, the
swimming ability of students and must be checked with records of each student’s swimming
proficiency stored in SAMS or with Royal Life Saving Australia.
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DoE Procedures: School Swimming, Water Safety Programs and Aquatic Activities
Information obtained from consent forms, SAMS and Royal Life Saving Australia must be taken to all
swimming and water safety programs, swimming carnivals and recreational activities.
The teacher in charge is not to permit students to participate in swimming or water safety
programs/activities without a completed permission form that includes parental assessment of the
child’s swimming ability.
4.9 School Swimming and Water Safety Programs
Schools are strongly encouraged to provide opportunities for all early childhood, primary and middle
years students to participate in a Swimming and Water Safety Program.
At the beginning of a school swimming and water safety program, a swimming ability assessment of
each student is required to confirm the level of swimming ability of individual students in
accordance with the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia Swim and Survive and Bronze Star Rescue
Awards (Attachment B). This assessment enables the swimming instructor to group students
according to their swimming ability.
At the conclusion of a school swimming and water safety program, another swimming ability
assessment is required to confirm the level of swimming ability of individual students in accordance
with the RLSSA Swim and Survive and Bronze Star Rescue Awards. The outcome of this assessment
must be recorded in SAMS and reported to Royal Life Saving NT Branch. SAMS User Notes for
Entering Student Swimming Levels is available at Attachment C.
The department has adopted the RLSSA Swim and Survive and Bronze Star Rescue Awards scheme as
the performance criteria for swimming and water safety programs – aligning with the Health and
Physical Education requirements.
To teach preschool aquatics aligned to the RLSSA Swim and Survive, Wonder and Courage Levels,
teachers must hold a current AUSTSWIM Teacher of Infant and Preschool Aquatics Licence (updated
every three years), and a current Resuscitation Award (updated each year).
To teach RLSSA Swim and Survive, Active Developing Level 1 to Level 7, teachers must hold a current
AUSTSWIM Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety LicenceTM (updated every three years), and a
current Resuscitation Award (updated each year).
To teach RLSSA Bronze Star, teachers must hold a current AUSTSWIM Teacher of Swimming and
Water Safety LicenceTM (updated every three years), and a Resuscitation Trainers Certificate
(updated annually at the Trainers Workshop).
4.10 Minimum standard of water safety and swimming competencies
The Australian Water Safety Council recommends that by the completion of:
primary school education, each student should be able to satisfactorily perform all competencies
equivalent to Level 4 of the RLSSA Swim and Survive program or Surf Safe level 2 of the Surf Life
Saving Australia Surf and Survive program.
Year 10, each student should be able to satisfactorily perform all competencies equivalent to
Royal Life Saving Australia Bronze Star including resuscitation and/or Surf Life Saving Australia
(SLSA) Surf Survival including resuscitation.
4.11 School swimming carnivals
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DoE Procedures: School Swimming, Water Safety Programs and Aquatic Activities
The safe and effective conduct of a school swimming carnival relies on good planning and effective
communication with school staff, pool management, students and parents. The teacher in charge of
the carnival must have experience with organising events in water environments and student safety
is the paramount consideration in any planning process.
The teacher in charge of the swimming carnival must undertake all safety and duty of care
requirements and complete a Risk Assessment, Risk Management Plan and Emergency Action Plan
(Templates B and C).
If the school swimming carnival includes unstructured/’free time’, students will be required to
complete the Water Survival Challenge Proficiency (Template A) to determine the aquatic
proficiency of students. Following completion of the Water Survival Challenge Proficiency all
students are required to be issued with an appropriate coloured band. Schools should document the
students’ proficiency in case a band is lost or damaged during an activity.
Bands should be issued as follows:
Green Proficient swimmer who is safe to participate in deep water.
Yellow Non-proficient swimmer who can participate in shallow water, at a depth no higher than
a student’s waist.
Red Non-swimmer who is not permitted to participate in any aquatic activity
* Please Note: It is imperative that bands cannot be removed, swapped or changed by students.
Where applicable the program for the carnival should include scope for modified activities that
match the swimming capabilities of the students. The location of the swimming carnival needs to
provide shade for students and spectators, safety equipment and provision for supervision of
students at the venue.
Supervisory staff ratios need to align with the Qualifications and Ratio Table. Bronze Medallion or
higher qualified staff need to be ‘rescue ready’, dressed appropriately and with rescue equipment
within easy access. An active adult supervisor should be assigned to each side of the pool for all
races.
4.12 Diving
All students should perform an in-water start to any swimming activity unless they have been taught
dive skills through the RLSSA Swim and Survive program (Attachment B) and achieved Active Level 5
instruction in shallow water diving.
