FAQ New Swimmers: 4 to 10 Year olds

What class is right for my child?

Children aged 4 years old and above are grouped by ability and experience and not by age. Your first question needs to be whether you are looking for a parent and child class where you would in the water with your child or a child only class. The deciding points on this are:

1. Will your child be happy to be in the water without you?
At Mini Swimming we want happy swimmers who look forward to their lessons. So if a child is really unhappy being without their mum or dad then we would advise booking a parent and child seaturtle class. This could be for a short period of time just to settle your child in with the teacher and the pool and then we can move them to a seaturtle class.

2. Can your child listen and follow instructions?

3. Can you child be safe without you?
This isn’t about being able to swim but about holding the bar when they are asked to, waiting for their turn and not going under the water.

What should my child wear to lessons?

Children should wear appropriate swim wear, not bikini’s ideally as they do have a tendency to fail! We like children to swim swim hats in the academy classes (4yrs old +) but if your child really dislikes them then that is fine.

Will I need equipment for lessons?

We will provide the majority of equipment for your lessons.

You can purchase any items you do not have from us: Swim Shop

All items can be bought online and collected from the Stanway or Dunmow pools.

Can we watch the lessons?

Each swimmer must have at least one adult watching in order to help with toileting and changing etc. We do ask to keep spectators to a minimum.

When should I arrive for lessons?

We ask swimmers not to arrive more than 7 minutes before their class time. This is so that our cleaners can get in and clean every inch of the changing rooms between swimmers. The 7 minutes should still give you plenty of time to get ready, particularly if your swimming costume is on underneath but it will mean that the cleaner can work without coming into close contact with swimmers which is best for everyone.

If my child is poorly can we still attend?

If your child has a mild cold and is quite happy then please do come along. The water has quite an amazing decongestant ability! If however your child is miserable or has a severe cold or a temperature then its best to not attend as it will not be a good experience for either of you. If your child has any illness that is contagious such as diarrhoea, sickness or conjunctivitis- anything that a nursery for example would send your child home with, please do not attend the class and ensure that you do not attend until 48 hours after the last incident. If you or your child have and covid-19 symptoms (high temperature, persistent cough or loss of taste or smell) please do not attend.

What happens to our swimming lessons once my child can swim?

Each week every teacher submits their lesson notes to the office and those notes will include pupils who are ready to move up a level. The office will action that and contact you with the good news and give you the times and days that the next level up classes run and find a time that works for you and move your booking over. If the class you want is full we will ensure that you are first on the waiting list to move over.

How do I book a space?

You can book your class for all pools except those in South London online by going to: Book Online you will see the full schedule for each pool and if a class has space it will say “add to basket”. The term dates are detailed on each day for each pool including any holidays.

What happens if I go on holiday or my child is poorly?

If you miss your swimming session then I am afraid this will be a missed class as your space can not be filled. For our Parent and Child classes, we do try our best to offer 2 make up classes a term. Unfortunately, for our Child-Only classes, we are unable to offer these due to limited spaces. Please do contact your pool for more information on this.

We do offer 2 free classes per year should you wish to sign up for a Direct Debit. You can choose to pay monthly so that you don’t have to worry about forgetting and losing your space. It also is better for budgeting of course. Members who pay for direct debits don’t pay for 2 classes a year to cover some missed classes for sickness or holidays. Classes also work out cheaper as less administration! (You are not signed into a contract)

Can I change the time or day I swim?

As long as there is space in the class you wish to move to then yes you can move class. We ask that you look at the schedule online to see the times and days and which classes have spaces and then advise us by email of your change request.

What are the term dates?

We run rolling terms this means that we swim throughout the year and you can join us at any time. There will be some break weeks which will be confirmed in your booking.

For Lexden, Stanway and Columbus the term dates for 2023 are:

Tuesday 4th January to Monday 3rd April

Tuesday 11th April to Monday 14th August

Tuesday 29th August to Tuesday 19th December

For Colchester County High School, the term dates are:

Wednesday 4th January to Monday 3rd April

Tuesday 11th April to Thursday 20th July – On Bank Holidays we will be closed (1st May, 8th May and 29th May)

Monday 4th September to Tuesday 19th December

Gladwins Farm follow the Suffolk schools terms dates and swimming is only during term time: https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/children-families-and-learning/schools/school-term-and-holiday-dates/#tab2

South London/Dunmow will confirm separately.

Do you close for school holidays?

Our pools in Colchester run all year with the exception of 5 weeks holiday (Usually 2 weeks over Christmas, 2 weeks over the summer, and 1 week over Easter) Gladwins Farm pool closes over the school holidays. For other pools and confirmation of exact dates contact your local pool office. Dates will be confirmed on your booking.

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