What happens with Student Assessments?

At Healthways, our goal is to ensure that every individual progresses at their own pace and achieves their full potential in the water. We believe in learning experiences that are fun and positive. Teachers may use equipment, games, toys, repetition, and coordination drills to facilitate learning. By understanding and accommodating individual learning styles, preferences, and even fears, swim teachers work towards helping students achieve personal successes throughout the curriculum.

Behind the scenes, there are swim school processes to ensure that each student is guided through best-practice progressive skills, instructions, and constructive feedback to create an environment where students feel empowered to attempt and master skills at their own pace, including:

ASSESSMENT WEEKS:

Students are assessed every 4-6weeks. In the first half of every term we hold a ‘Progress Review Week’ where teachers confirm the level curriculum that children are ready to work on, and set learning goals for the term. In the second half of each term we hold a ‘Mid-term Evaluations Week’ where we grade the key skills within each level out of 5 stars, so we can track their progress within their level. When all key skills are marked 5 out of 5 the student is ready to progress to the next level.

Evaluation records are available for parents to view at any time via your parent portal, but please don’t become obsessed with each individual star. It is important to understand that regardless of how many stars are on their record right now we know that across learning curves, bursts of improvement happen across multiple skills all at once.

⭐ = Introduced. ⭐⭐ = Progressing 1. ⭐⭐⭐ = Progressing 2. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ = Progressing 3. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ = Mastered.

PROGRESS AND LEARNING CURVES:

As a general rule, it takes most students an average of 15-20 hours of class attendance per level. If you’re attending regularly during the term, that’s about 3-4 terms; or during intensives, that’s about 6-8 weeks. As with any learning, some skills will develop quickly and some skills will take more time. You can consolidate learning with: consistent attendance, on-time attendance, a “give it my best” attitude, and encouragement from special people at home.

Additionally, you can increase time spent in the water learning with: holiday intensives classes, two classes per week, practice between lessons, or private lessons.

Every teacher is qualified. Additionally, as part of their onboarding they go through Healthways’ professional development program. This program is uniquely accredited with Austswim, Swim Australia and Life Saving Victoria. Throughout their time teaching with us, all teachers engage with ongoing professional development and mentoring to help them be the best teacher they can be for your students.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS FOR INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS:

Every student is an individual and with our small class sizes we aim to tailor the classes to the students enrolled. Please note that parents and teachers may contribute notes on student files at any time to help assist teachers in the water work more effectively with students.

Additionally, after students have been in the same level for 15 hours of learning, their progress gets flagged with their teacher and we email parents to see if there is any information from home that would be helpful to add to their student’s record. If a student has been in the same level for 20 hours, this is not usual but sometimes warranted. There may be something specific that is affecting their progress, for example behaviour challenges, coordination challenges, specific skill challenges, etc and it is best to address these considerations with more time in their current class before progressing to a more advanced class. If this is the case, teachers will leave written notes on student’s records so that their progress may be monitored and attended to at an individual level where possible within the class.

You can talk to customer service any time about your student’s progress notes and they can update your student’s record and liaise with the teacher to discuss additional needs and/or teaching strategies for your student as appropriate. If there are individual students who have been in the same level for 25 hours we start implementing individual learning goals in collaboration with families. Our team will contact you to discuss. Individual learning goals are tailored to meet students’ specific needs and there are a number of special options made available to these students to help them achieve milestones and provide extra learning support.

SWIM LEVEL PROGRESSION DIAGRAM:

To see where your child’s level fits in to the overall swim program the ‘Swim Level Progression Diagram’ is below. As part of the Victorian education syllabus, all children are expected to complete a minimum of Level 4 (the last yellow level in the diagram) by the time they finish primary school.

Swim_Progression_Diagram