Home › Diving – Stage 8

Depth Check Detective

Swimmers find and explain the pool's depth markings, 'No diving' signs and the areas where jumping and diving are allowed – safety knowledge before any entry.

Stages
Diving – Stage 8, Diving – Stage 9, Diving – Stage 10
Difficulty
Beginner
Skills
Water Safety, Diving Safety
Equipment
None
Age
8–99 years
Group size
1–20 swimmers
Time
About 4 minutes
In a lesson
Introduction / Warm-up, Recap / Safe Exit
Shared by
SwimShare Resource

Safety notes

  • Walk, never run, on poolside; keep the group back from the edge.
  • Follow your pool's operating procedures – they set where jumping and diving are allowed.

What it develops

  • Know safe depth, space and rules for diving
  • Explain and apply diving safety rules

How to run it

  1. Walk the poolside together (walking only) and find the depth markings and any 'No diving' or 'No jumping' signs.
  2. Ask swimmers: where is the water deep enough for jumping? For diving? Where is neither allowed?
  3. Explain that depth can change suddenly and that other pools, rivers and the sea may have hidden shallows.
  4. Swimmers point to today's entry area and explain why it was chosen.

Teaching cues

  • Read the depth before every entry.
  • No sign, no certainty – ask.
  • Never dive into water you don't know.

Make it easier

  • Teacher points out each sign; swimmers repeat what it means.

Make it harder

  • Swimmers explain the rules to a younger group or a new swimmer.
  • Discuss why open water is especially risky for diving.

Common faults

  • Assuming the deep end is always deep enough for diving.
  • Not noticing signs.

Corrections

  • 'What does this number tell us?'
  • 'Show me the sign before you go in.'

Assistant / L1 role

  • Walk at the back of the group on poolside to keep everyone together and away from the edge while the teacher explains each sign.