Which SwimSafer stage is my child ready for?
Not sure whether to book Stage 2 or Stage 4? Tick the skills your child can already do on their own, and we’ll suggest the stage that fits. It takes about 2 minutes.
Free SwimSafer stage checker
Free for AQZOG members (sign up takes a minute). Start with Stage 1. Only tick a skill if your child can do it confidently, without help or floats. When every skill in a stage is ticked, the next stage opens automatically.
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What each SwimSafer stage tests
SwimSafer 2.0 is Singapore’s national water safety programme, run by Sport Singapore. It has six progressive stages. Here is what your child needs to show at each one. Once you know the stage, a SwimSafer mock test is the best way to prepare.
Stage 1: Introduction to water skills
Water confidence, safe entry and exit, floating on the front and back, moving 10 m on the front and 5 m on the back, and jumping in wearing a life jacket.
Stage 2: Fundamental water skills
A continuous 25 m swim on the front and 15 m on the back, sculling or treading water for 30 seconds, recovering an object from chest-deep water, and swimming 25 m in a life jacket.
Stage 3: Personal and stroke development
A continuous 50 m swim (front crawl and backstroke), breaststroke and survival backstroke, a stride jump into deep water, treading water for 50 seconds and swimming through hoops underwater.
Stage 4 (Bronze): Personal survival and stroke improvement
A 100 m swim using four strokes, treading water for 2 minutes, a feet-first surface dive, forward somersault, and 3 minutes of slow survival swimming in clothes.
Stage 5 (Silver): Intermediate survival and stroke refinement
Timed 50 m swims in front crawl, breaststroke and backstroke, sidestroke and dolphin kick, diving to 1.8 m, and putting on a life jacket in deep water with the H.E.L.P. position.
Stage 6 (Gold): Advanced survival and swimming proficiency
Timed 100 m swims in three strokes, 15 m butterfly, a head-first surface dive with a 5 m underwater swim, and making a float from long pants in deep water.
SwimSafer stage questions from parents
How do I know which SwimSafer stage my child should take?
Look at what your child can already do confidently on their own, without floats or help. The right stage is the highest one where your child can do every skill. Our free Stage Checker on this page does this for you, and a mock test with a coach confirms it.
Does my child have to start from SwimSafer Stage 1?
Not necessarily. A child who can already swim well may be ready for a higher stage. Use the checker to see which stage fits, then confirm it with a mock test before booking the actual assessment.
What is the difference between SwimSafer Bronze, Silver and Gold?
Bronze, Silver and Gold are Stages 4, 5 and 6. Bronze needs a 100 m swim using four strokes, Silver adds timed 50 m swims and diving, and Gold needs timed 100 m swims, butterfly and advanced survival skills in clothing.
Are goggles allowed in the SwimSafer test?
Survival sequences are done without goggles, so it helps to practise without them. Some swim components may allow goggles, depending on the stage.
How can my child prepare for the SwimSafer test?
Practise the skills for the chosen stage in deep water and without goggles, including the clothed survival sequences from Stage 2. A mock test under real test conditions is the best way to find and fix weak areas before test day.
Tips before you book a stage
🥽 No goggles in survival tests
Survival sequences are done without goggles. If your child only swims with goggles, practise without them first.
👕 Swimming in clothes
From Stage 2, some sequences are done in shorts and a T-shirt, and long pants for Silver and Gold. Clothes make swimming much harder.
🌊 Deep water matters
Many skills are tested in deep water. A child who is confident only in shallow water may need more practice before testing.
This checker gives a suggestion only, based on the SwimSafer 2.0 programme. A coach’s assessment, such as our mock test, is the best way to confirm the right stage.