Swimming Lesson Suggestions

[Gerry102]

I live in Liverpool and I am looking for swimming lessons for my 6year old DS. When I have looked into getting lessons, I didn't realise there are so many different companies to choose from. Can anyone recommend a good swim school or at least give some advise on what questions I need to ask to make sure I am booking with a legitimate and qualified teacher?

No but generally the council run ones are cheaper and less successful. Ask other parents - I found that private ones had fewer children with each teacher thus more individual help. They also had higher expectations of the children and got them swimming more quickly.

I would say try to avoid a very shallow pool as it is more difficult to take feet off the floor for school age kids. With a 3ft deep pool it's almost harder not to swim.

Just go to your local swimming pool and sign him up.My DD made some good friends there who were not school friends.As far as I know all lessons are given by suitably qualified teachers.

Just to throw another option into the mix, ask at your local swimming clubs. They were by far and away the best option when mine learned to swim, and the lessons were superb. They also had teenagers in the water with the little ones to support the teacher on the side - they were volunteers (like Young Leaders in Scouts or Guides, or youngsters helping to coach younger age football teams just because they enjoy it).

Depending on where you are in Liverpool, Sefton Council lessons are good, there is a good choice of places to go and lessons are half an hour once a week, it's £20 per month.

They offer classes in the evenings after school and at weekends and there is plenty of choice.

They also have someone in the water with them up to a certain level.

try and see if you can get a teacher that actually is in the pool teaching rather than a teacher on the poolside

it has made a big differrence with my son and being in the water with the pupils seems to get good results

Thank you for all the comments, its really helped. I've found a swim school that has a 6:1 ratio, the teacher is in the water for the lower abilities and they have assured me that all their teachers are Level 2 fully qualified. Not too sure if the Level 2 qualification is important, but it sounds good!

My swim school does 4 to 1 for little ones, the swim club does 2 to 1 for beginners. I think six to one sounds like a lot of beginners!! Or can your little one already swim a bit?

The qualification is your starting point but what really counts is their ability to motivate and persuade the children. What I have learnt over the years is that if you are unhappy with the lessons, do not wait too long before changing. There are plenty of options out there and I spent far too long paying for unsatisfactory lessons which my child enjoyed but made very slow progress,

I've found another swim school that has 8 swimmers in a class, with 1 teacher in the water and 1 teacher on the side. I'm really struggling to find group sessions at a 1:4 ratio. What is the name of the swim school you attend?

Perhaps go and watch a lesson at both places to see what you think?

I asked ds (who has got Level1, but not finished level2 yet). He says Level 1 means he can teach under another teacher's supervision or from another teacher's lesson plan (so I guess cover them occasionally), but he need Level two to run his own regular class.
Agree though that how the teacher engages with / inspires the class is far more important and that can be down to personality and / or experience (at any sort of coaching, not necessarily just swimming).

Also in Liverpool, my dc have had lessons since 5yo and are both accomplished. Our swimming coach is Neil Thomson - a GB medallist & top 50 UK swimming coach. He's on FB, PM me for his number. My DC at 13 & 8 are doing 2k open water swims & are representing school, city & county.

Teach them your self - part of being a parent. My dad taught me even though he couldn’t swim and I taight my son. I think its lazy parenting to pass this on to others. If they are wanting to swim competitively thats another matter.

seniorcitizen lazy parenting?? asking a swimming teacher to teach them to swim? Did your DC go to school? Have driving lessons? Was that not a bit lazy on your part?

I'm a good swimmer, really good, in fact I swam the Channel this summer. It doesn't make me a good swimming teacher. My DC go to swimming lessons, I am not in the slightest bit lazy thank you very much.

Edwin - he did not have driving lessons as I taught him to drive. He did go to school because I dont know enough about all the subjects he needed to get into medical school. But any parent can teach their child to swim - my dad taught me and he couldn’t swim. So yes lazy parenting.

I'm going to guess you are one of those head up breaststrokers clogging up the middle lane - that's not swimming. I'd love to see your tumble turns, butterfly and starts off the blocks. All of which my 6 yr old does thanks to her lessons.

Edwin - wrong. I could do all those strokes and dive from 25 foot diving board at my local pool before I went to secondary school. At secondary school got my 1 mile badge - not one second of swimming lessons. My son the same.

Well I will bow to your obvious superior knowledge, take them out of their Saturday lessons and tell their private school they've got it all wrong and should cancel swimming lessons for all. I had lessons to train me to swim the Channel - does that make my parents lazy as well? 😂

We do council run lessons here. It’s 8:1.
We’ve also done a couple of 1:1.
The 1:1 were probably better but not feasible long term.

She does just fine in the council ones. And she really enjoys the lessons.
It might take her longer to complete the stages than smaller classes but that’s not an issue for us.
We only want her to learn how to swim and enjoy it too

Should be 1:8 not 8:1

Senior my dad taught me to swim. I swim really badly. I would rather DD learned to swim properly.

I don't live in Liverpool but 1:6 for new swimmers in common here and 1:8 once they can swim 25m. I found in the beginning they learn with anyone who is friendly and they like/want to please. Once they can swim a bit it is more important to find a good teacher who advises on best swimming technique. I like a strict teacher who the child knows will comment if they are not using their legs enough and who makes them work. It is common to spend 20-25 mins swimming and 5-10 mins on water skills.

My ds has swim school lessons as a baby where there were up to 12 children and their parents. In his current council run class it is him and one other child. If you have the chance to go and observe some lessons it’ll make your decision easier.

If you can find somewhere with proper swimmers that focus on technique and really understand it. We tried the puddle ducks and water baby things when they were younger, waste of time. My friend actually works for one of those brands and the more I hear about them the more dubious I am. Was lucky to find somewhere that's a local organisation that hires a school pool and all the teachers are either current competitive swimmers or previously have been. Oh and it's only £5 a lesson instead of the £18 at the others. Never done council lessons but I know a lot of people that say they are often too crowded. The ratio you talk about sounds perfect - especially as some weeks half won't turn up! Good luck to your DC.