How to earn your badge:

1. Learn the general safety rules for swimming (such as not diving into shallow water or not swimming on your own) and where it is safe to swim locally.

2. Show you know how to prepare for exercises. You could do this by leading a warm-up.

3. Demonstrate a racing dive into at least 1.8 metres of water and a straddle jump into at least 2 meters of water.

4. Swim 100 metres in shirt and shorts. When you’ve finished, remove the shirt and shorts and climb out of the pool unaided. Your time limit is three minutes.

5. Tread water for five minutes, three of which one arm must be held clear of the water.

6. Scull on your back, head first, for ten metres, then feet first for ten metres. Move into a tuck position and turn 360 degrees, keeping your head out of the water.

7. Swim 10 metres, perform a somersault without touching the side of the pool, then carry on swimming in the same direction for a further 10 metres.

8. Demonstrate the heat escape lessening posture.

9. Demonstrate a surface dive, both head and feet first, into 1.5 metres of water.

10. Swim 1,000 metres using any of the four recognised strokes, for a minimum distance of 200 metres per stroke. This swim must be completed in 35 minutes.

11. Take part in an organised swimming activity that’s different to the one on your previous swimming badge.