New
New
Lesson 5 of 6
  • All years

Safe self-rescue circuit, swimming using different survival strokes

I can perform a survival circuit selecting the most appropriate action for each emergency situation.

Lesson 5 of 6
New
New
  • All years

Safe self-rescue circuit, swimming using different survival strokes

I can perform a survival circuit selecting the most appropriate action for each emergency situation.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Move: different body positions can be used to protect the head, maintain heat and keep the airways clear for survival.
  2. Move: all actions when responding to an emergency should be in a relaxed manner.
  3. Think: different emergency actions are required in order to be safe in different situations.
  4. Feel: self-motivation helps us to perform to our individual best in an emergency.
  5. Connect: moral support is helpful when in a group emergency in the water.

Keywords

  • H.E.L.P - a position to wait in for rescue to maintain body heat with the arms crossed and legs bent and squeezed together

  • Treading water - a skill that allows a person to maintain their head above the water in a vertical position whilst staying in one place

  • Huddle - a position for a group of casualties to wait in to maintain body heat, keep up moral and be more visible

Common misconception

When swimming sidestroke the legs perform a breaststroke action.

From the starting position of one leg stacked on top of the other, the top leg moves forward and the bottom leg moves backwards, the legs then snap back together in the starting position.


To help you plan your all years physical education lesson on: Safe self-rescue circuit, swimming using different survival strokes, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Get pupils to imagine a pair of scissors when doing the sidestroke leg action.
Teacher tip

Equipment

1 x large bottle per pupil, 2 pieces of floating equipment per pupil, 4 x “treasure chests” for example a box or hoop

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - physical activity

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
When swimming front paddle in a survival situation, what should your arms be like?

Correct answer: long
short
fast

Q2.
How long should you do a star float in an emergency situation before swimming?

Correct answer: 60 seconds
20 seconds
100 seconds

Q3.
What do you call choreographed movements performed in water?

dance
Correct answer: artistic swimming
performance

Q4.
How can you increase the distance you are able to swim?

Correct answer: swim steady
swim faster
splash more

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
What is the main purpose of the huddle position in water?

Correct answer: to share body heat
to swim faster
to float

Q2.
What type of leg action is performed in the sidestroke?

Correct answer: 1 forward, 1 backwards
both forwards
both backwards

Q3.
What is required when working alone in an emergency situation?

self-respect
self-rescue
Correct answer: self-motivation

Q4.
What happens to your breathing rate in cold water?

reduces
stays the same
Correct answer: increases