SwimMark accreditation is Swim England’s quality standard for clubs. It recognises high standards of governance, sustainability and effectiveness.
Any affiliated Swim England club can apply for the accreditation, regardless of your club’s size or the disciplines you deliver.
What is SwimMark about?
- Creating the best possible swimming experience for all
- Raising the quality of aquatics provision across all areas
- National Sport England Clubmark recognition for great quality clubs
There are three modules clubs can aspire to: SwimMark Essential Club, SwimMark Network, and SwimMark Performance.
SwimMark Essential Club
This is the primary module for clubs, helping you to achieve good governance, grow membership, develop volunteers and ensure your activity is sustainability and in line with your club objectives. It is accredited every two years.
Which clubs have SwimMark in the region?
Essential Clubs in East Region.
Funding opportunities for SwimMark clubs
There are funding opportunities for clubs with SwimMark accreditation.
Club Essential documents
You can access all documents needed to attain Essential status in the Swim England library here. These documents will help you understand what you need to do to become a SwimMark Essential club. A useful document for clubs is the Guide to the SwimMark portal
SwimMark Performance
The Performance module provides a benchmark for clubs coaching and developing high-level athletes across the four sports (swimming, diving, water polo and synchro).
Clubs need to demonstrate that athlete pathways, the physical environment, quality coaching practices and support services are all in place for athletes to reach the pinnacle of their aquatic sport. Performance standards are measured by England Programmes.
Depending on the discipline, there are a range of elements to complete to attain the Performance level. Once achieved, the accreditation will last for two years.
Your club must have achieved SwimMark Essential Club and be actively engaged with a Network to achieve your Performance accreditation.
Stronger Affiliation
Swim England is bringing in new guidelines for its affiliated clubs in a bid to show they have the highest standards of safe and effective practice in place.
The Stronger Affiliation process is being introduced so new and existing members know clubs are well run and their personnel have the necessary safeguarding checks in place to ensure members’ safety.
By introducing a Stronger Affiliation process, Swim England will be able to:
- Support clubs to ensure they are implementing the appropriate governance and meeting minimum operating standards
- Enhance the experience of club members
- Demonstrate its commitment to ensuring the safety of all affiliated clubs and members through stronger governance
- Provide stronger leadership for the sport
- Strengthen sustainability for future generations
- Align to Sport England’s direction of travel for community sports clubs.
If a club provides all of the above information, then they will be compliant for Swim England changes in 2021.
Failure to meet this new minimum standard of compliance will result in a club being suspended temporarily or permanently at the beginning of 2021.
