Little Ducks
To begin a child’s swimming journey, we offer Little Ducks parent and child swimming lessons. In these sessions, both parent and child get in the pool to learn water confidence and basic swimming skills. This first step in a child’s swimming journey is a great way to introduce them to the water – not only do these lessons make your child feel more confident in the water, but you’ll feel more confident, too. We offer these lessons for babies from birth up until the age of 3-and-a-half.
Stage 1: Preschool
Before a child starts school, they can join our Learn to Swim Programme at Stage 1 from the age of 3 and a half. Once they start school, they are then able to move into Stage 2. These lessons work on developing basic water confidence and learning to work as a group.
Stages 2 – 7: Junior Learn to Swim Programme
Our Junior Learn to Swim Programme runs every evening and on the weekends. We follow the Swim England National Teaching Plan to ensure that your child progresses as quickly as possible. In some cases, we may ask that you bring your child along to a public swimming session so that we can accurately assess their ability and direct you to the correct class.
Aquatic Development Programme
The Aquatic Development Programme is a progression from the Learn to Swim programme. It will develop a swimmer’s skills with specialism in a certain discipline, whether it’s developing competitive swimming, lifesaving or synchronised swimming techniques, or simply swimming for fun.
Our youth volunteering programme is also included within the Aquatic Development Programme, and is aimed at children aged 14 years and above. This programme provides an opportunity to introduce them to teaching swimming, lifesaving, synchronised swimming and to understand lifeguard duties.
ADP Squad Swimming
Once a child has achieved Stage 7, they can continue their swimming journey within our squad system.
Squad swimming is an introduction to competitive swimming and focuses on good technique, building strength, stamina and speed in the water. If a child is unsure about joining a club, squad swimming is designed to give them the club swimming experience while staying local.
Squads are split into four sections. Each section has its own criteria in order to build and develop the children as they move through the squads. Some club swimmers combine squad swimming with their swimming club in order to continue to enforce good technique.
ADP Lifesaving Club
Lifesaving Club is aimed at 8–12 year olds who would like to learn lifesaving skills and water safety in a fun and safe way. The only criteria to join are that they must be able to swim 25 metres on both their front and back and be able to tread water for one minute.
Sessions usually include a mix of swimming, lifesaving skills, personal safety and resuscitation, where, once perfected, your child will have the opportunity to gain awards as they progress through the years.
