Children’s Swim Lessons
Swim England Beginners and Stages 1 - 4
From 3yrs + to 12 years
Brand new children's swimming lessons, at this fabulous heated pool, set in the grounds of beautiful Yarrells School, in Upton. This 17.2m pool is situated under a dome, with a sliding roof, allowing the outside in, whilst retaining a lovely warm atmosphere and water temperature.
Swimming lessons are from beginners with parents to Stage 4, and taught by our fully qualified Level 2 Swim England/STA Swimming teachers, with extensive experience with children of all ages and abilities, and children with special needs.
Our classes are full of carefully planned, fun activities that follow a progressive structure through the Swim England (formally ASA) programme.
Class sizes are small, with a maximum of four per class to give individual attention and help develop faster water skills and water confidence.
Swimming teachers teach in the water for Beginners classes and the early stages of the Swim England Learn to Swim programme (Stage 1 and Stage 2).
Book a termly block of swimming lessons. The price includes a free Swim England badge and certificate, presented at the end of the 13 week Summer term to celebrate your child’s achievement! A Mini Manta Ray’s Swim School certificate will be presented at the end of the 6 week Autumn term.
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Location: Yarrells School
Yarrells House, Upton, BH16 5EUDay: Wednesdays
Duration: 30 minutes
Time: 4.15 - 4.45 p.m. classes and 4.45 - 5.15 p.m. classes
4.15 p.m. Classes: Beginners with/without Parent, Beginners without Parent, Stage 1.
4.45 p.m. Classes: Advanced Beginners, Stage 2, Stage 3/4
Dates: April - October
Terms: Summer Term (13 weeks). April - July
Autumn Term ( 6 weeks) September - October
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Our swim lessons are in stages based on age and ability.
Beginners with parent: 3 yrs + First time swimming, or first swimming lessons. Focuses on building water confidence through gentle activities and games. Working towards Duckling 1. Uses a woggle and 3 arm bands, or just 3 arm bands on each arm. Teacher in the water.
Beginners (no parent): 3 yrs + Building confidence and independence in the water, through fun and games, without parent in the water. Working towards Duckling 2 or 3. Uses 2 or 3 arm bands on each arm. Teacher in the water.
Advanced Beginners (no parent): Children are water confident and can swim unassisted (with one or two arm bands on each arm) on front and back. Working towards Duckling 4. Teacher in water.
Stage 1: Learners will develop basic water safety awareness, learn basic movement, swimming and water confidence skills. Swimmers may use a woggle, or one arm band on each arm, or beginning to use no arm bands. Taught in shallow end of pool (where most children can stand). Teacher in the water.
Stage 2: (No arm bands/floatation aids whilst traveling). Swimmers develop basic floating, streamlining to their stroke and travel without their feet on the floor, using a recognised leg kick. Travel up to 5m without floatation equipment. Taught in shallow end of pool. Teacher in the water.
Stage 3: (No arm bands/floatation aids). Swimmers develop their kicks on front and back. They learn streamlining through push and glides, whilst also swimming underwater. Travel up to 10m on their front and back. Taught in deep end of pool. Must be a confident swimmer in deep end (with no flotation aids).
Stage 4: Swimmers learn to perform recognisable leg kicks for all four strokes, further develop push and glides, demonstrate floating on the surface and learn how to scull. Taught in deep end of pool. Must be a confident swimmer in deep end (with no flotation aids).
Our swimming lessons are fun and friendly and last 30 minutes. Lessons focus on building confidence, core aquatic skills and water safety through active, fun, and progressive sessions. The environment is safe, encouraging, nurturing and friendly. We aim to get the best out of each child by providing fun challenges, games and activities. We have a huge range of floats, balls and water toys to encourage development and enjoyment in the water.
A typical swimming lesson starts with registering the children, children putting on their disc arm bands/ collecting a noodle (if needed), and then some gentle movements on the poolside or in the water to warm up the body.
Children are taught to enter the water independently and safely. Then the real fun starts! Games and activities are used to boost engagement and are incorporated throughout each lesson.
Lessons focus on water confidence and safety and include core skills such as floating, pushing and gliding techniques, blowing bubbles and breathing, moving in the water, and developing efficient kicking and arm movements.
Later stages include stroke development in the four strokes: frontcrawl, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly; and developing sculling, rotation, treading water and surface dives.
Swim Lessons overview
What Facilities are there at Yarrells?
At Yarrells School pool, families are invited to spectate outside the pool dome area, in the sunshine. Please bring your own camping chair if you wish. On rainy days, spectators can sit in the cosy under cover area.
There are female and male changing rooms and toilets (in a separate block). Sorry, there are no showers or accessible changing facilities at present.
We provide floatation aids: disc arm bands (or foam swim discs) and noodles. Our disc arm bands provide adjustable buoyancy that allows teachers to remove individual discs as the swimmer’s skills improve. They provide stable and balanced floatation, helping swimmers feel safe and confident, and providing better, more natural arm movement in the water. Water toys and floats are also provided.
There is ample free parking in the school car park, near to the swimming pool area. Please car share, cycle or walk if possible, to help reduce pollution and congestion.
All lessons are taught by fully qualified and experienced Level 2 Swim England/STA Swimming Teachers, with full DBS, Teacher Rescue Award qualification, and Swim England Safeguarding in Aquatics trained.
ALL CLASSES
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Adult & Baby
For ages 0-18mths
Packed full of fun songs and activities to develop water confidence and water safety skills. -
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Adult & Toddler
For ages 18mths - 3yrs
Each lesson includes a wide variety of water toys and games to gently simulate toddlers and to encourage development of the key water skills. -
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Adult & Pre-school
For ages 3yrs - 4yrs
The Adult and Pre-school programme teaches children to be happy and safe in the pool. -
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Swim Lessons (Stages)
From 3yrs + to 12 years
Swimming lessons are from beginners with parents to Stage 4, and taught by our fully qualified Level 2 Swim England/STA Swimming teachers, with extensive experience with children of all ages and abilities, and children with special needs.
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Private Lessons
For all ages | 1:1 or 2:1 sessions
Private swimming lessons in an indoor heated Endless Pool in Corfe Mullen -
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Adult Swim Fit
For ages 18+
For recreational swimmers to triathletes/club swimmers/open water swimmers training for events. -
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Junior Swim Fit
Ages 13-17yrs
Stage 8 to club level.
The hour training sessions will include stroke technique work, drills, speed and endurance work. -
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Adult Mermaid Class
For ages 18yrs+
Mermaid classes for Adults are a fun and exciting way to get fit, meet new people and enjoy the freedom of swimming with a tail! -
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Mermaid Experience (5-8yrs)
For ages 5yrs - 8yrs accompanied by an adult
Our children’s mermaid experiences are an amazing way for your child to experience swimming like a mermaid, in a safe and friendly environment, with a fully qualified and experienced mermaid instructor. -
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Mermaid Experiences (8-14yrs)
For ages 8yrs - 14yrs | able to swim independantly and confidently
Learn to swim like a mermaid, in a safe and friendly environment, with a fully qualified and experienced mermaid instructor. -
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Mermaid Parties
For all ages
These private mermaid experiences will be great for hen do groups, birthday parties, open water swimming groups and anyone who wants to try something new, different and exciting. -
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Sensory Swim
0 - 24 months
Brand new Adult & Baby/Toddler Sensory Swimming Sessions in our indoor Endless Pool, in Corfe Mullen.
