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Swimming lessons with getactiveabc

Any available swimming lessons will be displayed here

BEGINNERS LEVEL IS ‘OCTOPUS’. TEACHERS WILL MONITOR PROGRESS AND AMEND LEVELS ACCORDINGLY AS ASSESSMENT CONTINUES

getactiveabc Swim School

BOOK SUMMER SWIM PROGRAMMES
Book Octopus Lessons in OLC, Armagh
Book Octopus Lessons in Banbridge Leisure Centre
Book Octopus Lessons in South Lake

SWIMMING LESSON LEVELS

🏊‍♂️ Swimming Lesson Programme

Operating at Orchard Leisure Centre, Banbridge Leisure Centre and South Lake Leisure Centre.

👶 Early Years

Starfish (3months – 2 years)
Build baby and parents confidence, whilst teaching water safety and basic swimming principles, done through songs and games. Allows for bonding time for both parent and child.

Starfish + (2 – 4 years)
Build confidence for both baby and parent while introducing water safety and basic swimming principles through engaging songs, games, and bonding activities.

Stanley (4 – 5 years)
Preschool – The first class that allows children to enter the water without their parent & build on their water confidence and swimming skills. This class is based on fun games, whilst learning to swim

🐙 Beginner to Advanced Levels

Octopus (Age 5 +)
Swim 3 metres front & back without the use of aids or support and complete all skills

Octopus +
Swim 5 metres front & back, confidently jump in and swim with face in the water and complete all skills

Goldfish
Swim 10 metres front crawl [breathing and arms] & Back crawl arms and complete all skills

Goldfish +
Swim 15 metres front crawl with good breathing technique and back crawl arms and complete all skills

Angelfish
Swim 25 metres front crawl & back crawl arms / attempt breaststroke and complete all skills

Angelfish +
Swim 50 metres front crawl & back crawl + 1 length breaststroke and complete all skills

🦈 Advanced Levels

Shark
Swim 100 metres recognised stroke with good technique and complete all skills

Shark+
Be able to swim 200 metres consistently, with good technique plus 25 metres breaststroke and and complete all skills

🔀 Progression Pathways

Learners can choose how to progress by selecting their preferred pathway, or by completing both in sequence

Stroke & Stamina
Be able to swim 800m recognised stroke with good technique and complete skills as per STA criteria

Survival Programme
A rookie lifeguard programme that allows candidates to learn essential lifesaving skills both on land and within the water.

Bronze – Swim 400m and complete all skills

Silver – Swim 600m and complete all skills

Gold – Swim 800m and complete all skills

Adult Group Lessons

You’re never too old to learn how to swim. For the over 16’s we offer lessons in a structured program as part of a small group.

Be Water Confident

(For those who think “I’ll never be able to put my face in the water!”)
Build confidence in the water at your own pace. This level focuses on helping you feel safe and comfortable, learning how to enter the pool, move around with ease, and develop essential aquatic skills such as buoyancy, balance, and breathing.

Beginner Lessons: Be a Swimmer

Once you feel more at ease, you’ll begin to develop the skills needed to swim independently over short distances (5–10 metres), without the use of support or flotation aids.

Improver Lessons: Be a Better Swimmer

At this stage, you’ll build stamina and technique, progressing to swim up to 400 metres independently. You’ll also gain the confidence to take part in other activities such as lane swimming or Aquacise.

Advanced Lessons: Be a Master Swimmer

Refine your technique and develop advanced swimming skills. This level supports those looking to improve efficiency, swim with confidence, or progress towards competitive swimming.

1-2-1 Lessons

For those who like intensive learning environments we offer one to one or small group swimming lessons for learners of all ages.

1:1 Junior Lessons

Teacher in the water with your child providing an individually tailored swim tuition experience

1:1 Adult Lessons

Teacher in the water with you providing an individually tailored swim tuition experience

1:1 Less Abled Persons Lessons

Specifically Qualified Teacher in the water with your child providing an individually tailored swim tuition experience

Lifesaving

BOOK SUMMER LIFEGUARD SESSIONS
rescue pool photo - learning to swim
Rookie Life Guard

An RLSS junior scheme for Bronze, Silver and Gold awards. Must be a competent strong swimmer.

NPLQ (With AED)

A recognised professional life guarding qualification. Includes defibrillator training.

