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SwimSafer Silver/Stage 5

Intermediate Water Survival & Stroke Refinement
Develop stronger swimming technique, speed and endurance across multiple strokes, including advanced underwater and survival skills. Build greater confidence in emergency situations through PFD use, heat-escape techniques and basic water rescue skills.
Stage 5 Test Criteria

Entries & Exits

  • Develop more advanced entry skills through a controlled crouching dive.

  • Build confidence entering deeper water safely and with greater control.

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Sculling & Body Control

  • Develop body control through backward somersaults in the water.

  • Practise maintaining position in the water while putting on a personal flotation device (PFD).

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Underwater Skills

  • Build confidence performing underwater skills in deeper water.

  • Practise a feet-first dive and swimming through underwater obstacles without goggles.

  • Improve breath control and underwater coordination.

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Swimming & Movement

  • Develop stronger swimming technique, speed and endurance across multiple strokes.

  • Improve front crawl, breaststroke and backstroke over longer distances.

  • Develop survival backstroke and sidestroke skills.

  • Introduce dolphin kick to develop stronger body movement and coordination in the water.

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Water Safety & Survival Skills

  • Practise a sequence of survival skills while wearing everyday clothing.

  • Develop the ability to enter deep water safely, submerge, swim underwater and return to the surface.

  • Build the ability to swim quickly when responding to a water emergency.

  • Practise signalling for help and safely retrieving and putting on a PFD while staying afloat.

  • Learn the Heat Escape Lessening Position (HELP) to help conserve body heat while waiting for assistance.

  • Practise swimming with a PFD and exiting the water safely.

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Rescue Skills

  • Develop basic rescue awareness by learning how to throw a PFD to someone in the water from a safe distance.

  • Practise giving clear instructions to help the person reach the pool edge safely.

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