Everyone active swimming lessons

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Is this normal? DD 4 went to waterbabies swimming lessons since she was 2, and they don’t use armbands to support swimming so she can float and swim on her front and back a short distance, she’s very confident in the water and will swim under water

We’ve moved so had to enroll in our local leisure centre. When I phoned up I was told she’d need to join state 1 (fair enough) and wear arm bands so they could see her ability

She’s had 4 lessons now with the stage 1 group, they just swim back and forth using their armbands and a woggle, a lot of children just flapping, floating or going round in circles while the teacher tries to push them in the right direction. My daughter will swim over and be stood for over 5 minutes waiting for 6 other kids to make their way. This is obviously fine as they are total beginners, however when I spoke to them about moving her up, they reeled off lots of things she couldn’t do well, meaning she won’t move up.

For example she can’t float well on her back wearing armbands, however she can float and swim without the armbands. They said she doesn’t understand water safety well as she doesn’t always listen at the lessons and will go underwater etc, but it’s because she’s bored

They’re are the only swimming lessons in our area, so it’s very frustrating.

Has anyone else experienced similar? They aren’t expensive but expensive enough when she’s learning nothing

How can she float without armbands but not with? That doesn’t make any sense. If she can float on her back without armbands, they ‘re floats so they cannot possibly hinder this. Floating on back - and being able to listen! - are the main criteria to pass stage 1.

Also 4yos are allowed in Stage 2, I've had 2 of my kids at that stage at that age.

Because she’s not used to a big float attached to her arm balancing her on top of the water? I think she finds it scary as it’s out of her control. When asked to float with the arm bands she leans back and then starts panicking and flapping

There is a swim teacher has responded on here, so she would be able to explain better I am sure. Being able to swim a length isn't necessarily all they want to see to move them up, but I don't know really as I am not a swim teacher.

As I said, there are sometimes admin errors in our one where a teacher hasn't ticked something, so the kids don't move up when they should. That doesn't seem to be the case here though, as op has spoken to the teacher who said why she hasn't moved her.

Mine have progressed really well though, but the beginning does feel long.

If you really aren't happy though, you can look for other lessons, but I wouldn't choose her not moving up quickly at this specific place as my hill to die on.

At Everyone Active…

I think my main concern is they do the same thing every week which is just so painfully basic, they can’t truly access her this way, especially with arm bands

I agree with you OP, sounds stupid.
Id take her out

An example of not listening today. All kids lined up at the side and the teacher was holding a watering can in the air and sprinkling water into the pool, she asked the kids 1 at a time to swim underneath the watering can and get their head wet, I presume to get them used to having water on them. My DD pushed off the side wearing her goggles and swam the full length with her face in the water. It’s not that she’s being defiant but it’s not challenging her

They said she doesn’t understand water safety well as she doesn’t always listen at the lessons and will go underwater etc, but it’s because she’s bored
This will be why they are not miving her up. If she does not have the maturity to listen she may cayse disruption and put herself and other learners at risk in a slightly higher level class which isnt as geared up for the littlest ones

I’m not a huge fan of water babies tbh. Sure it means 2/3 year olds can ‘swim’ underwater for a couple of metres. But for most kids after that, the progression slows, as the next steps - learning to breathe properly, body rotating on long axis etc - are beyond where a 2/3/4 yr old is cognitively. Also their limbs aren’t in their end proportions always till at least 4. Being able to swim underwater, coupled with being 4 years old, actually hinders many kids as they want to be under the water and don’t listen to the instructions. So then it gets to stage 2 and they’re just holding their breath instead of blowing out uw and they don’t progress. Parent is watching them doing 5m front, and wondering why they’re not stage 3, bit they’re not breathing right. The only way of progressing at 4 for your dd is small/private group lessons with an independent with others of similar age and ability. All you have to do to be able to ‘swim’ is have your head in the right position, ie submerged. I always let kids have a go with no noodle if they can put their head under, as they can ‘swim’.

Fair enough, but I don’t think she’ll get to that point in stage 1 because she can’t sit through half an hour of floating about. Probably best I take her out

Yes of course, tbh I had faults with water babies too, and I’m really happy for her to learn different techniques etc, I’m just not happy with her being in such a beginners class where some of them have never been in a pool before

I can see that op. But as I teach for EA I understand their position too.

If you teach for EA, can I ask why they are insisting on armbands when they aren’t recommended and give children a false sense of security?

I can’t speak for the particular teacher, but I would use armbands only if it were necessary for safety. Safety, obviously, is paramount.
The op has said that there are 8 4 year olds in the class and that it’s 1m deep, so they are all out of their depth. There are very many 4 year olds (and it’s increased in the last few years) who don’t have the attention span or aren’t mature enough yet to stay on a noodle. No arm bands is obviously the optimal teaching, but it’s a luxury not available on an 8-1 ratio in a deep pool. With any mix of 4 year olds, ability will vary massively, like any other lesson, from the child who can swim unaided to the child who is petrified of getting splashed. Armbands are useful for the latter. In swimming, the lesson tends to be tailored to your weakest swimmer, for safety reasons.

with 8 4 yos out of their depth if you want to take them unaided. You can take 1 or 2 at a time, but that leaves 6 or 7 sat doing nothing getting cold most of the time. Some children run off and jump in to other sections of pool. So that’s not a good option.

I would tend to have them all moving and practicing bubbles for a lot of the lesson, and if the only way a particular child can access that is with arm bands, then armbands it is.

the best way for children at this age is in groups of max 3 in as little flotation as they are able. But that’s too expensive for most. Many parents don’t want to take their children themselves.

I guess it’s like any subject, the range of 4 year olds is bonkers large. My sister teaches reception - you get kids who can’t write at all through to those who can write an essay. The grouping is more based on their understanding and ability to take instruction at this age rather than what they can achieve with a parent an arms length away.
with the floating thing, if the teacher is supporting your child, you can ‘feel’ if they will be able to do it unaided or not by the weight of their body. Iyswim. Tense or relaxed.