Learn To Dive

So, you or your child have been inspired by Matty Lee and Tom Daley bringing home gold from Tokyo 2020. You’ll be glad to know that getting into diving is easy.

Children can be introduced to diving at an early age during swimming lessons as part of the Learn to Swim Pathway.

There are also diving clubs around the country that would love to hear from you. No matter what age there are lots of opportunities for getting into diving.

Getting into diving through swimming lessons

Once children have gained the certificate for Stage 7 of the Learn to Swim Pathway, they are encouraged to take part in different aquatic disciplines to develop basic skills. They can work towards certificates for the Swim England Learn to Swim Diving Awards 8-10 (see gallery below).

View gallery

Close galleryPrevious image

• 
  Learn to Swim Diving: Stage 8

  The Swim England Learn to Swim Award for Diving Stage 8.
  1/3
• 
  Learn to Swim Diving: Stage 9

  The Swim England Learn to Swim Award for Diving Stage 9.
  2/3
• 
  Learn to Swim Diving: Stage 10

  The Swim England Learn to Swim Award for Diving Stage 10.
  3/3

Next image

These focus on Diving skills particularly. You can also choose Synchro, Competitive Swimming, or Water Polo.

Divers build on skills learned during the Learn to Swim Framework Stages 1-7. They cover areas such as the diving hand grab, the concept of a dive, floats, glides and movements in the water. There is also poolside work to refine the basic body positions for diving.

• Find your nearest pool with PoolFinder and ask them about swimming lessons and Stages 8-10.

Dedicated awards for diving

If the pool a child is learning in has a diving board then they can also take the Swim England Diving Awards 1-7. Again, a child needs to have completed Stages 1-7 of the Learn to Swim Framework.

These awards cover seven levels of progressive diving skills, from complete beginner through to club level skills. They have been developed in consultation with British Diving, diving clubs, diving experts and coaches.

If you are serious about diving then these are the awards you need  (see samples gallery below).

Type your post code or location into the Poolfinder widget below to find your nearest pool with diving boards.

Find your nearest pool with diving boards

Find pools

Use current location Per PageLatitudeLongitudeASA_ENDPOINT_APIOpen Pools

Getting into diving with a club

There are lots of diving clubs across England and they are always happy to help with any enquiries. If you or a your child are interested in getting into diving then go to our Find Clubs page here. You will find a range of ways to get in contact with clubs.

Dive West Midlands

This project aims to provide a long-lasting diving programme in the West Midlands and here, Olympian Sarah Barrow, Swim England West Midlands diving development officer, gives an update on the scheme.

As the countdown to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games edges ever closer, it is a really exciting time for the West Midlands Diving Strategy.

Our goal is simple – to help create an inclusive and sustainable diving programme in the West Midlands up to and beyond the Commonwealth Games. Find out more about the project.

As part of this, there are brand new Diving Programmes within the West Midlands area, contact the clubs below to find out more details.

Adults’ getting into diving

If you fancy a new challenge why not give diving a go? You don’t have to start on the 10m board, there are 1m and 5m options to start you off.

Diving isn’t just for the young or the elite, it can be done by many different people of varied strength and ability. Diving clubs often have sessions for beginners and people who have never dived before.

• Click here to read an interview with Masters diver Mark Woodward, who was inspired to take up the sport by his son and Commonwealth medallist Freddie.

Don’t worry, you won’t be expected to dive off the 10m board on your first session, lessons will start on poolside and progress on to the boards as you your confidence levels rise.

Diving is great for improving flexibility, core strength and posture and is an excellent sport to give a go if you fancy a new challenge. So if you want a bit more excitement in the pool then give diving a try.

Finding a diving club in your area is easy. Go to our Find Clubs page today and let us find one for you.