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Original poster

Swimming lessons

29 replies

bellamountain · 18/04/2021 10:53

Does anyone have a child who has missed out on over a year of swimming? My child was 4 when the first lockdown happened and happily participating in swimming lessons but swim instructors are now not allowed in the pool with beginners so he is unable to attend any lessons (he'll be 6 soon)! I'd be interested to know when swim instructors will be allowed back in the pool? I can't take him to any parent and child lessons due to his younger sibling.

It has annoyed me that pools have remained shut for so long and we've had people swimming in rivers with the risk of weils disease or strong undercurrents and children are missing out on a pretty important life skill.

OP posts:
onemouseplace · 18/04/2021 10:55

My 6 year old is back at swimming lessons - she's in Stage 1 and can't swim, but the pool teaches them in the shallow end so the teacher doesn't need to get in (although I'm sure they would if there was an issue!).

frozendaisy · 18/04/2021 10:56

Can you email your local pool?

It can't be long (end June?) when all restrictions drop and/or instructors vaccinated.

sherrystrull · 18/04/2021 10:57

My 4 year old has started lessons and I go in the water with him. Is there anyone who could look after your younger child for half an hour?

Eccle80 · 18/04/2021 10:58

My youngest managed about 6 weeks of lessons before the first lockdown when he was just 4, had a few lessons in September and October before the second lockdown, then another couple in December. He was back yesterday, but obviously he has made no progress at all from last February as he regresses every time they stop!

Can your son not do lessons with the instructor on the side at least? That is what our pool has done since September (when open), and whilst having the instructor in the water would help more, it is better than nothing

Invisimamma · 18/04/2021 11:00

Both my ds started swimming lessons at 3yrs old and they have never had a teacher in the pool with them (before that we did parent and child) . My youngest is now 6 and going back to lessons next week.

clareykb · 18/04/2021 14:49

My kids are back with the teachers in the pool in a very very strictly controlled set up so I'm assuming that they are allowed in if proper precautions are taken. Ask around it might find a swim school where they are in the pool.

YellowGlasses · 18/04/2021 14:51

I got two children younger than your son and both are currently at swimming lessons where the instructor stands on the side. No problems at all with it.

Footloosefancyfree · 18/04/2021 14:55

I'm a swimming teacher I'm back in the pool with my ducklings stage 1s and stage 2. I teach stage 3 out of the water where possible and stages 4 and above out of the water. I'm aware different places do different things..I've heard friends teaching stage 1s whilst on poolside but personally I wouldn't be comfortable with that. Maybe have a look else where for places where they are teaching in the water. We wear visors.

Frazzled2207 · 18/04/2021 15:02

My kids lessons started again yesterday. They also ran throughout most of the autumn term.

Frazzled2207 · 18/04/2021 15:03

Ps our lessons have instructors in the pools at all times.

poppycat10 · 18/04/2021 15:15

The swimming lessons for children started last week. The instructors don't need to be in the pool with the kids so that's not a barrier to your dc restarting. They won't be in deep water until they have the skills to be there, and the pools have got lifeguards anyway.

Hophop26 · 18/04/2021 15:17

Ours have started again, right now an adult has to go in with them (we didn’t before covid) and it’s the same class as before. I’m very glad they are back at lessons after missing a year but also hoping it goes back to normal with parents not in the pool some time soon too

purpleme12 · 18/04/2021 15:40

My child is 7 now
She was/is in stage 2
But only just in stage 2
They have the adult in the water with them still
She hasn't had a class for over a year
She's not a strong swimmer and it took her so long to get to this stage (longer than the other children I know) and I've been swimming with her once when it was open. She'd gone backwards so much and lost all her confidence ☹️

purpleme12 · 18/04/2021 15:40

And they still haven't started back up and doing know when they will

gratedbeetroot · 18/04/2021 15:51

My five year old went back for three weeks in the autumn before the pool closed again!

Pre covid an instructor was in the pool to help if required. During those few weeks in autumn no instructors were allowed in the pool and they went in alone with no issues. However instructors being in the pool was a new thing here anyway as when my seven year old was the same age there wasn’t an instructor in the pool.

