If your swimmer is getting ready to move from SafelySwim Endless to our main programme at The Duke of York’s Royal Military School, this guide will help you understand exactly what to expect.

Our goal is to make this transition feel simple, positive and fully supported for every family.

When Will My Swimmer Move?

Swimmers are ready to move across when they can:

• Swim 5 metres on both front and back
• Take a breath without needing to stand up and touch the floor
• Show confidence without signs of panic during their lessons

Your instructor will always guide you and let you know when the time is right. The usual move up procedure will continue as usual. For more information, please see our Assessment Week blog post.

What Happens Before Your First Lesson

Before starting at DOYRMS, you’ll receive a notification to select your new class time along with access to a welcome video. This will help you and your swimmer:

• See the new pool environment
• Understand how lessons work at DOYRMS
• Arrive feeling more confident and prepared

When swimmers arrive at DOYRMS, they are treated as new to the environment. There are no expectations placed on them straight away. Instead, they are given time to settle, build confidence and show their ability in their own time.

Reminder for Parents: Not all swimmers feel confident to get into the water straight away, it can feel overwhelming, watching from the side for a couple of weeks is ok! Instructors also choose the right starting support for each swimmer, whether that is a noodle, floats, or no aid at all, so it is normal for two children to start differently.

Why Progress Starts Fresh at DOYRMS

When your swimmer moves across, their progress on appDot is reset to the start of Stage 1. This is completely normal and nothing to worry about. It lets your swimmer’s new instructor assess them fairly in the bigger pool, with its greater depth and distance, rather than relying on an assessment made in the Endless pool. It also makes sure no swimmer is asked to do more before they feel ready. The ability your swimmer gained at Endless is not lost, as it will continue to develop on once they have settled, and most swimmers move through Stage 1 quickly.

Your swimmer’s instructor always knows they have just joined from Endless. A marker appears next to their name on the day’s register and on their assessment page in appDot, so they are welcomed and supported as a new arrival, with no expectations on day one.

Discounted Private Lessons

For those who would benefit from additional support during their settling in period, discounted private lessons will be made available via an exclusive discount code for 1 month via our One-Off Booking Page. These can help swimmers become familiar with the pool and feel more comfortable before or alongside their group lessons.

Certificate

To mark the occasion, swimmers will receive a certificate after taking part in their first lesson at DOYRMS, recognising an important step in their swimming journey.

Progressing Forwards

Once your swimmer has settled into their new environment, their instructor will continue to assess their confidence and ability within the group.

Swimmers from Endless start in our Stage 1 classes rather than Stage 1+. This is for safety and support. Our Stage 1+ swimmers complete full widths in deep water, and Stage 1 has an assistant on hand for any swimmer who feels nervous, which Stage 1+ classes do not always have spare.

When they are ready, they will progress into our Stage 1+ classes, where they begin working towards their 10 metre badge and continue building strong, consistent swimming skills.

Further Support

Have a read of our Policy which goes into larger details.

Supporting Swimmers Moving from SafelySwim Endless to DOYRMS Policy

Learn More About Our Stage Criteria

For full details on what’s covered in each stage, visit:

• Stage 1 Criteria
• Stage 1+ Criteria