Private swimming lessons for a child - worth the expense?

[Polarbear66]

Dd is almost 7, and has skipped years of swimming lessons because of COVID. I’ve signed her up to a new class at the leisure centre, but there are a lot of children and she isn’t learning fast and she’s upset because apparently, in her group, are “mostly reception children”. She can’t swim at all without a noodle.

Another mum suggested private swimming lessons to help her catch up to the peers she wants to be in the same level as.

Has anyone ever booked them for their dc? Were they good? Worth the money? And how long did it take to see a proper improvement?

If they are within your budget, yes I think they are worth it. If you work out £s per actual minutes of interaction and swim time it often works out cheaper.

Progress is much quicker 1:1 and we often opt to do 1:1 lessons during half term holidays to give DC an occasional boost.

@Polarbear66

Dd is almost 7, and has skipped years of swimming lessons because of COVID. I’ve signed her up to a new class at the leisure centre, but there are a lot of children and she isn’t learning fast and she’s upset because apparently, in her group, are “mostly reception children”. She can’t swim at all without a noodle.

Another mum suggested private swimming lessons to help her catch up to the peers she wants to be in the same level as.

Has anyone ever booked them for their dc? Were they good? Worth the money? And how long did it take to see a proper improvement?

I had them at 9 as I was a lot older than the kids in my class and felt a similar level of embarrassment. I had 2 lessons a week and learned how to swim 25m in a month as I was so motivated. So def worth a try.

If you can afford it, and find a teacher with a space, just get in with it

We can afford it, but it’s painful!

I’m hoping for just a quick run of them so she can catch up.

I’m wondering how long it’ll take for her to improve enough to being an independent swimmer? (That may be an impossible question! Just trying to set a budget!)

I had them at 9 as I was a lot older than the kids in my class and felt a similar level of embarrassment. I had 2 lessons a week and learned how to swim 25m in a month as I was so motivated. So def worth a try.

Oh wow that’s great!

Yes , definitely if you can afford it. You will see progress within one or two lessons I would think. We did a few private lessons and they were much better. Choose one with qualified and experienced coaches though. I wish I had done more with mine as the length of time to progress is much shorter. You can then decide to just do leisure swimming or join a club or swim based activity like water polo etc once they can swim well.

100% recommend.
DS was in a leisure centre group class which was oversubscribed and whenever I spoke to the teacher, she didn't really know him. They spent half or more of the lesson standing at one end waiting for everyone else to complete a length or whatever.
He was in stage 3 for almost a year.
Put him in private lessons, 1 hour a week, and within 8 months he was stage 8.
Best thing we did.

My ds started swimming lessons at the same age and was in a class with mostly younger children. He grumbled about it initially, but actually it was quite good for his confidence, because he was stronger than the others and therefore advanced slightly faster.

Coming from behind, it made him feel quite good.

Now he's in grade 5 with others his own age.

Yes the teacher in her current class doesn’t know who she is, and there are 15 other kids (I think? Maybe more?). They’re very cheap, which is amazing, but DD doesn’t do much actual swimming, mostly fetching plastic rings from the bottom of the pool, dunking her head in, etc, which is great for building her water confidence, but probably why the progress on the actual swimming side is slow!

Yes 1 to 1 is worth it. The progress with 1 to 1 is so much quicker than within a group. Particularly if the teacher is right there in the pool with them correcting arm position etc.

I've also found crash courses in school holidays good. The group lesson sessions but where they go every day for a week. The regular repetition of a crash course works well.

It's worth checking with the leisure centre to see if they have any other times of classes with less kids. We go at 9am on Sunday morning and there are 4 kids in the class, there were 6 in the previous stage early on Saturday morning too. The evening sessions after school are all full and have 15 kids in so much less attention per child.

If my kids were little again, I’d do 1:1 without hesitation.

I have only just sent my 9 & 7 year old for swimming lessons.

They are one to one with a teacher and have picked up straight away. Teacher doesn't mess around and my 9 year old only needed one term (6 lessons) at the cost of £200.

However, it's my 7 year olds turn now for a term one to one but I've paid for my 9 year old to go just so the 7 year old is more confident.

