FAQs
How do I enrol for lessons?
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We take bookings every day, so for the most accurate availability, book online! But, you can give us a call on 01772 802140 too!
What age can my child start lessons?
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We take children as young as 3 months in our Aqua Babies programme where you as a parent/guardian get in the water with your child. In our independent Aqua Heroes lessons (i.e. where you don’t have to be in the water), children as young as 3.5 years can join in.
What days/times do swimming lessons run?
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We run lessons everyday of the week across our venues at various times., see our Locations page to see when we hold various types of sessions.
Do I have to get in the water with my child?
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Yes, between the ages of 3 months and 3.5 years in our Aqua Babies lessons, you are required to get in the water. Once your child is 3.5 years old and swimming in our Aqua Heroes lessons (independently), then no. We do have Tots classes for extremely confident 3 to 4 year olds, but please ensure they are happy to get in the water without you before booking.
Does everyone have to wear swim hats?
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Yes, all our swimmers should wear a swim hat. It helps with the cleanliness of the pool and also keeps long hair out of eyes so that it doesn’t cause distraction. Hats also help to hold your goggles in place!
Do you teach children with a disability?
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Yes, all our teachers receive in-house training for supporting all swimmers with disabilities. A number of our teachers have backgrounds with specific disabilities. We also have specialist A-Swim (ability swim) classes for those who need extra support and we have an instructor who can sign!
We have been having lessons elsewhere. What stage/class will we start in with you at Glovers?
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We follow Swim England’s Discovery Ducklings, Ducklings and Learn to Swim pathways, which you can find here: www.swimming.org. Our standards are very high, so please don’t be disheartened if your child needs a little catch up time in group lessons, they’ll get all the time and support they need. Answer our questionnaire on our booking page to determine what level we would place your child in for lessons.
How long will it take my child to swim?
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We couldn’t really give you a definite answer as everyone is different. We aim for each child to receive 1 to 2 stage awards per year. If your child does not receive a stage award, we offer lots of alternative for them to aim at, such as a skill specific award or a distance badge.
Why do you place less emphasis on distance and more on technique?
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When you learnt to swim, you may of achieved distance badges as the prime measure of progress. Distance awards do still exist, but today we prefer to focus on skills and technique. It’s far more important to be able to swim well than to swim a long distance with poor technique.
When will my child move up?
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We use Swim England’s pathways to structure our lessons and each stage has certain requirements. On top of these outcomes we also have our own criteria for a child to move into the next stage. To see these, visit your homeportal to see a list of outcomes your child needs to complete on their current stage. Extra criteria added by Glovers start with “GSS”.
When will my child receive badges/awards?
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We issue badges/awards to children three times each year, but our teachers constantly assess throughout the year.
Do you do adult swimming lessons?
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Yes, our Aqua Legends are offered on a 1-2-1 or 1-2-2 basis, we also have small group lessons available, plus we have our Aqua Gym fitness classes. A number of our teachers have adult training skills and experience and some specialise in teaching adults with a fear, recovery (Alexander technique) and technique improvement.
I have a fear of water, can you help me?
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Yes, we can. We have specially trained teachers who teach adults with a fear/phobia of water, we have a specialist programme within our Aqua Legends programme that we follow to allow for you to explore the water at a steady and progressive pace.
What does your swim school offer?
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Aqua Babies, 3 months to 4 years, class lessons.
Aqua Heroes, 3 years plus, class lessons and private tuition.
Aqua Legends, 16 years plus, class lessons and private tuition.
Aqua Gym, a fitness class for 14 years plus.
A-Swim, a small group where parents or carers support their child with additional needs in the water.
Swim parties, see our parties page for more info!
Crash courses, during school holidays we hold intensive courses to boost a child’s swimming techniques.
