What class will I be in?

All of our Beginner classes are held in the shallow end of the pool which is sectioned off. Improver & Advanced groups have the rest of the pool to use.

We do have different levels of Beginners. Most of the children who attend our Crash Courses will be starting swimming lessons for the first time, so it’s sometimes difficult to gauge a child’s ability from a phone call.

Please bear with us if you feel your child is not in the correct level. We are able to work with differing abilities within the same group because the group sizes are small. We may however change your child’s lesson time if there is a more suitable group for them.

What do we do when we arrive?

Take your child straight to the changing rooms and get them ready – it’s also a good idea for swimmers to use the toilet first. Bring your child out onto poolside and walk them down to the shallow end of the pool (please remove your shoes first). If there is already a group in the pool before your class then you can wait in the spectator area.

Parents sit in the spectator area once they have introduced their child to the teacher.

Do children have to wear swimming hats?

We do prefer girls, or any boys with long hair to wear hats. It really does make a difference. We sell soft cloth hats for beginners, and we also have a variety of silicone hats. If a child absolutely refuses to wear a hat (and some do!) we don’t mind – just please make sure that long hair is tied back.

Can children wear goggles?

We believe that learning to swim is essentially a lifesaving skill and we feel it’s important that all children learn to swim without goggles. Goggles can also waste a lot of time in the lessons with adjustments etc. It’s best to leave them at home.

We are happy for swimmers of Advanced standards to wear well fitted goggles.

My child seems upset before or during the lesson

A lot of children will have a few tears on their first lesson, some refuse to get into the pool. DON’T WORRY, it’s quite normal. It’s better if you can leave your child in the capable hands of the teacher and stay seated in the spectator area where they can see you. If you come onto poolside and stay by the pool we find it usually makes children more anxious, and it’s also quite disruptive to the rest of the class.

Your child won’t be made to do anything they don’t want to do. We find that for some children it is worthwhile for them to just sit on the side and watch before they decide that they want to join in with the class. Please remember that first swimming lessons may be stressful to your child as they will put in a new environment with new children and have a new teacher to deal with. We do everything we can to provide a nurturing environment for your child.

What can I do to prepare for the lessons?

Any opportunity to take your child to a swimming pool before they start lessons will be really beneficial. A fun play time in the pool will help their confidence immensely.