Swim England Diving Sport Hub
Inspired to Try Diving Sessions
Swim England Inspired to Try Diving is an initiative providing free diving taster sessions to give the perfect opportunity of a fun and engaging introduction of this exciting sport to your child.
Once your child can swim a minimum of 25 metres in deep water, taking part in new activities will help build on their current swimming skills and learn new, sport-specific diving skills providing confidence in your child’s aquatic journey.
Come back in 2024 for further details
The 2023 sessions have now finished. More information to come in 2024.
About the sessions
The diving session will be led by a qualified diving coach, with a coach to pupil ratio of no more than 1:12. Diving is a disciplined sport, so there will be an element of discipline, which the coach will expect from your child throughout the lessons. But the emphasis is on fun, so the session will use games and activities to teach the required outcomes.
Throughout the lessons, the coach will be coaching the fundamental skills and vital progressions to be able to dive safely in a “have a go” environment.
Once they have completed their session, they will be awarded an Inspired to Try medal and information to join the local diving programme in the Region.
At some points during the session, it may be necessary for the coach to physically support your child to put their body into the correct position or to support them so they enter the water safely. The coach should explain what they are going to do and why they are doing this. If you have any questions about this please speak to the coach.
To take part in these sessions, your child must be able to swim a minimum of 25 metres unaided and without goggles in a depth of over 3 metres. To be a fully competent swimmer, it is important your child continues their swimming lesson journey.
Children have to be 16 years or under to take part in the sessions.
No.
No. Goggles are not permitted in diving lessons, due to the risk of injury from head first entries.
Yes, the participant age limit is 16.
Yes, you need to book up to 24 hours before here.
Swim England provides resources and training to help teachers and coaches deliver sessions that cater for a wide range of needs. We would always encourage children with a disability to take part in the Inspired to Try Diving sessions if possible.
We would recommend an initial discussion with the Inspired to Try Lead to see how the lessons can be adapted and your child supported. Please email [email protected]
The next steps in the diving pathway are the Swim England Diving Awards 1-7. These Awards and lessons are offered in pools with diving boards. Please visit our club finder/ for information and to find your nearest diving pool or sign up at reception after your free diving taster session.
You can also find more information about diving here: here.
As well as attending their diving and swimming lessons, other activities can also help your child to progress in diving, such as: gymnastics, trampolining, dancing and flexibility work. So if your child attends clubs and lessons which involve these complementary activities, they will certainly help your child to develop the right skills sets for diving.
This will vary with each child depending on their skills and experience. If your child has more swimming experience or a background in dance, gymnastics or trampolining, then they may move more quickly through the Stages, due to their increased confidence in the water and transferable skills.
Every child learns new skills and progresses at different rates, but what is important is that they are supported, have lots of fun and progress at a speed suitable for them which allows them to reach their full potential.