Learning to Swim at St Helen's

LEARNING TO SWIM AT ST HELEN’S FOR ALL AGE GROUPS

Swimming at St Helen’s

Our Learn to Swim programme follows the ASA/Swim England-endorsed National Plan for Teaching Swimming and our 15 experienced swimming teachers at St Helen’s ensure all those swimming are working towards Learn to Swim Awards 1-7. These awards are divided into progressive stages that make up the national syllabus of learning to swim for primary school aged children. They are designed to develop essential aquatic skills that they need to be confident, competent and safe in the water.

Learn to Swim Stages 1-7

Guidance on which stage is right for your child Can your child swim without buoyancy aids?

If NO – Stage 1

If YES – Stages 2-7 as below

stage 2

stage 3

stage 4

Can swim 5m on front and put face in the water comfortably

Swim over 5m front crawl, backstroke and basic breaststroke

10m front crawl, backstroke & basic breaststroke

stage 5

stage 6

stage 7

10m front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke and basic butterfly in water out of their depth

15m front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly

25m front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly

Learn to Swim Stages 8-10 The Learn to Swim Stages 8-10 continue the swimmer’s journey past Stage 7 of the Learn to Swim framework. Skills within these stages are focused more towards specific and competitive swimming techniques and distances. Swimmers are encouraged to take part in different aquatic disciplines that develop their fundamental sports skills.

Swimming lessons are run Monday – Sunday at various times and on a termly basis following the St Helen’s School academic year. For more information please ask at Reception.

Stage Criteria for Advancement Stage 1

Stage 7 – Water out of depth

Moving forwards and backwards through the water for a distance of 5 metres.

Blowing bubbles with face in the water, regaining an upright position from the front and back. Moving into a stretched floating position using aid for support.

Swim 25 metres for all four strokes. Swim 50 metres continuously using 1 stroke and 100 metres using 3 different strokes.

Forward and backward somersault, log roll, head first and feet first sculling. Various floating and sinking skills.

Stage 2

Stages 8, 9,10

Push and glide from the wall on both front and back breathing normally (attempting to turn to the side) for 5 metres. Rotate from front to back and back to front, regaining a standing position.

Once a swimmer has completed Stages 1-7, they will have the option to move into our higher Stages 8-10. Here they will develop the skills to go onto competitive swimming within a club environment, without the commitment of early mornings or more than one session a week. There will also be an introduction to personal survival and diving.

Stage 3 – Water may be out of depth Push and glide on both front and back into log roll. Travel on front and rotate onto back. Swim 10 metres on both front and back (turning to the side to breath) breathing normally. Demonstrate breaststroke arms and legs. Fully submerge to pick up an object.

Stage 4 – Water out of depth Push and glide from wall to the pool floor. 10 metres front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly legs, attempting arms. Head first sculling action for 5 metres in a horizontal position. Perform a sequence of floating positions.

Stage 5 – Water out of depth Performing a sculling action for 5 metres whilst horizontal on back and a 5 metre feet first scull. Tread water for 30 seconds.

Swim a competent front crawl, backstroke and butterfly for 10 metres. Perform a somersault and handstand.

Stage 6 – Water out of depth Sink, push off on side from wall, glide, kick and rotate into both front crawl and breaststroke. Swim 10 metres with clothing on. 25 metres front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly, all with rhythmical breathing. Perform a surface dive.

SWIMFIT SwimFit offers a great opportunity for those swimmers that have completed stage 10 and wish to continue swimming without entering into competitive swimming. Each class provides an alternative way to improve fitness, reach targets and train for personal challenges in a social environment. Guided by a Swim England-trained, fully qualified instructor, it offers a structured workout and provides a mixture of different routines, strokes, speeds and lengths to encourage a varied and challenging workout compared to traditional lane-swimming. With various accompanying training aids and challenges, there is something to suit all.

Adult Masters Our 1 hour, weekly masters class is a great opportunity for adults to continue their swimming in a fun and structured session.

To help keep you motivated and to further develop your swimming fitness each session will consist of a variation of drills, aquatic skills and fitness. These lessons run as a weekly pay as you go activity.

Holiday Crash Courses

Private Tuition

If termly lessons are not for you or you are looking to continue swimming though the school holidays, crash course swimming may be of great value.

Private tuition is extremely popular and consequently an extensive waiting list is in place. Should you wish to pursue private lessons please pass your details onto Reception and your name will be added to the waiting list. When a teacher has availability they will contact you directly to discuss potential days and times.

Crash courses take place during the holiday period with the exception of Christmas.

All courses are one week intensive Monday – Friday* with each lesson lasting 30 minutes and are available for Stages 1-7. *In the event of a Bank Holiday, lessons will run over 4 days only.

We also offer Swim Development classes for those children stages 8-10. Courses are 45mins to an hour in duration and focus on supporting and developing the necessary aquatic skills required to progress within these higher stages. It also provides swimmers with the opportunity to complete their distance swims.

Adults Lessons Adult lessons take place on a termly basis once a week.

We offer 2 types of adult lessons: Beginners – Little or no prior swimming knowledge and/or ability.

Improvers – Some basic swimming knowledge and/or ability.

The teacher will be in the water for both of these classes.

