Teaching Section

Lessons are held at Colchester Leisure World on a Saturday evening from 4.00pm to 5.50pm in the teaching, fitness and diving pools.

We recognise that some children have disabilities that can make mainstream swimming lessons challenging for them. Our core team of dedicated teachers all work to the common goal of providing an opportunity for anyone to have access to suitable swimming lessons in a friendly club where teachers, volunteers and parents work together to support them to enjoy and celebrate their personal achievements.

We use visual aids including SwimPix cards to storyboard our lessons . We have social stories available to introduce new skills to our swimmers and use a wide variety of toys to motivate our swimmers to play, explore and swim.

We follow the STA Rockhopper Award Scheme, a programme designed for people with disabilities to progress from building water confidence and skills through to becoming safe and proficient swimmers.

Swimmers can also work towards Swim England's learn to swim awards as appropriate for their ability.

• The I CAN...... awards recognise achievement of specific single successes such as blowing bubbles
• Water skills awards focus on confidence, versatility, skills and endurance.
• Water safety awards teach water danger awareness, self-rescue techniques and vital survival skills to help our swimmers stay safe in and around water.

These schemes complement our existing programme of stroke and stamina development. We offer opportunities for distance swims and work towards getting our swimmers to enjoy competing.

Our lessons

We teach in small groups but if a child needs 1:1 support in the water we encourage parents to join them on their journey . If this is something you are unable to do we can also provide an in water volunteer. COVID safer procedures made this more challenging but we are slowly introducing our volunteers back into the pool. This support is given on the basis of safety and need and is subject to the availability of trained volunteers.

The core half an hour is spent on stroke development and skill acquisition; at 5.35pm our swimmers choose to join group activities, the following are available on a rota basis.

• Treasure Hunt
• Obstacle Course
• Water Games and Songs
• Lane Swimming
• Water Polo
• Jumping and Diving Skils
• Fun Races

We have a lengthy waiting list at present and we have had to take the unfortunate decision to temporarily close it.