Kids Swim in SW11 Post Reply

[Suslik]

Can you recommend swim classes in or around SW11 (CJ, Northcote road)? I have two strong swimmers of stage 7 and stage 5, and a little one who loves to join in while wearing floating aids and with an adult in the water.

We were perfectly happy at Virgin Active Southside, until it became Nuffield Health and everything seems to have changed for the worse. I'll post about my awful experience there once i have some resolution on it.

Any private or state sector options - please let me know. I find it difficult to find good choice of times and days with higher stages - i.e. stages 1-3 are offered every day a few times a day, but stage 7 is offered once a week on a Saturday at Clapham Manor for example. not the most convenient for me. I would also really value a way for the little one to continue to have exposure to swimming, during a family swim session, at same time or similar time as when the elder children take their classes.

thank you

[LastMumStanding]

I can highly recommend Dolphin Swim School and their sister club the Wimbledon Dolphins Swimming Club (WDSC) - lessons are at Wimbledon College (very easy to get to from SW11) - (or little ones in a special warm pool down in Colliers Wood). Both my kids have gone all the way through from 3 months to 15 years and are now decent competitive swimmers (much faster and more stylish than me!) good luck!

[LastMumStanding]

I can highly recommend Dolphin Swim School and their sister club the Wimbledon Dolphins Swimming Club (WDSC) - lessons are at Wimbledon College (very easy to get to from SW11) - (or little ones in a special warm pool down in Colliers Wood). Both my kids have gone all the way through from 3 months to 15 years and are now decent competitive swimmers (much faster and more stylish than me!) good luck!

[MEGE]

I can highly recommend Leander Swimming Club - they are a competitive swimming club, that provide lessons in their Academy - they teach to a very high standard and prepare children for competitive swimming. Their Academy lessons are held at Ernest Bevin College, Beechcroft Road, Tooting (close to Tooting Bec). The standard is high, but go on their website and ask for a trial - they start accepting children at around age 4 and if they choose to swim competitively can remain with them until University and beyond.

[BFW]

Having tried a few swim schools in the area I echo the poster above. Leander Swimming Club is in my opinion the best. Great lessons in their Academy and really good standard swimming squads once they move up from the Academy.

[KayceeBee]

Hi!

I'm a local mum and a swimming teacher. I work at the Chelsea Harbour Club, Wandsworth Swimming Club (a local competitive swimming club) and I also help Belleville School with their swimming program. People often ask if I can teach them or their kids but circumstances (lack of my time and pool availability) haven't allowed me to set up my own lessons. However, I am now planning a new little venture starting at the beginning of the school summer holidays. It will be a series of swim clinics held at Harris Academy, Battersea. There will be various 4 day clinics consisting of 30min lessons per day for all swimming levels. In preparation for the summer holidays each clinic will have a different objective i.e. to gain water confidence, to learn to swim, to brush up on key skills, to learn self rescue skills.

It's a little way off and I know it's not regular weekly swim sessions but possibly something for you to bear in mind. Email me at KimberleySwimClinics@gmail.com if you'd like more info.

In my opinion good weekly (or more than weekly) sessions for Stage 7 and above are at Leander (can be a long waiting list), Wandsworth Swimming Club (less of a wait but bigger squad sessions rather than lessons) and some leisure centres have squad sessions (pretty sure Tooting Leisure Centre does). The Harbour Club would cater for all 3 of your kids and offers brilliant term time lessons but you have to be a member and Sarah Harris Swim School is worth a Google. All swimmers I come across at Wandsworth that have been through there are technically very good.

Good luck finding something.

[Suslik]

Wow, thanks guys, this has been of great help. I have heard great things of leander, it's just rather impossible to get in. will check out leander again and the other options. i suspect Harbour club will be a little on the pricey side, considering i cant use the gym (work full time and prefer to spend weekends at home to at least see kids).

[sw11_]

South West Swimming is the other big one. We do lessons with them at Emmanuel School.

http://www.swswimschool.co.uk

[Alchemy]

South West Swimming is the other big one. We do lessons with them at Emmanuel School.

http://www.swswimschool.co.uk

They are the most disorganised company I've come across in a long time. Trying to get information regarding time, prices and availability, let alone booking with them, is a near-impossibility. They don't pick up the phone, don't return voicemails, and I've had one reply to five emails... I don't understand how they can still be in business.

[sw11_]

How strange. I've had completely the opposite experience. They certainly pick up the phone every time I call!

[cindysswimschool]

Hi, Cindy's Swim School now has a new pool in the Harris Academy that would suit your two. I would say that we are really good but please do ask around

07902 782 675
info@cindysswimschool.co.uk

[rushymum]

Did you find somewhere in the end Suslik?

Very interested to hear different people's opinions of the diferent swim schools. I like the sound of those classes in the summer holidays KayceeBee as my kids definitely seem to learn so much more in the shorter intensive courses.

[KayceeBee]

Rushymum - I agree - intensive courses are great as swimmers remember stuff from one day to the next and the teacher doesn't have to spend a lot of time re-capping what was learnt in the last lesson.

I thought I'd post a bit more about my swim clinics (Kimberley Swim Clinics) as the plans are coming together. Website will be up and running shortly. I’ll post a link when it’s ready for public viewing.

The first clinic dates are as follows;
Sat 22/07/17 to Tues 25/07/17
Sat 02/09/17 to Tues 05/09/17

They will take place at Harris Academy Battersea. Groups of max. 4 swimmers to 1 teacher.

I’m really excited about getting these clinics up and running. The teachers that I have secured are the best I know and the clinics are structured a little differently to most other swim schools.

There are going to be various types of clinics (see below). We will help you to choose a clinic based on your child’s level and/or what they are keen to work on. Each clinic runs for the 4 consecutive days (30 mins per day or 40mins for Self Rescue).

If your child is at the Developing Technique or Perfecting Technique level it will be possible to do 2 clinics back to back i.e. Introduction to Butterfly at 10am each day and then Perfecting Front Crawl at 10:30am, for example. Times tbc.

The clinics are as follows;

Learning to Swim Clinics
• Water Confidence
• The Foundations
• Becoming a Confident Swimmer
• Stroke Development

Developing Technique Clinics
• Developing Front Crawl
• Developing Backstroke
• Developing Breaststroke
• Introduction to Butterfly

Perfecting Technique Clinics
• Perfecting Front Crawl
• Perfecting Backstroke
• Perfecting Breaststroke

Water Safety Clinic
• Self Rescue Skills

You can email me at kimberleyswimclinics@gmail.com to reserve your spot or for more info.

[Offspring]

My children had lessons at several different swim schools around the area but we were never particularly happy with the progress they were making. However, after lot of searching for a good school we are finally very happy at Cindy's swim school. Last year we used to travel to their pool over in Streatham as we thought it was worth the hike and we have now transferred to their new pool at Harris Academy, Battersea Park Road as it's much closer to home.
I would definitely recommend them.

[SW11er]

KayceeBee - what will the cost be for the courses?

Thanks