Or is this the norm? - swimming lessons

[SouthernComforts]

I saw on FB earlier that a friend rang to enquire about swimming lessons and was told that on the day they can sign up parents have to go and queue from 6.30am at the leisure centre.

Now, I want my dd to start having lessons too, so I rang up to see if she was exaggerating and was told the same! And that I could try to ring on the day but most people stated queuing at 6 and it is first come first served.

I then called another leisure centre and was told to call back in June.

I'm amazed. Aibu to think queuing up at the crack of dawn to be in with a chance of getting a swimming place is ridiculous or is this now normal practice .

We went on a waiting list for six months. Two pools, average of seven lessons take place at same time. Runs seven days a week, and we waited six months for our slot. Madness!

My DDs have had swimming lessons in 2 cities due to moving and got places straight await. Im looking at changing the day DD2 has her lesson when she moves up a group and when I enquired they had a couple of spaces in one group.

We have a waiting list of about 8 months at the local pool.

Our leisure centre won't keep a waiting list nor advertise when you can book - you have to go in randomly to see if there's been a cancellation! Apparently it's 'too oversubscribed' for a waiting list - they could run nothing but lessons from 7am to 7pm 7 days a week and still be full...

Yes. That's why DDs have lessons with an independent swim school that use hotel pools mostly. Honestly not that much more expensive and far less hassle.

Yep, same here. I decided to enrol DS in a swim school in a local secondary school instead. It's 5 minutes drive, free car parking, and cheaper lessons.
Is that an option for you?

Is there a local swim squad? because they often have learn to swim sessions and they are usually much better value than swimming lessons at a leisure centre.

We used to pay £21 a month for one half hour lesson a week at a leisure centre, the class was big and the kids did a lot of waiting around for their turn. We now pay £30 a month for 3 hours swimming a week (2 x 1.5hrs) and the kids swim almost continuously for that time, a mix of endurance building and skills practice.

Blimey madness
Have you thought of training as a swimming teacher?

Um nope. Ours are busy especially if you want a Saturday or Sunday but it's all online. I do sometimes have to log on each day for 4-5 weeks to check for a space in the next level when they get moved up which is a pain - but not nearly as much as having to get up in the middle of the night to queue.

North England?

Google 'the swim school'

Both my dcs swim with them. You have to have an assessment to see what class you need to go in.

Dd was assessed and in lessons within a week of her 3rd birthday. They take them from 3.

There was a system like that where we used to live, which meant that DS1 didn't get swimming lessons until we moved up here.

You just phone the pool and they either sign you up to a class or put you on a waiting list because expecting people to queue from 6am is deeply stupid (and probably a bit discriminatory because not everyone can queue outside a leisure centre from early in the morning).

Our council ran lessons are the same. Even in the v.posh and terribly naice town, it has been known for punches to be thrown!

As a result, we have always used private clubs/lessons. It has been slightly more expensive, but worth it to know that we don't have to go through that bonkers stress every term. I would check out your local competitive clubs too. Some of them run really good learner sessions at a fraction of the price of private or even council lessons.

Here you have to get on the list to join and then wait until a place comes up, then from very beginner to when they get to platinum, you have less than 12 hrs to pay for next term place or you go to the bottom of the list, and your place is immediately sold for good, the list has about 18 month waiting time.

You can join other lists 30 minutes drive away, but they have longer waiting times,

There is a very long waiting list for individual lessons, as all of the local private and public pools have sold out on booking times, waiting list for those too.

I have a friend who owns four lovely holiday cottages , she now makes far more money from renting out the indoor pool the previous owners built, to swimming teachers wanting space for classes, than her holiday lets and smallholding make combined.

MNers should help this person it's really fast.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll look into them.

It is the norm for us too. I have yet to make it on time - the mums in the know must sleep there.

That does sound odd. Never heard of that here.

However, I'd second the suggestion of seeking out your local swimming clubs - all mine learned through their training scheme, it was FAR better than the council programme as well, and all 3 are very strong swimmers now.