Swimming is a key life skill
Swimming is a key life skill that is great for physical fitness, great for your mental health and can truly save lives.
It’s never too early or too late to start thinking about swimming lessons. We run our lessons at Castle Point Leisure from 6 months old right the way through to adult lessons.
We aim to make every lesson fun, engaging and sociable but still make sure your making progress quickly. All our teachers are all fully qualified in STA Swimming Teaching, fully DBS checked, and all have the RLSS Rescue Training so you know your children are safe at all times.
Join on our Direct Debit option and get free unlimited public swimming with your lessons!
Children’s swimming lessons
Great way to learn a life skill, increase fitness and make new friends.
All our children’s swimming lessons follow the STA swimming framework and have swimming lessons every week throughout the year, apart from a two week break at Christmas. All our teachers are fully qualified for every lesson we run and have extra training to make our lessons fun, engaging and are trained in mindfulness to improve your child’s overall wellbeing.
We aim to move your children through the stages so they learn to swim quickly and effectively and offer badges and certificates each time they move up a level. Our teachers assess regularly and update each child’s progress so you can log in to the home portal and check on progress whenever suits you.
Joining us from another swim school? Other swimming schools such as Swim England, Scottish Swimming, Swim Wales and Swim Ireland use their own framework. Here is a guide to see where your child is within the STA framework
Lesson Stages (Ages 4 and up)
Stanley 1+2 (Age 4 onwards)
To complete Stanley 1+2 you must:
- Show an understanding of poolside safety
- Enter the water safely from the poolside
- Blow bubbles into the water, with mouth or nose and mouth submerged
- Move through the water for 2 metres on the front while blowing bubbles, return to an upright/standing position
- Move through the water for 2 metres on the back using an alternating leg action, ears in water and return to an upright/standing position
- Perform a star floating position on front or back
- Use front paddle action to move a ball across the pool
- Push and glide on the back
- Roll from front to back, looking at the ceiling
- Climb out of the pool safely
If your child cannot complete all this criteria they will be in this level class.
Stanley 3+4
To complete Stanley 3+4 you must:
- Answer 2 questions on poolside safety
- Swim 5 metres of front paddle, roll onto back and swim 5 metres on the back
- Bob up and down, submerging the face 4 times, exhaling underwater
- Pick up an object from below the water surface
- Perform 2 float positions, which may be in a sequence and performed on the front or the back
- Push and glide on back, tuck and roll forward to return to poolside
- Tread water, using arms and legs
- Attempt a circular action of either arms or legs
- Jump or step into pool safely unaided 10. Climb out of pool safely unaided
If your child cannot complete all these criteria but can complete Stanley 1+2 criteria, they will be in this level class.
Stanley 5
To complete Stanley 5 you must:
- Answer 2 questions on poolside rules
- Swim 2 metres of front paddle or back paddle, without support
- Hold 3 different types of floating positions, each for 3 seconds
- Breathe rhythmically for 4 cycles, either supported or moving
- Jump or step in from poolside, tread water, turn and swim back to poolside
- Push off on the back and kick with a simultaneous leg action for 5 metres using a woggle or float
- Perform a push and glide on the front, keeping the face in the water and blowing bubbles
- Retrieve an object from bottom of pool
- Demonstrate front crawl arm action
- Demonstrate back crawl arm action
If your child cannot complete all these criteria but can complete Stanley 3+4 criteria, they will be in this level class.
Stanley 6+7
To complete Stanley 6+7 you must:
- Answer 3 water safety questions
- Perform a star float, slowly change to a narrow float and return to a star float on either the front or back
- Push and glide on back with arms stretched then roll onto front
- Swim 2 metres, dolphin leg kick on the front or back
- Tread water for 10 seconds
- Swim 5 metres using a frog breaststroke type action of the arms and legs
- Swim 10 metres of front crawl confidently, attempt side breathing
- Swim 10 metres on the back confidently
- Swim through a submerged hoop and retrieve an object
- Scull/scoop head first, using a woggle, and arms only
If your child cannot complete all these criteria but can complete Stanley 5 criteria, they will be in this level class.
