National Swimming Diplomas License
What is the value of a swimming diploma?
In the Netherlands today, anyone may offer swimming lessons and issue swimming diplomas. In fact, this has not been legally regulated since 1984. At that time, the government abandoned this task and transferred it to the Dutch National Water Safety Council (Stichting Nationale Raad Zwemveiligheid). In practice, there are now several (private) swimming schools and organisations that issue their own swimming diplomas. The requirements between the diplomas may also differ as a result, so one child with a C diploma may have different skills than a child with a C diploma from another provider. The quality of training may also differ.
Make a conscious choice for the true Swim-ABC
The National Swimming Diplomas now issued by the National Water Safety Council are a further development of the swimming diplomas issued by the Ministry of Education before 1984. Since 2018, the National Swimming Diploma C is equivalent to the National Swimming Safety Standard. This only applies to the National Swimming Diploma ABC and not necessarily to other providers’ swimming diplomas! So choose a competent swimming lesson provider, such as AZL, which has been independently assessed by the National Water Safety Council. This way you can be sure that you are choosing quality, swimming fun and swimming safety.
National swimming diplomas license
Swimming lesson providers, like AZL, that have been successfully tested by the National Water Safety Council receive the National Swimming Diploma Licence. This is the swimming industry’s quality standard. Only swimming lesson providers that meet the quality criteria of the Licence are allowed to issue the National Swimming Diplomas, including the Swim-ABC. The Licence was introduced in late 2014. AZL has held the Licence National Swimming Diplomas since 2015.
Quality assurance National Swimming Diplomas
Licence
The National Swimming Diplomas, including the Swim-ABC, are issued by the National Water Safety Council | NRZ. The NRZ strives to continuously improve the quality of the swimming industry. The National Swimming Diploma Licence promotes the assurance of safety and quality of learning to swim. This provides assurance that the swimming lesson provider in possession of this licence acts in accordance with the swimming industry’s quality standard.
The swimming lesson provider holding the National Swimming Diploma Licence gives you the following four assurances:
- Licensed and qualified swimming teachers ensure that your child is in safe hands and enjoys swimming lessons. For example, the swimming teachers work according to the Swimming Industry Code of Conduct, have a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) and receive further training.
- Your child will receive the National Swimming Diplomas A, B and C. After obtaining the National Swimming Diploma C, your child will meet the National Swimming Safety Standard. This official diploma is recognised, for example, by fire brigades, police forces and sports training courses for the performance of various professions.
- The swimming lesson provider uses a clearly described swimming lesson method, so you can decide which provider best suits your child. During the swimming lessons, you as a parent will also be kept well informed of your child’s progress.
- Consistent quality of the swimming lesson provider, guaranteed by independent annual monitoring and testing moments at diploma swimming. A certified National Swimming Diploma Examiner is also present at each diploma swimming moment.
All swimming lesson providers who have obtained a National Swimming Diploma Licence are registered with the National Water Safety Council.
So: choose consciously and go for certainty. Choose AZL and, like parents of 300,000 children a year, choose a swimming lesson provider with the National Swimming Diploma Licence from the National Water Safety Council.
What is monitored by the National Water Safety Board?
Swimming lesson providers who hold the National Swimming Diploma Licence undergo the following tests by the National Water Safety Council:
- To obtain the National Swimming Diploma Licence, a test in the form of an on-site audit is conducted by the National Water Safety Council. It assesses whether the swimming lesson provider meets all the quality criteria of the National Swimming Diploma Licence Handbook;
- The National Swimming Diploma Examiner who assesses whether a child is ready for diploma swimming and whether a child passes or fails must himself take an exam every four years. The National Water Safety Board also has access to the National Swimming Diploma Examiner’s reports;
- Licence holders must take a digital test every year, which is administered by the National Water Safety Board;
- Random tests are conducted by the National Water Safety Board;
- Periodically, a delegate on behalf of the National Water Safety Board attends diploma swimming.
How do you recognise a swimming lesson provider of the one and only Swim-ABC?
Swimming lesson providers issuing the one and only Swim-ABC are tested by the National Water Safety Council. Only if the quality requirements are met, the National Swimming Diplomas of the Swim-ABC may be issued. You can recognise the swimming lesson provider by the logo on the website or the sticker at the accommodation.
A swimming lesson provider authorised to issue the one and only Swim-ABC can be found in the overview on the National Water Safety Council’s swimming lesson locator. If a swimming lesson provider is not in this overview, it does not meet the quality criteria of the National Water Safety Council and may not issue the National Swimming Diplomas of the Swim-ABC.
How do you recognise the real National Swimming Diploma?
How can you tell if you are holding the original National Swimming Diploma A, B or C issued by the National Water Safety Board? If so, look out for a number of authenticity features. On the front of the diploma, there is a silver hologram at the top left of the white clip, as shown in the image below. In addition, the ‘ABC’ block is characteristic of the genuine Swimming ABC. Each swimming diploma also has a unique number, which can be found above the hologram.
Kijk voor meer informatie over de Nationale Zwemdiploma’s, de Licentie en de Nationale Raad Zwemveiligheid op www.allesoverzwemles.nl.