What does my child need to bring to the lesson?

You need to provide your child with appropriate swimwear and a towel and we provide the rest (armbands, floats, noodles etc). Goggles and hats are optional, we would not suggest using goggles in the early stages but they are a great piece of kit once your child starts swimming with their face in the water more regularly. Your child doesn’t need a hat but long hair should be tied up so it doesn’t get in the way.

My child is 3 and a complete beginner, do I need to be in the pool with them?

No, parents don’t go in the pool with their child, our teachers are in the pool with your children at all times so you can rest assured they are in safe hands.

What if my child doesn’t like it?

Some children don’t enjoy their first few swimming lessons, but keep bringing them and in a few weeks, 99% of children enjoy the water and are happy to come to their lesson. If, for some reason this isn’t the case, we are happy to speak to you about the individual situation and resolve it for you.

Is the pool warm?

Both pools we use are warm, Keech pool is heated to 35 degrees, and Lealands is heated to about 30 degrees, both are nice and warm for learning to swim!

Is there parking and changing rooms?

Both pools we use have onsite parking. Lealands have reopened their changing rooms and showers. Keech has changing rooms but not showers for after the lesson. 

I don’t feel like my child is making progress. Why is this?

Children do progress at different rates. Some children are natural in the water and are confident, whereas some are more fearful and find it hard to travel in the water and coordinate their movements. Therefore some children will take longer to progress to the next stage than others; if you have concerns please speak to us and we can advise you on the individual situation. We do also email a progress report each term to help you keep track of your child’s progress. 

My child has been in the same stage for a long time. Why is this?

Different children will find different stages harder than others and some children will spend a few terms in the same stage, particularly the higher ones. Although they are still in the same stage, children will be perfecting the technique of their strokes or becoming more confident swimming unaided (depending on which stage they are in) so although they are in the same stage they are still learning and developing new things. You do get a progress update by email each term, so you know what to work on if you take your child swimming outside of lesson times and you can see which individual elements of the stage your child can and can’t do. If you have concerns about your child’s progress please speak to us at the pool, we are more than happy to discuss the individual situation with you. 

 How long does it take to learn to swim?

The million dollar question! Some children learn to swim very quickly, and within a term can swim 5 metres without armbands, however some will take a year or more to swim without armbands. It also depends on how good a swimmer you want your child to become. Once your child is confident without armbands and has developed the appropriate skills we develop technique so your child can swim further without tiring and so they are safe in most water based situations. If you take your child swimming in addition to the lessons we can advise you what to practise and this really does speed up progress. 

What happens if you miss a lesson?

Unfortunately we are unable to offer replacement lessons or refunds for lessons missed as you are still holding the place in the lesson. If we have to cancel a lesson for any reason we of course provide a replacement lesson (see our terms and conditions for details). 

Do you offer taster sessions?

Unfortunately it is too disruptive to current swimmers and their teachers to offer taster sessions, so this isn’t a service we provide.

What are you class sizes?

For beginners our normal ratio is 6:2, and for improvers and advanced that may go up to 7:1. We arrange classes to maximise your child’s progress and will always offer you the most suitable class for your child. 

I am an adult and have never swum before. Do your lessons cater for me?

We offer ladies only lessons for adult beginners and improvers- please look at the adult lessons page for more information.