To have taught my 1 child instead of putting them in a different class for the lesson?

[SwimmingTeacherTeaching]

I teach swimming on a Saturday morning, this is in addition to a fulltime job I do Monday to Friday, it gives me a bit of extra income to spend on my DCs who go to their dads every Saturday (no overnights) unless we’re away on holiday. Saying this to show I don’t actually need the money I do it because I genuinely love it and I do love the swimming teaching. I teach Stages 2, 3, 4 and 6 and have up to 12 children in a class up to stage 4 and then up to 15 in my stage 6.

The leisure centre does not have a policy on what happens if only a few children turn up, they say it’s up to the teacher what happens in that situation of 3 options; either we combine with another stage, teach who we have or cancel the lesson and parents get a refund.

For 1 of my classes this morning only 1 child turned up probably due to it being school holidays (just going into week 3). I decided to teach the child as they were very very close to moving up stages and it meant I could teach them what they need to do to get up and can do my planned lesson next week with more children there – we usually learn each skill once in a 4 week block so this meant the child had more chance of moving up.

Parent was extremely happy when child comes out the pool with the card to say they can move up, thanked me and then went to see the leisure centre manager as they were leaving to thank me again for very kindly teaching the child alone for the lesson (parent said they’d have been happy with us cancelling the lesson but not combining with another stage so they were very pleased to get a 1-1 for the cost of a group lesson as 1-1 lessons are closer to £20 for 30 minutes and £25 for up to an hour, compared to £6 for 45 minutes in group). Parent has also put the child on the waiting list for a slot in my class for the next stage rather than with another teacher, as they were so pleased with my teaching (and I am happy to have this child in my class again when a slot comes up).

Another parent from another stage has complained that this child got a 1-1 of 30 minutes when I could of combined my child with a stage up or down running at the same time and given the 4-5 children there 5-7 minutes of 1-1 time each, but instead this child got my full attention for the entire 30 minutes and moved up a stage. The parent was annoyed because their child would have wanted 1-1 for a bit to grow confidence and therefore improve and feels it's unfair when they pay the same for their child each month as the other parent pays for the child I taught so therefore isn't expecting or wanting 1-1 and if they wanted 1-1 they'd pay for it.

Leisure centre manager is not taking the complaint forward because as I said there is no policy on what happens in this situation and he is happy that this child will continue to attend in a higher stage and has made room for another child in that stage so thus more children can come through. Parent of child I taught was happy because they didn’t expect a 1-1 so no complaints there. And there will be no policy made.

But I’m wondering WIBU to teach the child and no move them to another stage and do 1-1s with all the children? As a parent which would you have preferred? As a parent myself I can’t say it bothers me, either option works.

Vote –
YABU – You should of moved the child to another stage and gave all some 1-1
YANBU – Teaching the child 1-1 for the full 45 minutes was fine

@Crunchymum I don't set the prices, it's set by the leisure centre, I know how much they cost though as there is a board in the reception that lists the prices and different memberships:

Weekly 1-1s are £19.76 (I think) for 30 minutes, or £24.96 for 45-60 minutes (parents choice)
Weekly group lessons are £6 for 45 minutes

Both are charged on a monthly basis with the direct debits worked out on a yearly basis and divded by 12 so you always pay the same. You can switch between group and 1-1s easily as well.

I personally don't teach 1-1s but could choose to and get a slightly higher hourly rate.

My da is a club swimmer having been through the learn to swim programme. (Started at 4 and is now 19!)

It's never occurred to me that classes/squads will be combined or changed due to attendance. If people don't turn up or we don't turn up you assume others get more lane space or teaching time 🤷‍♀️

But there's always one who complains. I see parents of some of swimmers get their knickers in a right twist about another child moving up. 🙄

This happens at our swimming lessons all the time. The groups are only 6 when full so school holidays you could quite easily be the only one turn up. Everyone just thinks ‘yesssss 1-1 time’. I can’t imagine it’s ever occurred to anyone to complain in this scenario. It’ll just be someone else next time it happens

Ouch. That is pricey.