*Pre-course water assessment test to confirm suitability

NPLQ (Without AED)

A recognised professional life guarding qualification. Defibrillator training not included.

*Pre-course water assessment test to confirm suitability.

HOW GROUP LESSONS WORK

Online Information

Getactiveabc uses a swim school management software system to allow us to interact with parents and customers in an easier way.

The system provides a ‘Teacher Portal’ for our staff, providing them with a poolside instructors’ device, to allow them to:

  • Mark Registers
  • Carry Out Assessments
  • Assess Movements
  • View Teaching Plans
  • Be Aware Of Medical Alerts

So if you see a Swimming Teacher on poolside with a device they are assessing your children when they are taking part in a lesson.

This system also has a ‘Home Portal’ which provides parents with their own personal account to allow them to review:

  • Weekly Progress
  • Online Payments
  • Online Booking and Progression Movements
  • Course history

Operation Of Swimming Lessons

    • Customers/Parents will have access to a parent portal online which provides feedback and children’s progression on a weekly basis; details to access this portal will be provided to parents
    • Swim teachers will have a tablet on poolside with access to a swim management software package so they can tick off competencies in the system as a child achieves them.
    • Any tablets with cameras will have tape over the camera lens for safeguarding purposes.
    • Customers/Parents are notified through the parent portal when their child is ready to progress so that they can select a new lesson for the next level.

Swimming Lesson Format

Swimming lessons use continuous assessment and involve a rolling programme where a child can progress through the swim lesson levels at any time, subject to the safe completion of competencies for each level as assessed by the Swim Teacher.

The programme takes place approximately 48 weeks a year with some holiday periods and Swim Teachers will be provided with software to assess the child’s progress on the poolside. Our lessons follow the STA swim programme to ensure a structured, progressive learn-to-swim pathway for all ages, combining water safety, stroke development, and motivational awards.

Will the same swimming teacher be taking the swimming lesson each week?

We will aim to keep the same teacher for each class wherever possible, although this cannot be guaranteed. Every session will be led by a fully qualified swimming teacher.

How long are swimming lesson terms?

  • Swim lessons will be operated using continuous assessment across an approximate 48-week programme.
  • During key holiday periods (Christmas, Easter, and around the 12th July), lesson provision may be subject to change in line with centre opening hours. Customers will be notified in advance of any disruptions.

Can I move my child to another swimming lesson if I need to?

Customers/Parents can use the parent portal to move their lesson to another day/time whenever they have passed a level. If your circumstances change, let us know and we will try to accommodate your request to move.

What happens if my child is ready to progress to another level but there are no spaces available?

The child will remain on the current level until a space becomes available. This will be monitored by the Swim Coordinator to ensure there isn’t a build-up of people waiting for spaces in particular levels.

FAQ's

I am a new customer and would like to enrol my child for a swimming lesson?

Please book HERE for Banbridge Leisure Centre, HERE for Orchard Leisure Centre, and HERE for South Lake Leisure Centre. Please only book into Octopus as this is the beginner lesson level. If your child has already taken some lessons please contact your chosen centre and they will help you assess the correct level for your child’s ability

How do I pay for swimming lessons?

  • Lessons will be paid for by monthly direct debit.
  • The monthly DD is based on the cost of 48 lessons, equally spread over 12 months.
  • DDs will be taken on 1st of every month.
  • The charge for children’s swimming lessons are as follows:
    • £25.95 per month or for those parents entitled to a concession £16.96 per month

To be entitled to a concession you must be in receipt of benefits (excludes child benefit). Proof of benefit must be given to a member of staff (every 3 months) so that a concession can be applied.

If I cannot pay by DD can my child still join swimming lessons?

Please contact the appropriate leisure centre to discuss your payment options:

Banbridge Leisure Centre:   028 40 628800

Orchard Leisure Centre:       028 37 515920

South Lake Leisure Centre:   033 00 564411

Payments and Cancellations

  • If you cancel your DD/payment you will lose the space in the programme.
  • If a customer doesn’t turn up to a swim lesson they will not be entitled to a refund.
  • If a customer provides a medical certificate they will be able to freeze their DD and hold their space on the lesson (e.g. if this is a broken leg).
  • If a lesson is cancelled by the getactiveabc team, customers will have a reduced DD to compensate and this will be applied automatically as soon as possible.
  • For full terms and conditions please click HERE
     

Need Help

 

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