Goldfish
To complete Goldfish you must:
- Answer 2 water safety questions
- Perform 2 different types of entries and tread water for 15 seconds each time; performed in shoulder -deep water
- Swim 15 metres of back crawl
- Swim 15 metres of a recognised front stroke, either front crawl or breaststroke
- Swim 10 metres, holding a float under each arm, using lifesaving backstroke leg kick
- Swim 5 metres, dolphin leg kick on front
- Swim 5 metres, dolphin leg kick on back
- Perform a handstand with both hands on the pool floor; performed in chest -deep water
- Perform a horizontal float on the back and hold for 5 seconds, roll on to the front, hold for 5 seconds, roll to the original back float position and hold for 5 seconds
- Submerge, push and glide on the side, roll to a face down position
If your child cannot complete all these criteria but can complete Stanley 6+7 criteria, they will be in this level class.
Angelfish
To complete Angelfish you must:
- Be rescued by catching a rope
- Perform a straddle entry and tread water for 30 seconds while wearing a T -shirt. Remove the T – shirt and climb out unassisted. If the water is too shallow, substitute step entry and support scull
- Perform a head -first and feet -first surface dive. If in shallow water, perform an underwater push and glide to pool floor
- Scull feet first for 10 metres and head first for 10 metres
- Swim 25 metres of back crawl using a correct finish
- Swim 25 metres of a recognised front stroke, incorporating a correct finish. Learner’s first choice
- Swim 20 metres of recognised front stroke, incorporating a correct finish. Learner’s second choice
- Swim 5 metres of butterfly
- Push and glide into a handstand – must be performed in tummy -deep or to chest -deep water
- Perform a sitting dive, depending on the depth of water. If in shallow water, perform underwater push and glide, roll onto back while underwater and surface in a back glide
If your child cannot complete all these criteria but can complete Goldfish criteria, they will be in this level class.
Shark
To complete Shark you must:
- Throw a rope over 5 metres
- Enter the water with a straddle entry, swim 25 metres in a recognised stroke in a T -shirt and shorts, tread water or scull support for 1 minute, tread water for 1 minute waving one arm, surface dive, swim 5 metres underwater, surface and remove clothing. If in shallow water, substitute straddle jump for step – in or slide -in entry
- Swim 100 metres of a recognised stroke on the front, incorporating the appropriate start, turns, and finish. Learner’s first choice
- Swim 50 metres of a recognised front stroke, incorporating the appropriate start, turns and finish. Learner’s second choice
- Swim 100 metres of back crawl incorporating the appropriate start, turns and finish
- Swim 25 metres of a fourth recognised stroke, not undertaken in the other tests
- Swim 4 x 1 length of individual medley, incorporating the appropriate transition procedure at the end of each stroke
- Perform a competitive start for two separate strokes using two different stances that is legal for the depth of water available
- Swim 50 metres of side stroke or old English backstroke
- Perform a head -first surface dive and pick up a sinkable toy from the bottom of the pool, minimum depth of 1.5 metres
If your child cannot complete all these criteria but can complete Angelfish criteria, they will be in this level class.
If they can complete all these criteria, they are ready to find out about our Academy below.
Not sure what level your child should be in? Book into a swim assessment. We’ll assess your child and let you know straight away what level they will be. You can go straight to our reception team to see our available spaces at that level and book.
Parent & Child swimming lessons
(4 months - 4 years old)
Our parent and child swimming lessons start from just 6 months old all the way through to 4 years. Parent and child lessons are all about improving water confidence, bonding with parents, having fun and making friends for the babies and parents.
The parent and child programme is designed so that your child will learn basic movements so they have a head start once they get to full time education and start in our children’s swimming lessons.
Parent & Child - Lesson Stages
6 Months – 1 Year
In 6 months – 1 year class you will learn with your child to:
- Safe entry into the pool by both adult and baby
- Using swing dips to introduce baby to the water
- Supporting baby on the front and move freely around the pool
- Supporting baby on the back and move freely around the pool
- Cueing baby and washing face with water
- Exiting pool safely
1-2 Years
In 1-2 years class you will learn with your child to:
- Supporting baby under the arms and encouraging baby to flop gently into the water from a sitting position on the poolside
- Encouraging baby to move from a front position to a back position using flip -flop rhythmical movements
- Encouraging baby to reach for a toy while moving around the pool, supporting baby on the front
- Helping baby to use a kicking action to move through the water while supporting baby on the back
- Using the safety hold to support baby and rolling baby away from you, then gently back towards you
- Using a buoyancy aid to support yourself, float in the water and lay baby on your chest or have baby sit on your tummy, all the while making eye contact`.
