Swimming lessons

About our swimming lessons

Our swimming lessons:

  • are given by fully qualified instructors from Swim England's Learn to Swim programme
  • are taught every day of the week during term time
  • are held at all of Medway's sports centres: Medway Park Sports Centre, Hoo Sports Centre and Strood Sports Centre
  • offer the chance to gain distance awards
  • let you achieve levels and awards that are nationally recognised
  • offer an online parent portal and payment system.

Prices

Swimming lessons are booked as a course and cost:

  • £7.95 per 45-minute lesson for adults
  • £7.95 per 30-minute lesson for children.

For swimming lesson details and course availability, email us on swimlesson@medway.gov.uk.

Find out more information about Swim England's Learn to Swim Programme.

Medway Sport Swim Teacher Academy

Medway Sport run a swim teacher academy in partnership with Swim UK, Functional skills and Swim England. We provide:

  • teacher training
  • mentoring
  • support to develop swimming teachers.

This programme will include gaining your swim teacher level 1 and level 2 qualifications and offers employment within our swimming lesson programme. 

If you're interested in finding out more about this programme email medwaysport@medway.gov.uk.

Medway Sport Swim Academy

The Medway Sport Swim academy follows the Swim England Learn to Swim programme.

We aim to deliver high quality swimming lessons in a relaxed, fun and safe environment. The programme offers classes for all ages and abilities with fully qualified Swim England instructors. 

There are different levels and stages within the programme:

Alpha Step Awards

The Alpha Step Awards are designed to build confidence in those who may need more support during their swimming lessons.

They are particularly good for a shy or timid child, a nervous adult and some people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).

The Alpha Step Awards reward the development of the early stages of buoyancy, coordination, spatial awareness, breathing, and entering and leaving the pool safely.

Parent and child and pre school

The introduction to water for babies, toddlers and children. These classes help show the youngest students how to feel confident in the water.

Parent and baby and toddler classes

The first class available in this programme. This class offers children a chance to gain and develop confidence in the water during their early years. The teachers will focus on encouraging trust, safety and fun through organised parent and child lessons. These classes are for:

  • parent and babies - birth to 18 months
  • parent and toddler - 18 months to 2 years
  • parent and toddler - 2 to 3 years.

Suggested parent and baby/toddler awards

Ducklings 1,2 and 3.

Pre school - white hats

Pre school classes offer a similar set of skills to the parent and child classes. 

This class is suitable as a follow on from parent and child classes or as a beginner class. No previous water experience is needed. The swimmer will:

  • learn important skills and techniques for being in the water
  • develop safety awareness
  • water movement skills
  • water experience. 

Suggested pre-school awards

Ducklings 1,2,3 and 4.

Stages

There are 7 stages in the programme.

These classes offer a pathway of skills and swimming techniques designed to improve:

  • confidence
  • water safety
  • strength
  • stamina in the water.

Instructors will always make sure that the child progresses at their own pace. This helps the swimmer achieve a high standard of swimming ability.

Stage 1 - red hats

Swimmers can start at stage 1 with no previous experience.

They’ll learn movement, water skills and the introduction to strokes.

Stage 2 - orange hats

Swimmers can start at stage 2 with some previous experience and some water confidence including:

  • eyes in the water blowing bubbles
  • floating on back and front with swim aid support
  • kick on front and back with swim aid support.

The main skills taught in this stage are:

  • developing safe entries into the water
  • jumping in
  • basic floating
  • travel
  • unaided rotation to regain upright positions
  • swimming on front and back.

Suggested stage 2 awards

Stage 2 and 5 metres.

Stage 3 - yellow hats

For children aged 5 and over who have completed their stage 2. The mains skills taught in this stage are:

  • developing safe entries into the water
  • submersion
  • travelling up to 10 metres on their front and back
  • rotation skills
  • water safety knowledge.

Suggested stage 3 awards

Stage 3 and 10 metres.

Stage 4 - green hats

For children who:

  • can swim 10 metres on their front and back
  • successfully completed stage 3.

The mains skills taught in this stage are:

  • refining kicking techniques
  • developing stroke skills
  • swimming 20 metres.

Suggested stage 4 awards

Stage 4, 20 metres, 10 metres breaststroke and 10 metres butterfly.

Stage 5 - light blue hats

For children who:

  • can swim 20 metres on their front and back
  • successfully completed stage 4.

The mains skills taught in this stage are:

  • sculling and treading water
  • completing a rotation
  • demonstrating good stroke techniques across all 4 strokes.

Suggested stage 5 awards

Stage 5, 25 metres, 10 metres breaststroke and 10 metres butterfly.

Stage 6 - dark blue hats

For children who:

  • can swim 25 metres on their front and back
  • successfully completed stage 5.

The mains skills taught in this stage are:

  • developing effective swimming skills
  • co-ordinated breathing
  • developing the water safety aspects
  • understanding of preparation for exercise.

After completion of stage 6, children will be able to swim 50 metres on their front and back and be working to achieve their personal survival award.

Suggested stage 6 awards

Stage 6, 50 metres and personal survival award.

Stage 7 - purple hats

For children who:

  • can confidently swim 50 metres on their front and back
  • successfully completed stage 5.

The mains skills taught in this stage are:

  • developing a high quality stroke technique
  • aiming to gain their 100 and 200 metre awards across 3 strokes
  • encouraging stamina
  • introducing touch turns.

Suggested stage 7 awards

Stage 7, 100 metres, 200 metres and personal survival award.

Stages 8, 9 and 10 - grey hats

These stages are for children who want to further develop their technique and stamina. Children must:

  • be confident swimmers
  • have completed their stage 7.

Aquatic development - black hats

The aquatic development classes include:

  • rookie lifeguard
  • mermaids and sharks
  • swim stamina
  • stroke improvers
  • teen beginners
  • teen improvers
  • diving
  • synchro
  • adult beginners
  • adult improvers.

Aquatic development stages

Junior beginners

For children in school years 3 to 6 and ages 7 and up.

This session is for beginners with no previous lesson experience.

Teenage beginners

For young people in school year 7 and above and ages 11 and up.

This session is for beginners with no previous lesson experiences.

Once complete, you can move onto teen improvers.

Adult beginners

Adults can learn to swim in a safe, supported and encouraging environment.

Once complete, you can move onto adult improvers.