to think that DD2's swimming lessons aren't a lot of cop?

[Awhiteelephantintheroom]

DD2 (6 and a half) has been going to swimming lessons once a week for a year now and is still nowhere near ready to swim. DD1 was about the same age when she started lessons at a different pool teaching a different way of swimming and she was swimming with no armbands within about 3 weeks of starting.

DD2 enjoys her lessons and the teacher is pleasant enough but they just seem to spend all their lessons doing the same thing; floating backwards across the pool with a float under each arm, and then swimming forwards kicking their legs holding a float. Occasionally they wear armbands and do doggy paddle. There is never any opportunity to try swimming with no armbands or to do anything different. She was in the "baby group" for ages and at the beginning of this term I spoke to the teacher and asked if she could be moved up a group, but this group do exactly the same thing. DD is very confident in the water and happy to get water in her face, etc, as are the rest of the children in the group as far as I have seen so it's not like she's in a group designed to introduce children to water.

When DD1 learnt, she learnt breaststroke and she progressed really quickly. I learnt with breaststroke too as a child and was swimming within a few lessons. The teacher that DD1 had was very focussed on getting them to swim and really pushed them, which was good.

I think I'm going to move DD2 to lessons at another pool, as I feel the past year has been a waste of money. We started her lessons last Easter time as we had a holiday booked for last September and thought perhaps she'd be swimming a bit by then. When she wasn't, we hoped she'd be swimming by our holiday this July and again I don't think she will be if she carries on with lessons there. I think she'll be a bit upset if I move her as lots of her friends go there but like I said it just seems a waste of time and money. I should add that a friend of mine has 2 boys that have been going to that swimming school for 3 years and still can't swim.

After a year she should at least be swimming unaided at a beginner level, shouldn't she?

I think you are right to move her to a different group if you can. Also, she may gain more if she went swimming more. Once a week is not very much IMO.

I forgot to add Kreecher that we generally go swimming as a family once a week too

Doesn't sound great. DS only goes once a week ( we keep meaning to go in between lessons) and he is 5 and has recently started swimming small distances without any floats, so agreed they don't sound much cop.

I'm going to book her in elsewhere for lessons. The more I read my post back to myself the more crap her lessons sound, and TBH I'm feeling like a bit of a mug for paying for them for a year

I am trying a crash course for my two over Easter as apparently they have great results. The course I have booked on is through a local swimming club and they only have 4 children in a class. Might work well for your DD then once a week might be more helpful?

That's a great idea Nikki; I think the place that I'm going to book her into does offer crash courses so I will ask about that

YANBU. I recently withdrew my DS1 from swimming lessons at the local council baths because the new teacher was so unimpressive. Vote with your feet, OP. I think parents put up with lacklustre teaching because there is a sort of pressure for kids to learn to swim very early now.

I've just had a similar experience only for two years! Have just paid for 4 private lessons for DD at another pool as we were both frustrated. After one excellent lesson, I took her to the public pool yesterday and she found she could happily swim without armbands or float. She was so happy I almost cried - had to drag her out so we could leave, and she wants to go back today.

Moral - some swimming lessons are c**p, go with your own judgement.

Also, I too feel an idiot!!

It doesn't sound great. DD's swim teacher is brilliant, and even when none of the class could swim without bands, she would spend the last 5 mins of every lesson with bands off getting the kids used to the feel of the water. 7 months after starting lessons, DD, who is probably the weakest in the class, has started doggy paddling like a fiend.

But, breast stroke is not a good stroke to start with. It is easy to pick up, and will stop you drowning, but in terms of building life long swimming skills it is a bit useless. In Australia, where swimming lessons are taken deadly seriously, overarm and back stroke are really the only strokes taught to kids. The only people you see swimming breast stroke in public pools in oz are old ladies who don't want to get their hair wet, or recently arrived brits.

Sounds seriously dreadful. DS goes to local council baths for 30 min lessons weekly. They do not use arm bands for any child ever. DS is age 6.5 and about average for his friends - swimming lengths in class but not with any too much style. We rarely go at weekends. It's not all been great & I've pulled him out for a couple of months each summer when progress ground to a halt / wanted change of teacher. When they can't swim it's 8 to a class & now it's 10 to a class.

I wouldn't use any swimming school which used armbands in lessons. I think you're right to be moving, and I would explain why to the teacher too.

You're not a mug though; it's easy enough to let these things carry on, and only when you explain it to someone else do you have a moment of realisation!

You know you would be best to move her as she's not progressed. Floats and noodles are sometimes used to get their confidence. You know you would be Happier R

I found group lessons a waste of time and money . It seems more expensive but I found private 1 to 1 lessons much better . They picked it up in a few weeks then practised with me and now are going to restart in a group as they now have confidence and are swimming well

I also found 1:1 lessons better. DD had been swimming in a group of about 7/8 children and no improvement. Had her do 1:1 over a half-term, 1/2 hour every day. Brilliant. She learnt to swim in that short time. Did it again for her as she got on so well. She's now the best swimmer, apart from me, in the family.

Sounds like they are more water confidence lessons than swimming lessons. What are the aims of the classes, do they have any?