Press Release

STA expands its international learn to swim programme

Tuesday, August 5 2008

STAnley - The New First Steps Series for young children aged 2-5 years

Getting young children into aquatic activities and helping them develop this as a lifelong activity has always been, and continues to be a priority for the Swimming Teachers’ Association (STA) to help promote fitness, well-being and water safety.

The STA believe that the best way to do this is to create safe environments in which young children can be introduced to the water whilst having fun; and so have created the exciting new STAnley First Steps Series for young children aged from 2 to 5 years.

"The new STAnley Series is a brand new scheme and offers many new rewards and challenges for the pupil and teacher. It also consists of 7 progressive levels, which link together and provide a more logical progression to the next levels in the STA's International Learn to Swim Scheme and the ASA National Teaching Plan," says Irene Joyce, STA’s Technical Swimming and Aquatics Officer.

"The STAnley series brings together our considerable 75-years experience and expertise in pre-school swimming and water safety, and offers a progressive aquatic awareness programme for young children from 2 to 5 years by combining a flexible mix of lessons, activities and incentives," added Irene.

The new swim series features the character STAnley, who has been the STA’s official water safety mascot for a number of years, and is a loveable, fun character who appeals to young children. The caricature of STAnley is featured on all of the full-colour A4 certificates and woven badges.