Frequently Asked Questions
How old does my child have to be to start swimming?
While we can recommend water babies for younger children, we take children from the age of 3 years old.
Am I too old to learn to swim?
You are never too old to swim- whether you've never swum before and want to learn, or want to improve your stroke technique, we can help no matter what age you may be!
What size classes do you have in your group lessons?
For Beginner to Level Seven, our lessons are kept to 3 children per lesson. These lessons focus on getting the children's stroke technique correct, gaining confidence and learning the basics. Once the children get to the higher levels, lessons are then 5 children per lesson. These are mostly focused on stamina, and are designed to prepare the children for Swimming Club, so we also go through starts, turns, finishes, and the laws of swimming in a club.
What are the ' £1' lessons?
Occasionally we run teacher training courses, and as part of the course the trainees have to cover the theory and practical side of teaching which involves teaching children. These lessons are only £1 as the teachers are not yet fully qualified.
Are your teachers qualified?
All of the teachers at the Wessex Swim School are ASA (Amateur Swimming Assocation) or STA (Swimming Teachers Assocation) trained and qualified teachers and we endeavour to continue training our teachers to the highest standards.
Are you insured?
Yes, all of our teachers are IOS (Institute of Swimming) insured and are not allowed to work for the Wessex Swim School unless their insurance is up to date.
Do I need to go into the pool with my child?
No, our instructors are used to getting wet and will assist the child in the pool if neccesary in order to help with their tuition.
What awards can my child achieve?
Your child can achieve a huge variety of the ASA national swim awards including the Rainbow distance badges, water skills, and many others, for a full list please view the awards section at the ASA website.
Wessex Swim School Assessment Forms:
National Teaching Plan 1
National Teaching Plan 2
National Teaching Plan 3
National Teaching Plan 4
National Teaching Plan 5
National Teaching Plan 6
National Teaching Plan 7
National Teaching Plan 8
National Teaching Plan 9
National Teaching Plan 10
National Teaching Plan 11
National Teaching Plan 12
These levels are a focus on the swimmers technique for both skills and stroke development. Wessex Swim School also put a focus on stamina which is why we also award Distance badges from 5m all the way through to 5,000m!