Before diving (including competitive dive starts) can take place at a swimming venue, the teacher in
charge of the aquatic activity/event must check the water depth, compare to the Diving Depth
Matrix (Attachment D) and complete a Risk Management Plan (Template B) and Emergency Action
Plan (Templates C).
At the beginning of any swimming activity an official announcement must be communicated to all
students, staff and volunteers whether diving is permitted or not.
4.13 Recreational aquatic/unstructured activities
The teacher in charge of the recreational aquatic activity should undertake all safety and duty of
care requirements and complete a Risk Management Plan (Template B) and Emergency Action Plan
(Template C).
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At the beginning of any recreational aquatic activities, where there are no active swimming ability
records students will be required to complete the Water Survival Challenge Proficiency (Template A)
to determine the aquatic proficiency. Following completion of the Water Survival Challenge
Proficiency all students are required to be issued with an appropriate coloured band. Schools should
document the students’ proficiency in case a band is lost or damaged during an activity.
Proficient students will be issued with a green wrist band and will be deemed safe to participate in
events of twenty-five metres and over. Non-proficient students will be issued with a yellow wrist
band and can participate in shallow water activities, at a depth no higher than a student’s waist.
Students who are non-swimmers will be issued with a red wrist band and must be assigned to a
supervised area away from the water’s edge. Students with a red wrist band will not be participating
in any aquatic activity.
Appropriate activities should be organized for those students deemed non-proficient in an
appropriately defined shallow water area with specific supervision applied. The location of the
recreational swimming needs to provide shade for students and spectators, safety equipment and
provision for supervision of students at the venue.
The number of Active Adult Supervisors required at the activity will depend on the number of
students, students with special needs, medical conditions, age and maturity, the type of activity and
the conditions at the venue. As a minimum, supervision ratio must align with the Qualifications and
Ratio Table located in the supporting documents.
An adult with a current First Aid Certificate must be present during all recreational aquatic activities.
4.14 The Water Survival Challenge Proficiency
At the beginning of any unstructured/’free time’ aquatic activities, where there are no records of a
student’s swimming proficiency; students will be required to complete the Water Survival Challenge
Proficiency (Template A) to determine the aquatic proficiency of students. Students whose parents
have not provided consent for them to enter the water and students who do not pass the Water
Survival Challenge Proficiency will not be allowed to enter the water.
The Water Survival Challenge Proficiency consists of five elements:
1. Entry
2. Survival swimming
3. Survival sequence
4. Exit
5. Rescue sequence
To be regarded as proficient, each student is required to demonstrate proficiency against the Water
Survival Challenge Proficiency Criteria as outlined in Template A.
4.15 Classifying students – coloured wrist bands
Following completion of the Water Survival Challenge Proficiency all students are required to be
issued with an appropriate coloured wrist band. Schools should document the students’ proficiency
in case a band is lost or damaged during an activity.
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DoE Procedures: School Swimming, Water Safety Programs and Aquatic Activities
Proficient students will be issued with a green wrist band and will be deemed safe to participate in
deep water.
Non-proficient students will be issued with a yellow wrist band and can participate in shallow water,
at a depth no higher than a student’s waist.
Students who are non-swimmers will be issued with a red wrist band and must be assigned to a
supervised area away from the water’s edge. Students with a red wrist band will not be participating
in any aquatic activity.
The bands should remain on the students until they exit the venue at which point they can be
appropriately discarded.
Bands can be sourced from local suppliers or the internet and, when selecting bands, please ensure
the following:
band is designed for single use, is waterproof, tear resistant and non-stretch
sufficient numbers of bands are available to cater for the entire group
additional bands are available in case of breakage or loss during an activity
bands must be cut off to make them a single use item
bands are tight enough to avoid student removal or swapping of band
schools consistently utilise the colours green for proficient, yellow for non-proficient and red for
non-swimmers to avoid confusion at aquatic venues.
5. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
A range of resources to support schools implement the policy and procedures include:
Attachment A Qualifications and Ratio Table
Attachment B Competencies for RLSSA Swim and Survive, Bronze Star Rescue Awards and
Resuscitation Awards
Attachment C SAMS User Notes for Enter Student Swimming Level
Attachment D Diving Depth Matrix
Attachment E Cover Letter to Parents Templates
Attachment F Responsibilities Summary Checklist
Attachment G RLSSA NT PE Plan for Aquatic Education
Template A Water Survival Challenge Proficiency Criteria and Template
Template B Risk Management Plan
Template B1 Risk Management Plan – Example
Template C Emergency Action Plan
Template C1 Emergency Action Plan - Example
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