Swim School

DEAN CLOSE SWIM SCHOOL Welcome to our Swim School, where every splash is a step towards a confident swimmer!

Our swimming lessons are designed for children aged 4 and up, and we aim to make learning to swim a fun and supportive experience. With small class sizes, we tailor our teaching to each child and his/her specific needs, ensuring every child gets the right support.

We follow Swim England's Learn to Swim (Stages 1-7) so you can feel confident that your child will develop, excel and become competent in the water.

All our teachers are fully qualified, ASE-accredited and DBS-checked; they are passionate about teaching and are dedicated to creating a safe and engaging environment where your child will thrive and enjoy learning at their own pace.

Classes run alongside Gloucestershire’s school term dates and each lesson is 30 minutes long.

To start your swimming journey, follow the instructions below and set up your family's ‘Client Hub’ account.

If you already have a swimming account please click here

To register for a swimming account please click here

TO PURCHASE SWIM CERTIFICATES PLEASE CLICK HERE

We have put together a guideline of instructions to help you when filling out your registration forms, so please refer to the below if you get stuck.

Payment: Payment is required in full for all lessons, prior to starting. We collect fees by direct debit and if you are joining mid-course the fee will be pro rata. Non-payment will result in your place being offered to another child.

Requesting a space: Swimming lessons are in high demand so we run a waiting list; you tell us what you want and when you can swim, and we will then notify you when a place is available.

Important note: Our Swimming administrator works part-time so please allow a few days for your request and any messages to be responded to.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION & HELP

1. How do I request a space for my child on the waiting list?:

You need to create a ‘Client Hub’ account to manage your family's swimming journey with us; after creating an account you can tell us what you're looking for.

The five steps below detail how.

Parents and Guardians should create an account with us (to manage their family's details) this will trigger an automatic email
Use the link and password in the email to activate and access your account
Add your children to your account. (Not required for adult lessons)
Once you have added your children to your account use the Waiting List page to specify which course(s) you could attend. Please read the section What Class Should I Select? below if you require more guidance
Ensure we know about any SEND or Medical (All parents should read the section Send and Medical Information below)

An administrator will be in contact as soon as we can find a suitable place.

2. What Class Should I Select? (and how do I tell you of my preferences):

To ensure you pick an appropriate class we’ve put a little guidance below.

Choose Swim Stage 1 if your child…

If your child is aged between 4 - 8 years
Is happy in the water unattended without a parent
Has not attended lessons before
Can listen and follow instructions

An instructor will be in the water at all times and parents are welcome to watch from poolside or the balcony.

Choose Stage 2 if your child …

Is aged between 4 and 8 years old
Can enter the water safely from a sitting position
Can travel forwards for 5 metres with their feet off the ground, demonstrating a kicking action in a streamlined position with their face in the water
Can travel backwards for 5 metres, with feet either on or off the floor
Can scoop water and wash their face
Is comfortable with water being showered over their head
Can move from a flat floating position on their back to a standing position
Can move from a flat floating position on their front to a standing position
Can push and glide in a flat position on their front from the wall
Can push and glide in a flat position on their back from the wall
Can give examples of two pool rules
Can exit the water safely

Note - If your child is between 4 and 8 years or you answer no to any of the above questions or you’re not sure choose a Stage One course

How do I tell you of my preferences?

Click here to find out how

General Communication: All general communication should be via the Client Hub messaging system as this helps us retain a full history of your communication with us, so we can keep track of conversations and more importantly, respond to you as quickly as possible.

SEND & Medical (all clients must read this): It is very important that you advise us of any SEND & Medical information so we can cater for you and your child’s needs, this information can be added in your Client Hub.

Note. If there are no SEND or Medical needs, please write ‘My child (children - Family) has no SEND or Medical needs’ in the Client Hub message box.

If you struggle to remember passwords, we provide two apps one Android and one Apple to make it easy to access your Client Hub account on your phone or tablet, to find out more, watch this video.

Milestone Achievements and Ongoing Updates
We love celebrating progress! Our teachers use iPads to assess each child’s achievements, regularly updating parents at the end of each course and advancing children to the next stage if ready. Every stage completed means an opportunity for a well-deserved award!

You can see your child’s progress in the ‘Client Hub’ at the end of term, we’ll inform you when results are available.

Re-enrolment: At the end of a half term, all children will be booked into the same course for the next few weeks and we will bill you as appropriate. At the end of each full-term children will be assessed and allocated a new course as required, once again we will raise an invoice to cover the next half-term.

Half-Term and Holiday Crash Courses: If you're looking to speed up your swimmer's progress, we offer intensive crash courses over half term, Easter, and summer holidays - the ideal way to boost confidence and skills! Use the Client preference system to request a place.

Click here to read our Terms & Conditions

Dive into swimming with our intensive swimming course.

Join our expert teachers for a week long of daily lessons designed to help boost confidence, improve skills and have fun in the water!

Limited spaces available!

