General - Commitment To Excellence Madden Swim School’s exciting plans for the Autumn term 2023

In this issue of Community Update, we are delighted to select Madden Swim School with our Commitment to Excellence Award.

Madden Swim School is a wellestablished company running swimming lessons in the West Berkshire and South Oxfordshire areas. Established by couple Rose & Gerry Madden, the school has been run by daughter, Julie Madden for the last few years.

Julie and her experienced team use swimming pools at Downe House School pool in Cold Ash, near Thatcham, the Oratory School pool in Woodcote, near Reading, and a small private pool for baby and toddler lessons in Bucklebury, near Thatcham.

We spoke to owner, Julie for more information,

“We offer swimming lessons for all ages: babies and toddlers on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and to Children aged 3.5 - 16 years on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. We also teach adult swimming lessons on Thursdays and Saturdays.

We offer a 12-week term of lessons, that runs concurrently with school term dates, and also offer half-term and holiday intensive week courses. Our 12-week term ends with our certificate fun day, where each swimmer receives their complimentary Swim England certificate and badge, we make a big deal of this day, we get all the parents around the pool, as each child is given their certificate and badge, a huge round of applause and whistling of delight is sent their way. With beaming smiles all round, we get all the swimmers in the pool for games, races, and a pool party to celebrate their success with fun inflatables!

We regularly get a beautiful picture drawn for us, a thank you message, and sometimes a little gift or token of thanks given, none of that is necessary, the children progressing and enjoying the water safely is appreciation enough!”

The compassionate team of swim teachers are on hand at all times, if a younger novice swimmer, or indeed an older one is nervous of the water. Through holding, supporting, water games and lots of praise, children or adults learn to become gradually more confident in the water. Often by the second lesson, many new swimmers are less afraid of the water and ready for their lessons.

“A swim school is only as good as its teachers. We are so fortunate to have a fantastic team, we have a mixture of young enthusiastic fun teachers to those with decades of experience and knowledge. We also have a teacher that has just completed her swim of the English Chanel!”

For all details of upcoming swimming lessons, including October half-term crash courses, adult refresher and women-only classes, see the website below:

T 07788 427227

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