Hertford SC needs swimming teachers and coaches. Club members & parents of swimmers please do consider coming poolside to share the rewarding experience of teaching your children to swim.

BEFORE booking a course, email SwimMark@hertfordsc.co.uk for more information.

Also speak to, or email the head coach on headcoach@hertfordsc.co.uk to arrange when you can help poolside to gain experience assisting teaching or coaching.

When finances permit  the Club will fund courses. This is subject to your commitment to teach or coach swimming for the Club. Email treasurer@hertfordsc.co.uk about this.

Timekeeper and Judge Level 1 courses available online

The Timekeeper and Judge Level 1 training courses are now available online.  The Timekeeper course covers what being a timekeeper is all about through an interactive e-learning which will take you between 60 and 90 minutes to complete, followed by a practical timekeeping session. This can be completed at an event.  For more details, go to:

https://www.swimming.org/ios/course-information/swimming-technical-officials-timekeeping/

We also recommend people take the The Judge level 1 online course. This  is the first step to achieving Judge 1 status for swimming technical officiating. It is accessible to anyone who wants to understand the FINA rules relating to swimming and the process of being a Judge Swimming Official and Timekeeper.  Find out more at:

https://www.swimming.org/ios/course-information/swimming-technical-officials-judge-1-theory/

If you are interested in doing either of these online courses or would like more information about officiating, please email our club officiating contact on officiating@hertfordsc.co.uk

• Courses at Stevenage Leisure Centre

Stevenage Leisure ‘Ascent Training Centre’ offer swimming teaching courses and more occasionally coaching courses . Some courses may attract a subsidy from Stevenage Leisure. Check this with the centre. Courses listing may be viewed on the training matrix.

To check whether additional courses are planned eg If Ascent Matrix course listing is out of date , or for any other inquiries  email ascent.training@sll.co.uk or phone Sharon Hunter on 01438 242636.

• Courses at John Warner Leisure Centre

More information and course listing can be found here

• Swim England

For more information please go to SEER website and also the Swim England  ‘Volunteering in Aquatics’ webpage https://www.swimming.org/careers/volunteer-training-development/

• Institute of Swimming (IOS)

The IOS is the Training arm of Swim England. They organise nationally a wide range of vocational swimming-related courses including swimming teaching and coaching courses. Several local pools including Haileybury sometimes host IoS courses. Their Swimming Teaching & Coaching Courses dates can be found here. You can then filter the calendar for month/year. Courses regularly come up in Essex, Herts and North London. 

Using Hertford SC’s SwimMark IoS credit voucher

The club has some IOS vouchers which can be used towards payment for courses RUN BY IOS. (If course listed refers to registration via IOS online, vouchers can usually be used whereas if course is booked directly via Leisure centre they generally can't (eg Stevenage). For more information about availability of vouchers and which courses can be booked, please contact SwimMark Officer

• Herts Sports Partnership Courses

HSP run the following seminars/workshops which may be of interest to teachers & Coaches :

UK Coaching Safeguarding & Protecting Children (L1) 

Equity in your Coaching 

Coaching Disabled Swimmers

First aid 

For information on HSP courses click here & and select courses on their 'Clubs, Coaches & Workforce' page.

• Safeguarding Children Courses

It is a requirement that all swimming teachers, coaches & poolside helpers chaperoning swimmers attend ‘Safeguarding & Protecting Children’ workshop and renew it every 3 years.

You can attend Safeguarding courses by any provider approved by Swim England. If, WITHIN THE LAST 3 YEARS,  you have already attended a Safeguarding course with another sporting body, or run by the local authority Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) or other council-approved provider (eg for helping at your child’s school) then this may be acceptable. In this case you will not need to attend now but only need to renew your Safeguarding Children when your existing one is more than 3 years old. To confirm whether or not it is acceptable please email a scan of your Safeguarding Children certificate to volunteeradmin@hertfordsc.co.uk

1. If you need to attend Safeguarding for first time or need to renew some options are:

a. Swim England East Region (SEER) Safeguarding Courses. £10 cost as subsidised for East Region Clubs. Course is specifically related to safeguarding in aquatic sports. This is the preferred option if it’s possible for you. For courses list and booking information on SEER website click here and select courses on top bar menu.

or

b. Safeguarding Children workshops at Herts Sports Partnership in Hatfield. Cost £35 (claim from Club treasurer).

To book your place on a HSP Safeguarding course click here & click on the top bar menu for workforce courses.

 2. For Renewals only: UK Coaching Online Safeguarding Renewal course 

For those who have already attended a ‘Safeguarding & Protecting Children’ workshop (for Club or other organisation) which needs renewing there is an online ‘Safeguarding’ course run by UK Coaching for renewals. This is the only online Safeguarding course accepted by Swim England. It can be done at home in your own time, takes iro 1.5 to 2 hours  and costs only £17 which you should reclaim from club treasurer. 

The link to UK Coaching courses is: https://www.ukcoaching.org/courses and link to their online safeguarding courses is: https://www.ukcoaching.org/courses/learn-at-home/sgp

Everyone - Whether you renew online or are attending a tutor-led workshop in person please pay full workshop cost and reclaim from Club treasurer after completion.  Please email a copy of your certificate asap to volunteeradmin@hertfordsc.co.uk  as it’s needed for club records & our SwimMark file. Thanks.