No idea when they’ll be able to restart here (not England).

We weren’t happy with the rules in autumn so I’m not sure what we’ll do if they’re the same again: parents had to wait together in a non ventilated changing room - door shut and no windows Shock We wanted to wait in the car or in the hall which was empty and at least had a door open.

CoffeeWithCheese · 18/04/2021 15:53

My kids start back next week - but poor DD2, the child who has been completely fucked by everything in this had only just got out of the beginners group after a year and a half of trying her absolute damndest... and then has now lost a year so will be pretty much back to where she started - and now potentially faces going into the beginners group with a bunch of 4 year olds at twice their age if she doesn't pick up the pace again - which is unlikely with dyspraxia.

Just more to add to the battering her resilience has taken.

Original poster
bellamountain · 18/04/2021 15:56

@purpleme12

My child is 7 now She was/is in stage 2 But only just in stage 2 They have the adult in the water with them still She hasn't had a class for over a year She's not a strong swimmer and it took her so long to get to this stage (longer than the other children I know) and I've been swimming with her once when it was open. She'd gone backwards so much and lost all her confidence ☹️
It's so frustrating isn't it. So many skills that they are not developing.

All the lessons I have contacted are saying they are not advising beginner classes until social distancing rules have relaxed. I don't have anyone available in the afternoon for his sibling either, it really is difficult.

OP posts:
Hellocatshome · 18/04/2021 15:56

Why can't they go to a lesson with the teacher stood on the side, its fairly standard practice and they can teach them just as well. If they are too nervous to go to lessons without someone in the water just take then to family swim sessions with you. You dont need to formally teach them just get them water confident so they can go back to lessons.

mackerella · 18/04/2021 15:58

Yes, DS used to go to a junior disability class (he's 10 and a reasonable swimmer, but the class provided a small group and a specially trained instructor). He hasn't been swimming since March last year, as the disability groups didn't re-start in the autumn, even when DD's (normal) class did Sad.

mackerella · 18/04/2021 15:59

I should say, his instructor taught from the side, not in the water, so I'm not sure what their excuse is (v hard to get hold of the centre, especially when it was closed!)

Original poster
bellamountain · 18/04/2021 15:59

@Hellocatshome

Why can't they go to a lesson with the teacher stood on the side, its fairly standard practice and they can teach them just as well. If they are too nervous to go to lessons without someone in the water just take then to family swim sessions with you. You dont need to formally teach them just get them water confident so they can go back to lessons.
That would be perfect but everywhere I've contacted is saying no. I'll keep looking, it's not as if he hasn't had lessons before but he'd only cope in the shallow end.
OP posts:
purpleme12 · 18/04/2021 16:00

@Hellocatshome

Why can't they go to a lesson with the teacher stood on the side, its fairly standard practice and they can teach them just as well. If they are too nervous to go to lessons without someone in the water just take then to family swim sessions with you. You dont need to formally teach them just get them water confident so they can go back to lessons.
I am going to take mine when/if I can get there (have to book and apparently they're already very booked up) But going with me is no substitute for learning to swim 'properly'

When mine first started swimming lessons they didn't actually have anyone in the pool with them. Then after a while they decided to make the little pool deeper so some of them couldn't stand up in it (they could before) and that's when they put an adult in there

Mintjulia · 18/04/2021 16:05

My ds's lessons resumed for a while in the autumn term, stopped and then started again last week.

For the little ones, they allow a parent in the pool with each child, and the teacher on the poolside.

Stoptalkingtome · 18/04/2021 16:09

My 6 yr old has just started back in beginners, the instructor stands on the side. It's not ideal, but better than nothing. There is a considerable height difference due to the other kids being 4/5. I'm hoping they won't notice. Confused

OloBo · 18/04/2021 16:53

Ours are back open. We unfortunately lost our places as I didn’t want to pay out for the autumn term only to miss half of it for every cough they picked up forcing us into isolation. Hopefully places will open up again soon.

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