PASS Class is for all levels – except squads because they’ve already achieved their PASS!
One of the main reasons parents enrol their child/children with Aquabliss is safety. Our popular PASS Class, held twice a year, plays a key role in reinforcing and boosting swim survival skills.
What is PASS Class?
Personal Aquatic Survival Skills (PASS), such as sculling, treading water, floating, safe entry and exit from the water, along with basic swimming skills, are regularly taught in our classes.
We know that kids learn by repetition. So our PASS Class is a critical component of the Aquabliss curriculum because swim survival skills already learnt will be consolidated and refreshed.
Plus, where relevant, (and age-appropriate), new skills will be introduced. Such as techniques for clothed swimming survival. For most classes, there will also be mock rescue and emergency simulations. Then those new skills will need to be reinforced at the next PASS Class. It’s that all-important repetition factor again…. and again… and again.
Teaching kids how to save themselves [and not panic] if they find themselves in a risky situation is sooooo important. With more practice, a child is more likely to quickly recall the skills learnt and less likely to panic.
No child will be forced to do anything they’re not comfortable with. If a child prefers to sit on the pool edge and observe, that’s ok, because they’re still learning by watching others.
PASS Class is important no matter the season
Water rules will also be discussed, focusing on the risks of the season. The risk of drowning isn’t over when summer ends. Kids are around water all year round. Riding a bike next to a river, watching the ducks at the pond or going fishing with Dad. Some of you might be lucky enough to enjoy a winter holiday somewhere warm, with access to a pool or the beach.
In the cooler months, your kids will also be wearing more clothes. You know how heavy clothes get when wet. And, of course in summer, well, the risks increase because kids are around water more often. So, no matter what time of year it is, PASS Class is important.
These key swim survival skills, consolidated in our PASS Class, should be practised more than once a year. Yep, there’s that repetition factor again!
Why are kids encouraged to wear clothes in the pool?
Water-related accidents or drownings don’t always happen when a child is in their swimmers. So it’s really important they learn survival swimming strokes and skills while wearing clothes.
One objective, even for the real young ‘uns, is to give kids the chance to know what it feels like to be clothed in water. To experience how heavier the clothes feel when wet, and how harder it is to swim in clothes.
Falling into a pool of water with clothes on can produce fear and hysteria in an otherwise calm swimmer. Sometimes one minor thing (such as not being in swimmers) can throw a child completely off and cause them to forget the skills they’ve learnt.
Remember – no child will be forced to do anything. But we hope most will feel confident to enter the pool, in a controlled environment, wearing their clothes. As PASS Class is all about saving lives, a suggestion to wear any superhero clothes or PJs might help any nervous tiny tots.
No extra costs
During the scheduled week, classes will just be run a little differently than usual. This provides a vital opportunity to focus on water safety and education. To really focus on swim survival skills, which could ultimately save a child’s life.
More information will be emailed
We always send out emails to our customers closer to the date, including what to bring and how to prepare swimmers for a different kind of lesson.
Don’t miss out
PASS Class is only available to enrolled students. Not enrolled? Then contact us so we can welcome you into the Aquabliss fam!
For existing customers who don’t already have the dates in their diary, get in touch and we’ll let you know what days and times to block out in your calendar so your kids don’t miss this really important class. Usually held twice a year, in May and November.
