The qualifications and requirements of Coaches qualifications have changed and should be looked up on the Institure of Swimming website.

The qualifications have changed to:

• Assistant Swimming Coach
• Swimming Coach
• Senior Swimming Coach

These replace the previous Level 1, 2 and 3.

Full details and dates of courses are available from the Institute of Swimming (IOS) and the South East Region (SER)

The IOS have a list price advertised on their website, this is the full price however Swim England Clubs and Coaches that are members of IOS have a discounted Members price which is in the region of a 40% discount for Assistant coach and 30% discount for Coach, these change so should be checked with the IOS for current pricing.  The discounted pricing should be available to all member clubs.

As of March 2025 the IOS site listed the full prices of the courses as:

Swim England South East Region is able to allocate burseries for the training, details can be found on their website

Funding is available for coaching courses from the South East Region Funding. (Below is an extract from their webpage)

Awards will be made to off-set the cost of training and examinations. Maximum bursaries are: 

• Swim England Assistant Coach (previously level 1) courses £110.00

• Swim England Coach (previously level 2) courses £300.00

• Swim England Land Training Certificate & SEQ Level 2 Coaching Open Water Swimming 50% of Member Offer price

• Swim England Senior Coach (previously level 3) & Swim England Aspire/Inspire Programmes  75%

The bursary amounts for Assistant Coach and Coach courses have been amended in line with the Member Offer prices that are available for all Swim England Affiliated Clubs. 

Member Offer prices are available to clubs on Coaching courses through the Institute of Swimming. This offer gives clubs access to a significant discount (around 40% on the Assistant Coach / 30% on the Coach course) against RRP of the course. More information on how you can access the Member Offer can be found here: https://www.swimming.org/ios/book-courses-clubs/

Clubs are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the Member Offer.  To confirm clubs using the Member Offer can apply for a Regional Bursary on top of the Member Offer pricing.

Clubs are also reminded that they can access an additional £100 in Institute of Swimming vouchers each year for being a SwimMark club. This is still available in 2025 for those accredited during 2024. To claim these email    [email protected]      with the following information 

• Name of Club

• Voucher code number you wish to deduct the £100 from (this can be found in your Company Account). The Institute of Swimming will then amend the invoice for this voucher. 

Where budget allows, ONB can also assist with funding which falls into the following categories, but is not limited to:

• Training/Coach Development (IOS acredited courses)
  Where SER has approved a bursery and the Club has applied all available discounts and other funding, ONB will seek to match a Club's own contribution up to a maximum of 1/3 of the Members Price for the training where budget allows.
   
• Equipment (Technique aids, the purchase/repair/replacement of pool equipment).
   
• Athlete Development. 

It is expected that Clubs will seek and demonstrate other funding and their Clubs' own contribution as part of any request for support.
Where a club is unable to demonstrate the other funding then it is likely they will be directed to do so in the first instance before an award is granted.

Please complete the Funding Application Form here and send to our Treasurer, Hui Jiao-Rashbrook at [email protected] detailing your requirement. Members are requested to note that all requests for funding must be submitted direct to the Treasurer by the 1^st of the month that an ONB mtg is held. This is to enable the Treasurer to complete her financial report for the ONB mtg in good time.