Swimmer Stage 5 Activity Badge

Swimmer Stage 5 Activity Badge (STA)

As an educational charity dedicated to the teaching of swimming, lifesaving and survival techniques, STA is proud to partner with The Scout Association to support the Swimmer Staged Activity Badge.

This partnership provides a fantastic opportunity for STA, as part of its charitable objectives, to reach and engage with young people, and teach them about the importance of learning to swim and how to be safe in and around water – key life skills that could one day save their life.

With plenty of practice and a little confidence, gain a swimmer stage badge as you learn to swim with speed and an expert stroke.

At Scouts we're updating the requirements to earn the Swimmer Activity Badges. There will be a cross over of how to earn the badge until August 2025, until then, you can choose to use either set of requirements.

You can view both set of requirements to earn the badge below.

How to earn the Swimmer Activity Badge - Stage 5 (updated Jan 25)

1. Learn about where to swim safely in different locations and find out about rescue equipment. 

2. Take part in a warm up before getting in the pool. 

3. Demonstrate how to get in and out of the water safely using a variety of different methods of entry. 

4. Swim confidently on your front for 50 metres without stopping. 

5. Swim confidently on your back for 50 metres without stopping. 

6. Swim breaststroke or butterfly for 50 metres. 

7. Swim 200 metres in a stroke of your choice. 

8. Swim in clothes for 25 metres. 

9. Perform 3 different sculling techniques during a swim. 

10. Tread water with one had above the water to attract attention. 

11. Demonstrate one diving technique into the pool followed by a 25 metre swim. 

12. Learn about different rescues and perform one of them. 

How to earn the Swimmer Activity Badge - Stage 5 (Original requirements, can be used until Aug 25)

1. Learn the general safety rules for swimming (such as not diving into shallow water or not swimming on your own) and where it is safe to swim locally.

2. Show you know how to prepare for exercises. You could do this by leading a warm up.

3. Demonstrate a racing dive into at least 1.8 metres of water and a straddle jump into at least 2 meters of water.

4. Swim 100 metres in shirt and shorts. When you’ve finished, remove the shirt and shorts and climb out of the pool unaided. Your time limit is three minutes.

5. Tread water for five minutes, three of which one arm must be held clear of the water.

6. Scull on your back, head first, for ten metres, then feet first for ten metres. Move into a tuck position and turn 360 degrees, keeping your head out of the water.

7. Swim 10 metres, perform a somersault without touching the side of the pool, then carry on swimming in the same direction for a further 10 metres.

8. Demonstrate the heat escape lessening posture.

9. Demonstrate a surface dive, both head and feet first, into 1.5 metres of water.

10. Swim 1,000 metres using any of the four recognised strokes, for a minimum distance of 200 metres per stroke. This swim must be completed in 35 minutes.

11. Take part in an organised swimming activity that’s different to the one on your previous swimming badge.