Asked to leave poolside during 3-yr olds swimming lesson

There should always be an observation room. Lifeguards are usually standard. In this crazy world it can be very difficult to hand your child over to someone that you only know from what you are told. There are many instances of children being touched inappropriately under the water. With other lessons being taught , the instructors are busy in that case the parent can look over their children along with instructor. If a parent is able to see under water from afar it’s best for the school and parents. Sadly this is another choice a parent has to think of while putting their children in another's care . It saddens me having to bring this to everyone’s attention. It’s not like it can’t happen it’s happened many times before and still is.
I would think a reputable swimming school would protect themselves from any allegations. And most of all having the parents knowing all precautions are in place for the safety of their children . Making a parent rest easy

In the swim school we went to, the ducklings were accompanied in the water by assistants (minimum of two, class size had a maximum I think as I never saw more than 8) and the teacher was on the side where she had a good view of all the kids. Parents were poolside because it was a secondary school pool, not a public one with viewing gallery and cafe. There were still two lifeguards on duty, one at each end of the pool.

Your setup sounds a bit different and I would personally be happier if the teacher wasn't in the water (so always had pupils in front of them) and helpers were. It makes for a much safer learning environment. Little children are not the best at keeping focused and can be easily distracted.

Parents definitely best kept at a distance, sorry. Even if they don't interfere they are a distraction for some kids.

I don't think there are any parents in the water @pangolina

Yes, so that would be each parent with two children, then the teacher instructing.

It’s quite possible that this really is a parental issue.

Parents are ready to back-off a bit from their kids at different stages. Some want to be in the water, some aren’t comfortable unless very nearby and others are happy to be in the balcony.

You need to choose a pool which offers what you’re comfortable with. You cannot expect a particular pool to adapt to do what you prefer.

As has been said, parents poolside can be a menace. They can be a safety hazard if they contradict what a teacher has told the child or distract children. They won’t be intending to be a hazard, but they can well be. And if not a hazard they can certainly be a distraction. Most swimming teachers would prefer to get on with their job, rather than be having to deal with both children and parents.

Lots of people wait to start lessons until a bit older if they feel their child. Isn’t mature enough to follow instructions or be left with teacher alone. 3 year olds are just past being toddlers and their maturity does vary significantly. Lots of people find that the best thing before about 4 or 5 is simply lots of family swimming time to build water confidence. Then if they start lessons at 4 or 5, they are more ready and make speedy progress. Most parents feel happier about their kids following instructions by then too.

My 2 year old has 1 teacher in the pool for 3 children. 1.2m deep pool so they can’t touch the bottom.

She got her 5m badge this week and can jump in and swim to the other side with no issues. I don’t agree with people saying they are too young, if taught properly children can be swimming at 3.

I sit in a separate room with a window so we can see the pool but are not close enough to interfere.

I found my daughter made so much more progress once she moved into the preschool group where I don’t go in the water with her.

Standard for lessons here . If you don’t trust the lifeguards I would find a new pool to have lessons .

@pangolina you are saying the guidance is 1 adults to 12 3 year olds?! Or have I misunderstood?

I wouldn't be comfortable with this at all but for that reason I have chosen a swimming lesson for my 3 year old that involves me being in the water.

Sorry but you have misinterpreted this. Adult and Child refers to an adult and child pair (ie a parent and their child) participating in the lesson. The recommended ratio is 1 teacher to 12 adult and child pairs. The part you have quoted refers to if the teacher enters the water and then the ratio is 1 adult to two children.
For the setup in the OP is talking about, the ratio for non swimmers is recommended to be 6:1 but no higher than 12:1

It depends on your own swimming ability and your childrens'. I taught my own DC in a local pool. I was a natural swimmer aged 3 and many children learn to swim first under water. Teach them to like water and how to float which are the key safety lessons. Make it fun. Very hard for parents who don't like water or swimming, but it's doable.

And then make sure they know about the difference between a pool and rivers and the sea.

We went to one swim school where parents did sit poolside, but nobody interfered - but then that would be because there was an instructor and a helper to at most 7 kids. The pool was also shallow enough for nobody to be out of their depth - which of course doesn't prevent drowning but does reduce the risks. The helpers were almost always teenagers - which presumably kept costs low, as well as giving them some work experience. If the lessons are out of school hours, this might be something to suggest.

Inevitably, the price of lessons is usually inversely related to the size of the class.

There are all sorts of lessons and at 3 years old this could range from parent in the pool with the child to parents up in the balcony (as you have found out) if you dont like the kind of lesson he is in then move him to one you find more suitable.

My dd started age 5 (her sister age 3.5) and level 1 had 2 teachers to 4 kids max.

All mine started swimming lessons aged 3, we had to leave after dropping them poolside. No one drowned and they all learned to swim. Dance classes were the same. If you think he's not old enough want another year or so and just keep talking him swimming yourself.

I’m amazed by this thread. I go in the water with my 3yo and this is standard for preschool lessons locally. I wouldn’t dream of putting him in the pool alone at this age. We have a teacher and a lifeguard there for eight children who all have a parent with them. I thought that was normal at this age!

I’m quite laid back about stuff like this but when my boys were little they went to swimming and I started having concerns like you. Then I had to pull someone’s child out of the water after they’d gone under and only I had seen! Pulled both my boys out of lessons there and just did it myself. I cried for ages after

Dd2 did ducklings 1-4 and there were up to 6 in with the teacher. However obviously d1 was in the shallow end. And they probably only moved up once they could swim a bit. From oct-feb dd2 did ducklings and by the feb when lockdown hit she was after lockdown told to move to stage 2 so they move up very quckly (ended up redoing stage 1 as only restarted lessons this feb so 2yrs later but passed that in a week crash course.

So whether your dc can touch the bottom /how sensible they are would be a factor for me and if they are a good swimmer.
Also if you only have an unlevelled group there are likely constantly new non swimmers which would require teacher input/attention.
When my 9yo did a length and they didnt know if she could swim she was followed with the hook thing..
Although school had passed her as needing no more lessons...! The leisure centre think shes still only stage 3!

Stage 1 which can be 4yo is about 10 kids here.
Bear in mind though yours is 3 there is likely many 4.5yo in there too

I was asked to go to viewing area precovid when watching dp and dds swim. Dd2 was a runner and the pool sides high dd1 without arm bands they were maybe 3 and 6. I was not happy as i could get there a lot faster than dp and dd2 wasnt necessarily drowning etc.

Re swim lessons its fine to be in viewing area. Theres the lifeguard. My dd2 was doing stage 1 now over 6yo and disappeared - nipped to the loo, probably took me several min to notice (i was actually just other side of the pool) as dd1 was in another lesson and i was watching both. Dd2 goes underwater between lengths so i did think she could have drowned while instructor with one of the others, she can swim though obviously