Definitely worth waiting and having one to one sessions and not class sessions - my friends children started at 4 years old and the teachers would long out giving them certificates to get to the next level, meaning they would have to keep paying every term for their child to "move up".. my child finished everything in 6 sessions being a bit older.

The reason for waiting is because my daughter has never liked water or swimming. Despite the fact we live by the sea!

I waited for her to ask me and by 9 years old she did.

15 kids is insane. I thought DDs was a bit busy with 8-10. (Unfortunately no 1-1 lessons available around here, it took me 6 months to get group lessons!) However its also well organised.

Lots of kids are in earlier stages than they should be. Mine are in the same stage they were initially put in in January 2019 when we moved to the UK due to the massive gaps. There is a massive range of ages in the class, so its obvious they aren't the only ones 'behind'.

Take her yourself if

As an ex swimming teacher of over a decade I can tell you learning to swim is absolutely worth it.

I have fished out many over ambitious children over the years - and even whilst on holiday!

Drownings really do happen.

I would speak to the swimming teacher or coordinator about the progress, they should actually be working from a detailed lesson plan which spans the length of the term. There should always be a goal at the end of the lesson that they are working towards.

I’ve found lessons with a swimming club similar price to leisure centre classes but much better at progress.

Or you could just teach your dc yourself? I taught both mine to swim by just taking them lots, going in with them and showing them.

I'm a swimming teacher. From experience - for some children, 121 lessons are absolutely brilliant. You can cover 10 lessons in 1. That's if your child listens, is self motivated etc But for others, 121 lessons aren't better than groups - it depends how your own child learns.
I've had children learn to swim from zero swimming to swimming unaided in one private lesson, and I've had children who can't stand the attention/play up to it and get nowhere.

Or you could just teach your dc yourself? I taught both mine to swim by just taking them lots, going in with them and showing them.

I’ve tried this, but she takes all her emotions and frustrations out on me and we get nowhere! I have a lot of patience but she doesn’t want to learn from me (or, when I’m there, the fact that she can’t swim yet all comes out).

DS was in a leisure centre group class which was oversubscribed and whenever I spoke to the teacher, she didn't really know him. They spent half or more of the lesson standing at one end waiting for everyone else to complete a length or whatever.He was in stage 3 for almost a year.

Absolutely this! We had the exact same thing. The instructor kept calling DS (7) the wrong name! And he only did 3 widths swimming with a noodle because of waiting for all the others in his group! It was a waste of time and money. Now he doesn't want to do any lessons and we're stuck in a rut.

@Polarbear66

Yes the teacher in her current class doesn’t know who she is, and there are 15 other kids (I think? Maybe more?). They’re very cheap, which is amazing, but DD doesn’t do much actual swimming, mostly fetching plastic rings from the bottom of the pool, dunking her head in, etc, which is great for building her water confidence, but probably why the progress on the actual swimming side is slow!

Ah - submersion is absolutely key to swimming. If parents weren't watching, I would spend most of the time playing and submerging. Basically, as soon as they can submerge, they can swim.

Another vote for 1:1's. You should see a difference very quickly tbh. We did 12 1:1's just to give DC a confidence and skill boost. Will definitely use again in future if needed.

@arethereanyleftatall

I'm a swimming teacher. From experience - for some children, 121 lessons are absolutely brilliant. You can cover 10 lessons in 1. That's if your child listens, is self motivated etc But for others, 121 lessons aren't better than groups - it depends how your own child learns. I've had children learn to swim from zero swimming to swimming unaided in one private lesson, and I've had children who can't stand the attention/play up to it and get nowhere.

I think she’d be motivated? She listens to other adults that aren’t me! And really wants to be able to do it. But she is quite shy and doesn’t love attention so now I’m not sure!!

Ah - submersion is absolutely key to swimming. If parents weren't watching, I would spend most of the time playing and submerging. Basically, as soon as they can submerge, they can swim.

That’s very useful to know! (It’ll stop me from thinking the lessons aren’t going anywhere fast!)

But...once they can submerge and blow bubbles, there's no need to play any more! There's a balance!