Friendly Otter Swim School (FOSS) supports and follows Singapore’s national swimming syllabus of SwimSafer 2.0, overseen by Sport Singapore and Singapore Aquatics. This has a focus of swimming, water safety, and survival skills.
All primary school children in Singapore are called to go through the SwimSafer programme, typically between Primary Three and Primary Five. This 12 hour programme happens during school hours, with the primary school organising and transporting the students to an available ActiveSG swimming complex. Classes are typically in groups of 10. The swimming complex used may not be the one closest to the school, as it depends on availability.
FOSS provides a leg up for our students, by providing early training and testing. Without any prior training, students would find it more difficult to attain basic swimming skills and to pass the SwimSafer test held by their primary school.
By having a SwimSafer certificate first, primary schools can better recognise and place students in a suitable swimming class at the school. There is a huge difference being in a class with other swim-capable students, and with those who have never entered a swimming pool before.
Without a SwimSafer certificate, it is difficult to recognise a student’s prior time and efforts in the water. In addition, having a SwimSafer certificate may allow a student to be exempted from their primary school swimming lessons, again saving time and effort. Individual schools may have different policies regarding this, do check directly with your child’s school.
It is a common practice that some swimming coaches or schools do not send their students for SwimSafer tests, even after years of lessons.
We do not follow this practice.
We are committed to send every primary school student for testing before their school progamme, and/or at the conclusion of their swimming education with us. By doing so, we ensure that the students’ time and efforts are recognised and not wasted. That goes double for the parents.
Most swim coaches in Singapore do not have SwimSafer certifications, hence they are not allowed to send their students for national testing under their own name. They also would not have undergone the numerous training and briefings conducted by the examination authorities to ensure standards and safety.
There are less than 800 swim coaches certified to teach the SwimSafer curriculum. Of those 800, only about 300 are also Assessors, meaning that besides teaching, they conduct SwimSafer assessments. Coach Andrew is one of the 300.
If you are a parent of a student and interested in seeing the test schedule and registering for a test date, do sign up here. Registration is under the child’s name and NRIC, with an email that the parent has access to. After selecting the ‘Participant profile’, select “Unattached to Club”, and under Coach name, start typing “Andrew” till you see “Ng, Wangqing Andrew”. A link will be sent to the coach to validate the student.
SwimSafer Practice Tests and Registration
SwimSafer tests must be registered with an accredited SwimSafer Instructor. For children who had learned with a non-SwimSafer Instructor but wish to test and register for a test, FOSS is available to provide practice testing and registration.
1-1 each Practice Test : $120 per 45 mins. Better rate for those with multiple children, contact us directly for discussion. Rate also depends on the stage of test.
Evaluation, Registration, and Support : $30
SwimSafer Test Fees and Conditions
Each test is $80 per participant. This includes $50 directly paid to the SwimSafer CAMS website, and $30 to FOSS for administration and support to parents through the whole process. The actual test can take up to 2 hours.
SwimSafer testing occurs every month, at five different public swimming complexes. FOSS sends students to Jalan Besar Swimming Complex. Unlike most other schools and coaches, we can arrange for tests every month, at the parents’ convenience.
Do understand that like any other national test, assessment can be stressful for young participants. While all effort is taken to prepare the student, it is impossible to provide a guarantee of passing. No professional coach or teacher can promise this. The swimming coach cannot be present during the test in an official capacity, and has to respect the assessor and the process. FOSS encourages both parents and students not be overly anxious and emotional, and take setbacks as a stepping stone for success.
Updated 29 July 2025