(Our lessons are at a leisure centre as well, not anywhere fancy!)

Thanks for the explanation. These prices seem very reasonable (sorry, I know that's not what your thread is about although I agree with your stance on the situation FWIW)

I remember thinking £30/ mth for 30 mins a week was a lot back in 2010 when my ds swam.

Now it's £135 a month! (For a lot more hours 😂)

I suspect that if the complaining parent had been the one whose child’s class had not shown up then they would be livid to have the child moved into another group instead of being given the 1-1 time. They don’t care about fairness for all children, they just want more for their own child.

Don’t let it bother you. Your student was fortunate today and benefited from the 1-1time, their parent is pleased, and your manager is happy.

I love dragging the DCs out for bank holiday Monday lessons as they're much quieter and have had 3 or fewer children in a lesson which has made a difference when they've been close to moving up. Normally there's about 13 per class.

The parents have had a lesson pitched at the right stage which is what they pay for. No one else has missed out on the class that they've paid for either.

It's hardly the child's fault nobody else in their group turned up. It's meant bonus time and at the end of the day the most important thing is every child that can does learn to swim. It's in the child's interest to progress through to be the best and safest in the water that they can be.

Some parents are extremely petty and lose sight of the overall goal.

I know with my daughter's group sometimes there are only 3/4 and other times double that. I don't really think about it and just check the app each week that's she's actually progressing.

They got what they paid for - a group lesson. They have nothing to complain about.

This was exactly my thoughts too .

give it no more thought .

You got the child ready to move up .. sounds like valuable use of your time .

in fact I bet if it was her child who was in the class where they were the only one who turned up and the teacher re jigged the classes to even them out I bet she would have moaned about that! Some people moan about anything if they think anyone at all is getting something better than them. You did nothing wrong op

Some children wouldn't be happy with having a different teacher. In some areas it is important to maintain consistency.

I think you should have a policy. To protect the integrity of your 1-2-1 classes if nothing else

Don't give it headspace. She would have moaned if her kid was the one who turned up to be the only one in his lesson and was shuffled into another group. You never win with gimmepigs like that.

I think you did the right thing.

I remember my daughter having an individual lesson once because no-one else had turned up (also in the summer holidays). The teacher finished the lesson about five minutes early because my daughter was exhausted as she had done so much more swimming than usual.

That seemed perfectly reasonable. I'd have been annoyed if she had been made to go into another teacher's lesson because she was only about 5 and was quite shy. She was happy with her teacher and wouldn't have been so comfortable with someone she didn't know.

At my kids swim school they teach whoever turns up. If that is 1 child then so be it. I would be cross if they combined because if it is with the class above then it would be beyond dc ability and if below then it’s likely to be too easy. I don’t get a refund if we don’t go so why should I not get the appropriate level taught to my child.

@123456abcdef Policy here is if the leisure centre cancel i.e. either the teacher themselves or the actual leisure centre (we've occasionally had to close due to issues with the pool filter or similar) then a refund is offered but has to be applied for via a form on the website (surprisingly only around 50% of parents actually apply for the refund). But if the child doesn't turn up for the lesson but it's still on then it's not refunded which is a fair policy in my book.

DD has one on one classes if no-one else turns up. They have several different stages learning at once. Seems reasonable to me. I’m sure other kids have had one on one too but I generally don’t notice what the other classes are doing.

It's just luck of the draw if nobody else turns up, complaining parent sounds like someone who would complain about anything. Or possibly this particular issue was a bit of a last straw in a longer term frustration with the swimming lesson system in general. Or even other things going on in that person's life unrelated to swimming.
It doesn't sound like the management are at all bothered about it and I imagine they get all sorted of daft complaints so I really wouldn't give it any headspace.

The parent that complained is the out of order one. It's nothing to do with her/him and they should mind their own business. That parent hasn't paid for any 121 time do is not entitled to it. The fact your parent/child got some 121 time was a bit of luck on their part and was your decision given the very specific situation. You don't have to think of everyone when doing one person a favour. People are so bloody entitled these days!!