The Swimming Teachers’ Association (STA) has signed a number of new partnership agreements to provide a wide range of accredited swimming teaching.

The new contracts – with Barnsley Premier Leisure, Selby District Council and Oldham Community Leisure – will see NaRS Lifeguarding / Lifesaving, first aid, and Aquacise programmes being taught at the sites.

All three organisations have also committed to working towards STA’s quality standard, STAmark and the Pool Plant Tutors qualifications.

Additionally, Barnsley Premier Leisure will convert all of the trust’s staff to STA qualified status. It has already completed the conversion of all of its swimming teachers to STA accreditation and will be introducing STA’s Learn to Swim programme, and the exciting new STARFISH progressive babyswimming programme this month.

Meanwhile, Selby District Council’s Abbey Leisure Centre was recently presented with the STA Recognised Centre Award to acknowledge the standards of excellence reached and maintained in their NaRS Lifeguarding / Lifesaving and first aid training.

Abbey Leisure Centre’s manager, Bob Lancaster, said: "This partnership means that all current and future instructors will now be STA trained. This ties in perfectly with the current development of our STA ‘learn to swim’ lesson programme."