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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

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Original poster

swim lessons with teacher at side of pool

24 replies

zazizoma · 21/01/2011 17:08

I became very disturbed today when calling around to arrange swimming lessons for my 5yo ds. Both the leisure centre and the parkwood leisure locations do not allow the teachers to go into the water with the children. They all cite child protection . . .

Is there something really wrong here? Can anyone recommend a proper swimming course?

OP posts:

GrungeBlobPrimpants · 21/01/2011 17:16

In our leisure centre teachers are out of the pool for all group lessons, but same centre also provides 1:1 tuition with same teachers in the pool for those who are nervous etc

Suggest looking at private providers and adverts as alternative?

ChippingInSmellyCheeseFreak · 21/01/2011 17:19

Some do, some don't - it's just a matter of calling all the ones local to you I'm afraid and finding one that suits you.

SleepingLion · 21/01/2011 17:21

This is very odd for a 5 yr old. For all the early years of his swimming, DS had a teacher in the pool with him in his group lessons. Only now, at 7, does he have his lessons in the main pool with the swimming teacher on the side - because they no longer need the same level of support. Sounds like child protection gone mad to me - do you have any other swimming pools near you?

southeastastra · 21/01/2011 17:21

i thought this was odd when ds started with the school and people on here thought i was crackers to think teacher should be in the pool too.

though saying that he took extra lessons in the holidays and that teacher got in with the kids.

scurryfunge · 21/01/2011 17:27

A good swimming teacher does not need to be in the pool, unless it is one to one. No one can see or hear your instruction if you are in the water and you cannot monitor what is going on easily.

SandStorm · 21/01/2011 17:29

Where I am children aged 4 and under have a parent/carer in the water. After that age they go in alone with the teacher on the poolside. The water is never so deep they cannot stand and I never actually considered there was an alternative.

cat64 · 21/01/2011 17:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

ProfYaffle · 21/01/2011 17:36

At our local pool children have parents with them til the age of 3. After that they have a teacher on the side and an assistant in the water up to stage 4 (age roughly 6 or 7 when they can swim out of their depth reasonably well)

Ragwort · 21/01/2011 17:37

My DS's teachers never went in with him - was never an issue. For the real 'beginners' (4 and under - from memory) there was one assistant in the water but the teacher remained on the pool side.

If your DS cannot swim at all you would perhaps be better off with one-to-one lessons to start with.

Original poster

zazizoma · 21/01/2011 18:25

Thanks everyone for all the responses. Coming from America, a teacher not being in the water with the kids is unheard of, simply wouldn't happen. I'll give David Lloyd's a call, but I may just go ahead with the 1:1 as I don't want to travel miles for lessons. Thanks again, I very much appreciate the insights!

OP posts:

BodleianBabe · 21/01/2011 18:50

I've never known a swimming teacher to go in the pool with the children and this was even the same 40 years ago before CP became such a big issue.

I always assumed it was so the teacher could watch out for all the children better. Plus it's easier to see what the children are doing right/wrong and correct them if you're stood on the side.. I

Stinkyfeet · 21/01/2011 18:58

My ds's have their lessons at Everyone Active.

Ds2's (4yrs) teacher is in the water for the whole lesson. Ds1's (7yrs) gets in frequently to demonstrate or help.

Lamorna · 21/01/2011 19:06

I've never known the teacher in the water, except when they at the under 5 stage.(this goes back some years)

Original poster

zazizoma · 21/01/2011 19:50

southeastastra, I hear you.

I think I found it; Stingray-swimschool. Teachers in the water. Does anyone have any experience with them?

Why are the people I'm calling telling me that CP is the issue? How many kids are in the class such that the teacher needs to stand at the side to see them all?
Is this all a scam to get you to cough up the £180 for a 1:1?

OP posts:

MoonUnitAlpha · 21/01/2011 19:54

I never had swimming lessons with the teacher in the pool as a child, and that was in the 90s before "child protection" was an issue.

MickeyMixer · 21/01/2011 19:58

As a qualified swimming coach I can tell you that you can be in the water with a group of up to four. Any more than that and you have to be on the poolside but can have an assistnat coach in the water - these are ASA rules. This is safer even for new/non-swimmers ... if you are on the poolside you can see all your pupils and can assist if there are probs. You cannot see all of them if you are in with them - potentially v. dangerous.

ProfYaffle · 22/01/2011 07:45

£180? How many lessons is that for? I think I paid £13 for a half hour 121 lesson. There's up to 8 kids in the group lessons here.

Original poster

zazizoma · 22/01/2011 15:36

Prof, that was the price for 10 1:1 lessons with Parkwood Leisure, the only situation where they would allow the teacher in the water. Stingray's is in line with normal group lessons . . .

OP posts:

create · 22/01/2011 15:48

Really Mickey? My DC had their early swimming lessons at David LLoyd, where classes of 6 children had one teacher, in the water, until approx level 4 I think. They do have a life guard on duty too and cordon off a small area for the beginners so they are all close.

I've noticed recently that although they still get in the water, they now all wear tri-suit type costumes with Tshirts over, so there's no skin to skin contact when they're holding a child.

mumbar · 22/01/2011 16:01

My DS, now 6, started at everyone active lessons in local leisure centre. Started in small pool (teacher in pool) but lifeguard on side. He moved to shallow end of big pool when he could swim 5m and teachers on side from there on in. He was 5yo at the time. Lessons were £22pcm by DD for 1/2 hr, max 10 children.

He moved in Nov to the club at the same centre. He went back into the small pool where there is an assistant on the side (older club pupil) and teacher is in or out of the pool - depends on what she does. I pay £32pcm, 2x 1/2 hr lessons a week, his stroke is much better. There are more children per class but more space as have whole pool and do lengths not widths of it.

IME a club can offer more - purely because they are training children to maybe be swimmers. Not all will or will want to but they start with teaching a good stroke from a young age.

Sorry for long post.

cat64 · 22/01/2011 23:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

mumbar · 23/01/2011 12:28

YES Cat exactly. We did it the other way round but DS (stage 5) could 'swim' 25m when doing club assesment. Stamina tick!, fitness tick! stroke - well lets just say they weren't impressed and now 2 months later he has a beautiful stoke, will soon be going into the group where he'll learn to breathe (properly!). He can still do the distance just now with more ease. (and looks better!!).

Rosa · 23/01/2011 12:35

Last summer dd 4 did 2 week long courses in 2 differnt pools. Pool 1 8 children teacher in water - lifeguard on duty .
2nd pool assistant in water teacher on side.
I am happier with a teacher/assistant in the water as it helped dd with legs / arms when needed.

basildonbond · 23/01/2011 19:53

At the swim school run by my kids' swimming club we have a teacher in the water for stages 1-3 and a maximum of 6 children per group. From stage 4 upwards the teacher is on the side. It's really nothing to do with the age of the child as ability varies so much from child to child and it's certainly nothing to do with child protection (all the teachers are CRB checked). Our teachers usually wear wetsuits if they're in the water but that's more because they get cold!

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