2-3 Years
In 1-2 years class you will learn with your child to:
- Holding baby’s arms or hands, encouraging baby to jump into the water from a standing position on the poolside
- Supporting baby while encouraging them to roll from a back position to a front position
- Encouraging baby to make kicking movements with support either in a front surf hold or using a woggle
- Encouraging baby with cues to submerge in a Duckling Dive
- Swimming around the pool with baby holding onto your back
- Cueing baby to submerge vertically and rotate 180° in the pool
- Supporting baby in a front hold, encouraging baby to move forwards and grasp a toy, then return with support in a back-float position
3+ Years
In 1-2 years class you will learn with your child to:
- Encouraging baby to enter the water freely from a sitting position on the poolside
- Encouraging baby to move freely through the water, either with minimal support or with the use of a buoyancy aid
- Cueing baby to submerge vertically and rotate 360° in the pool
- Supporting baby by the hands and encouraging movement in a figure of 8 or snaking pattern through the water
- Taking baby for a front or back ride through the water, with or without support
- Cueing baby to submerge in a Duckling Dive towards the poolside and encouraging baby to hold onto the poolside and climb out (if baby has the physical ability)
Pre-School
Pre-School classes will still have parents in the water but will focus on the transition to children’s swimming lessons and start learning the criteria for the first stage so they progress more quickly. In this class you will learn with your child to:
- Identify the teacher
- Enter the water safely
- Splash feet at water’s surface while supported by wall/ woggle/adult and then return to a standing position
- Walk forwards, backwards and sideways through the water unaided for 5 metres. If in deeper water, unassisted walking actions may be substituted
- Move through the water on the front for 2 metres, turn around and move back to start position
- Move through the water for 2 metres on the back, roll to regain feet
- Blow a small object across the pool for 2 metres
- Travel under a woggle bridge and through a shower created by a watering can
- Push and glide on the front
- Exit pool safely
Adult swimming lessons
Whether you can’t swim or want to become a stronger swimmer, our adult swimming lessons are for you!
Whatever your current ability, it’s never too late to learn to swim with us. We run beginner adult lessons which are based in shallow water that get you learning the basics of swimming. Our improver adult lessons are there to develop your swimming stroke so you become a more confident swimmer.
Our friendly teachers are fully trained to understand and appreciate all your needs when it comes to adult swimming lessons.
Private Swimming Lessons
If you want even faster progression or think you might need a smaller group size, then private swimming lessons are the way to go. Open to any age or ability, they follow the same framework as our other swimming lessons.
Go 1-2-1 and have a completely private or if you want two of you in a lesson, go 2-2-1, its up to you.
Elite Academy
Finishing the Shark Badges isn’t the end of the road, it’s just the beginning…
Your children are still learning to swim and perfecting their strokes so they are a strong swimmer which will help them in later life. Perfect for those that want to still progress in swimming but don’t want the competitive nature of a swimming club. Plough through 4 STA Awards: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum which cover
- Your usual strokes but timed with additional fun activities to create obstacle courses
- Learn polo crawl
- Extend sculling knowledge
- Learn to swim in clothing
- Competitive starts and turns
- Synchronised Swims
Not only will you continue to become a strong swimmer, our Elite Academy will give your children the skills to really be safe in and around water with skills such as learning to swim in clothing and being able to save others who are in trouble with our Junior Lifeguard and Junior Medic add-ons.
Why we’re different
Our fun and friendly approach to teaching swimming will leave your child excited to come to swimming lessons, feeling secure in the environment and learning from our skilled teachers who adapt their teaching styles depending on the students learning styles. We really do put your children first and invest in our teachers, so you know you’re getting a first-rate swimming lesson every time.
All our teachers are fully qualified in swim teaching before they go live on poolside, are fully DBS checked, all have the RLSS Rescue Training and have qualifications in safeguarding, so you know your children are safe with us.
Our teachers are trained in mindfulness and wellness and incorporate these into our lessons so that your child’s overall wellbeing is improved from our swimming lessons.
We are the winners of the STA Aquatic Excellence Awards STAr Swim Academy of the Year 2023 so we definitely know what we’re doing.