What is Swimsafer, and some commonly asked questions

We get a lot of requests from parents to advise them on how to prepare their children for the Swimsafer test.

First things first, WHAT IS SWIMSAFER?

Swimsafer is a Singapore nationally accredited swimming test where students are tested for their ability to swim and keep themselves safe around water. There are 6 stages to the Swimsafer test:

Level 1 to Level 4 (Bronze) focuses on acquiring all the necessary swim strokes - Front crawl (Freestyle), Breaststroke, Backstroke, Survival Backstroke and Side Stroke. Apart from that, students will also be exposed to using life jackets effectively, floating and eventually treading water by Level 3. There is no time limit for the students to clock the necessary distances for Levels 1 to 4.

In Level 5 (Silver) and Level 6 (Gold), students will then be exposed to more competitive side of swimming. Their swims will now require them to clock a certain timing for their 50m and 100m swim respectively. They will also be exposed to the elusive dolphin kick and the Fly swim.

Is Swimsafer test absolutely necessary for my child?

Just like any accreditations from any other sports, it is not compulsory for your child to be taking the Swimsafer test, although there might be certain benefits from your child’s school, such as getting exempted from their compulsory swimming lessons in Primary 3.

Can any coach conduct the Swimsafer test?

No. In order for the coach to be able to conduct a Swimsafer test, the coach must be NROC-certified and be a Swimsafer instructor. Not all coaches are NROC certified and not all NROC certified coaches are Swimsafer accredited.

Is Coach Nian Swimsafer and NROC certified?

Yes he is! Coach Nian, along with majority of our coaches, are both NROC and Swimsafer certified instructors. While we work on the students’ strokes, we also take the time to prepare them for their Swimsafer tests if they would like to participate.

How can I properly prep my child for the Swimsafer test? Is there a list of requirements I can refer to? If my child is not learning with Odysseus Aquatics, can I send them to you for Swimsafer tests?

For a more detailed post on how to prepare your child for Swimsafer test, please refer to our next blog post!

There is a list of requirements for the Swimsafer tests, of course. We will share them regularly in our Facebook page and Instagram Page, so feel free to follow us and ask us any questions there!

Lastly, yes, we do accept external students for Swimsafer tests. You can be referred to us via your coach, or you can contact us directly for Swimsafer arrangements. We hold our tests every quarterly to every 6 months and location is at Woodlands Swimming Complex only.