Classes
Pre-school Beginners
We start children swimming "solo", as opposed to having a parent in the water with them, from around 3 years old. We have found this to be the ideal age so children don’t become too reliant on having a parent in the water with them. Children progress faster on their own at this age and you can still share valuable family water time with them where they can practice what they have learnt in their lessons.
School-age Beginners
Many children start swimming lessons around the same time as they start school.
It's also fine to start at a later age, and we welcome children of any age.
Swim England Stages 1 to 7
St Helen's Primary School
Tuesdays - from 4.00pm
Thursdays - from 4.00pm
Saturdays - from 8.30am
Hats are required
Goggles are optional
Halifax Primary School
Tuesdays - from 4.00pm
Thursdays - from 4.00pm
Saturdays - from 8.30am
Hats are required
Goggles are optional
Whilst other awards can be achieved along the way, the Swim England stages 1 to 7 are the major milestones that chart your child's journey from beginner to competent swimmer.
Stage 1 - St Helen's
Tuesday - 4.00pm
Tuesday - 4.30pm
Tuesday - 5.00pm
Thursday - 4.00pm
Thursday - 4.30pm
Thursday - 5.00pm
Saturday - 8.30am
Saturday - 9.00am
Saturday - 9.30am
Saturday - 10.00am
Stage 2 - Halifax
Tuesday - 5.30pm
Thursday - 5.30pm
Saturday - 10.00am
Saturday - 10.30am
Stage 3 - Fore Street
Monday - 4.00pm x 2 classes
Monday - 4.30pm x 2 classes
Wednesday - 6.30pm x 2 classes
Wednesday - 7.00pm
Stage 4 - Fore Street
Monday - 4.00pm - widths
Monday - 4.30pm - widths
Monday - 5.00pm - lengths
Wednesday - 6.30pm - widths
Wednesday - 7.00pm - part lengths
Stage 5 - Fore Street
Monday - 4.00pm - widths
Monday - 4.30pm - widths
Monday - 5.00pm - lengths
Wednesday - 6.30pm - widths
Wednesday - 7.00pm - part lengths
Stage 6 - Fore Street
Monday - 5.00pm
Wednesday - 7.00pm
Wednesday - 7.30pm
Stage 7 - Fore Street
Monday - 5.30pm
Wednesday - 7.30pm
Hats are required
Goggles are optional
Swimfit
30 minutes - Fore Street
Monday - 5.30pm
Wednesday - 7.30pm x 2 classes
60 minutes - Fore Street
Monday - 6.00pm (Pre-teen)
Monday - 7.00pm (Teen)
Once children are competent swimmers (having achieved the Swim England Stage 7 award), Swimfit is a very popular option.
Swimfit sessions are a fun combination of teaching and coaching. Swimmers work on improving techniques in all strokes and at the same time get a great workout that builds stamina and general fitness. All sessions are taken by fully qualified teachers/coaches.
If children would like to get into competitive swimming (who knows, your child might be the next Adam Peaty or Jazz Carlin), Swimfit sessions are the ideal preparation, and we can provide the perfect pathway as we are part of
Teamipswich Swimming - one of the top 10 clubs in Great Britain and a proud history of producing national champions (including swimmers who started in the academy).
But you don’t have to have a burning desire to be an Olympic Champion, many of our swimmers do Swimfit sessions because they love swimming for fun and enjoy being fit and healthy.
We have a number fo Swimfit sessions, with both 30 and 60 minute options, so we can cater for all ages and abilities.
Why not come along for a free taster session and see what all the fuss is about!
Hats and Goggles are optional
Disability
Fore Street
Sunday - 5.00pm
Sunday - 5.30pm
The Academy subsidises lessons for children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) in order to provide them with swimming opportunities that may otherwise be unavailable to them locally.
We run two sessions on Sundays at Fore Street as follows...
5.00-5.30pm
This session is for children 7 years old and upwards. Our staffing levels allow a mix of one-to-one and one-to-two support, ensuring each child gets the support and attention they need.
5.30-6.00pm
This session is for older swimmers, typically from 10 years old and upwards, who are able to swim with less support than the first group.
Both groups are assessed for awards, just the same as in conventional lessons.
Despite the increased staffing requirements and pool costs, we keep the price of these sessions at the same level as conventional classes).
For disabled swimmers who want to get into the sport competitively, the club also has a Disability Squad that trains at Crown Pools and Fore Street. The Lead Coach for this squad is Ryan Crouch, who represented TeamGB in the Rio Paralympics. We are happy to recommend swimmers who are interested in pursuing this route and arrange for a trial session.
Hats and Goggles are optional.