SWIM SCHOOL TERM DATES

Monday 28^th April- Sunday 25^th May (apart from Bank Holiday Monday 6^th May)
Monday 2^nd June- Monday 14^th July

Swim England's Learn to Swim

Stage 1

By completing this award, with or without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

Enter the water safely.
Move forward for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.
Move backwards for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.
Move sideways for a distance of 5 metres, feet may be on or off the floor.
Scoop the water and wash the face.
Be comfortable with water showered from overhead.
Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing.
Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing.
Push and glide in a flat position on the front from a wall.
Push and glide in a flat position on the back from a wall.
Give examples of two pool rules.
Exit the water safely.

Stage 2

By completing this award, with or without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

Jump in from poolside safely.
Blow bubbles a minimum of three times rhythmically, with nose and mouth submerged.
Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing without support.
Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing without support.
Push from a wall and glide on the back - arms can be by the side or above the head.
Push from a wall and glide on the front with arms extended.
Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the back for 5 metres, without the use of floatation equipment.
Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the front, to a back floating position, then return to standing.
Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the back, to a front floating position, then return to standing.
Perform a log roll from the back to the front.
Perform a log roll from the front to the back.
Exit the water without support.

Stage 3

By completing this award, without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

Jump in from poolside and submerge.
Sink, push away from wall and maintain a streamlined position.
Push and glide on the front with arms extended and log roll onto the back.
Push and glide on the back with arms extended and log roll onto the front.
Travel 5 metres on the front, perform a tuck to rotate onto the back and return on the back.
Fully submerge to pick up an object.
Correctly identify three of the four key water safety messages.
Push and glide and travel 10 metres on the back.
Push and glide and travel 10 metres on the front.
Perform a tuck float and hold for three seconds.
Exit the water without using steps.

Stage 4

By completing this award, without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

Perform a sequence of changing shapes (minimum of three) whilst floating on the surface and demonstrate an understanding of floating.
Push and glide from the wall towards the pool floor.
Kick 10 metres backstroke (one item of equipment optional).
Kick 10 metres front crawl (one item of equipment optional).
Kick 10 metres butterfly on the front or on the back.
Kick 10 metres breaststroke on the front (one item of equipment optional).
Perform a head first sculling action for 5 metres in a flat position on the back.
Travel on back and log roll in one continuous movement onto front.
Travel on front and log roll in one continuous movement onto back.
Push and glide and swim 10 metres, choice of stroke is optional.

Stage 5

By completing this award you will be able to:

Perform a flat stationary scull on the back.
Perform a feet first sculling action for 5 metres in a flat position on the back.
Perform a sculling sequence with a partner for 30-45 seconds to include a rotation.
Tread water for 30 seconds.
Perform three different shaped jumps into deep water.
Push and glide and swim 10 metres backstroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
Push and glide and swim 10 metres front crawl (performed to Swim England expected standards).
Push and glide and swim 10 metres breaststroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
Push and glide and swim 10 metres butterfly (performed to Swim England expected standards).
Perform a handstand and hold for a minimum of three seconds.
Perform a forward somersault.
Demonstrate an action for getting help.

Stage 6

By completing this award you will be able to:

Give two examples of how to prepare for exercise and understand why it is important.
Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into backstroke.
Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into front crawl.
Swim 10 metres wearing clothes.
Push and glide and swim front crawl to include at least six rhythmical breaths.
Push and glide and swim breaststroke to include at least six rhythmical breaths.
Push and glide and swim butterfly to include at least three rhythmical breaths.
Push and glide and swim backstroke to include at least six regular breaths.
Push and glide and swim 25 metres, choice of stroke is optional (performed to Swim England expected standards).
Perform a ‘shout and signal’ rescue.
Perform a surface dive.

Stage 7

By completing this award you will be able to:

Push and glide and swim 25 metres backstroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
Push and glide and swim 25 metres front crawl (performed to Swim England expected standards).
Push and glide and swim 25 metres breaststroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
Push and glide and swim 25 metres butterfly (performed to Swim England expected standards).
Perform a movement sequence (linking skills with strokes and sculls) of one minute duration, in a group of three or more, incorporating a number of the following skills:
Sculling: head first, feet first
Rotation: forward or backward somersault, log roll
Floating: star on the front or on the back, tuck float, create own
Eggbeater: Moving, lifting one or both arms out of the water
Perform a sitting dive or dive.
Push and glide and swim 50 metres continuously using one stroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
Push and glide and swim 100 metres, using a minimum of three different strokes (performed to Swim England expected standards).
Tread water using eggbeater action for 30 seconds.
Complete an obstacle course (using minimum of four objects) with feet off the pool floor throughout.

In This Section

BREADCRUMB

In This Section

Swim School

Swim England's Learn to Swim

Stage 1

By completing this award, with or without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

Stage 2

By completing this award, with or without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

Stage 3

By completing this award, without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

Stage 4

By completing this award, without floatation equipment or support, you will be able to:

Stage 5

By completing this award you will be able to:

Stage 6

By completing this award you will be able to:

Stage 7

By completing this award you will be able to: