Instruction in the School Swimming Scheme program is provided by a combination of selected permanent classroom teachers from the participating school and suitably qualified casual teachers, community members and/or pool staff.

Escorting teachers from the school should be enthusiastic and will be provided with daily guidance to assist them in providing quality aquatic education for the students in their group.

The SSS provides opportunities in Professional Development.

Participating schools must provide a teacher for each group of 30 students, or part thereof, viz., 1 teacher : 30 students; 2 teachers : 45 students. The preferred model involving specialist staff in conjunction with teachers from the school will ensure no group need exceed 15. An additional teacher should be available for supervision of the pool deck and for students who leave their instructional group for any reason. For example: a group of sixty students is instructed by three specialist staff and one permanent member of staff creating a 1:15 ratio. The second member of staff acts as the supervising teacher. Teachers aides should assist with the tuition of students in the water.

Reduced instructor : student ratio will apply to Special Schools and to students with disabilities in regular schools. The involvement of class teachers with specialist staff should ensure that no group need exceed half the normal class size. Teachers aides should assist with the tuition of students in the water.

In circumstances where AUSTSWIM qualified casual teachers are not available, community members or pool staff qualified as AUSTSWIM instructors may be engaged to instruct under the supervision of teaching staff.

In preparation for the involvement of the school in a School Swimming Scheme, Principals should:

• Consider necessary organisational changes to allow involvement of staff and students
  
  
• Select those teachers most enthusiastic / best qualified for swimming instruction. Participating teachers will be required to be actively involved in teaching a group of students
  
  
• Seek to have participating teachers attend on every day of the program to ensure continuity of instruction. This continuity of attendance is important for the efficient and safe conduct of a program.

The active involvement of permanent classroom teachers from the student's school will ensure that this scheme will be integrated more effectively with other school based swimming programs.