St Helen’s Enterprises Limited Terms and Conditions Lesson Fees: All fees must be paid in advance of the start date of a course. Swimmers will not be allowed to participate in any swimming lessons until the fees are paid in full. Fees may be paid in accordance with the terms as discussed with St Helen’s Enterprises. Such fees may include additional charges for the processing of credit cards, debit cards, cheques, direct debits, cash or any other method as advised. Any lessons paid for, but not taken within a period of 12 months, will be deemed to have been taken at which time there will be no refund offered.

Re-enrolment: All current swimmers will be given priority to re-enrol onto the next course of at least 2 weeks. Re-enrolment invoices, progress reports and “Stay/Move” notification will be sent via email.

If your payment is not returned by the re-enrolment deadline date, we assume that your space is no longer required and will offer it to another swimmer.

Priorities are offered to siblings & children attending St Helen’s School.

Cancellations and refund policy Private lesson(s): St Helen’s Enterprises private lessons may be cancelled without charge by giving not less than 24 hours’ notice which must go to the teacher directly. Please note that a message left on an answer phone, voicemail ,Text or email is not considered as satisfactory notice until the message has been acknowledged by the teacher. Notice of a cancellation of a private lesson within 24 hours of the start of that lesson will result in the full fee being due or deducted from any credit balance as appropriate. Any lessons paid for, but not taken within a period of 12 months will be deemed to have been taken at which time there will be no refund offered. In the event of St Helen’s cancelling a private lesson, an alternative day will be offered.

Lesson blocks for 2:1 or 3:1 lesson may only be counted when all participants are in attendance.

In the event of 1 or more participants failing to attend and the lesson continuing the remaining participants will be subject to the alternative ratio fee for that lesson.

Termly Group lesson: Prior to the commencement of termly lessons tuition may be cancelled within 14 days after time of booking only if booking was made via the phone, unless the course of lesson has begun. Please note that a message left on an answer phone, voicemail or email is not considered as satisfactory notice; Notice of a cancellation

beyond these times the full fee will be due. Once a course has commenced, no refund is permitted in the event of cancellation. Refunds shall be at the absolute discretion of St Helen’s Enterprises at all times. In the event of St Helen’s Enterprises cancelling a group lesson, a credit will be added to the swimmers account, Credits cannot be transferred between parties.

Crash Course lessons: All Crash course lesson are subject to availability and minimum occupancy levels. Please note St Helen’s Enterprises operates a strict no refund policy for Crash Course lessons, Cancellations or missed lessons will not be refunded unless cancellation is made by St Helen’s due to low occupancy. Refunds shall be at the absolute discretion of St Helen’s Enterprises at all times.

Closure of Facilities: In the event of a pool closure St Helen’s Enterprises will issue a credit to all swimmers accounts for any lessons missed, these lesson will not be refunded. No refunds or credits will be offered in the case of circumstances outside of our control Force Majeure such as Adverse Weather conditions, power interruption, ‘acts of God’ as deemed to be contractually outside of our control.

Valuables: St Helen’s Enterprises will not accept liability for the loss of or damage to any personal effects brought by a swimmer to any session and you are therefore requested to ensure that no valuable items are brought to the swimming lessons, swimmers are encouraged to store all items securely within the Lockers provided.

Attendance: Swimmers, parents, guardians, siblings or all other associates, must observe St Helen’s Enterprises entry rules and respect all other Sports Complex rules. St Helen’s Enterprises staff shall retain the right to refuse admission. It is imperative that swimmers are on poolside no more than 5 minutes before the commencement of each lesson and (in the case of child swimmers) should be collected from the pool no more than 5 minutes after the lesson has ended.

No child will be released until they are collected by an appointed responsible adult. The responsible adult must remain within the Sports Complex premises for the duration of the lesson. No refund or “catch-up lesson” or credits will be offered by St Helen’s Enterprises where a child fails to attend or is refused permission to attend any sessions unless with the prior agreement of St Helen’s. Enterprises.

Teachers: St Helen’s Enterprises teachers are fully qualified, insured, and have current Enhanced DBS Disclosure from England and Wales, Disclosure Scotland and Access Northern Ireland.

St Helen’s Enterprises will endeavour to provide consistency with teachers on a week to week basis for the instruction of Group Lessons. The suitability and subsequent appointment of a teacher shall be at the absolute discretion of St Helen’s Enterprises at all times. Should St Helen’s Enterprises not be able to find a suitable replacement teacher, a full or part refund will be offered. It remains at the absolute discretion of St Helen’s to offer the alternative of a refund in such circumstances.

Behaviour: In the event of a swimmer, parent, guardian, sibling or other associate refusing to obey an instruction from a member of staff, or behaving in an unruly manner towards a member of staff, or any other person or causing damage to pool premises, or any of the furniture fixtures or equipment in those premises the swimmer shall not be permitted to continue with the lessons. St Helen’s Enterprises shall then have the right to terminate the contract without further notice and without being required to offer any credit or refund to the swimmer and the swimmer shall not be accepted for any future course organised by St Helen’s Enterprises.

Condition of pool premises: Whilst St Helen’s Enterprises will make all reasonable efforts to ensure that the condition of the pool facilities including the changing rooms, washing facilities, the pool and poolside area are in suitable condition, they do not accept liability for any injury sustained by the misuse of any equipment or facilities provided.

Transmission of infections: Any swimmer known to be or found to be suffering from any infectious ailment or condition will not be allowed to participate in the lesson and it is the responsibility of each swimmer or (in the case of a child swimmer) the parent or guardian of the swimmer to ensure that the swimmer is fit and well enough to participate.

St Helen’s Enterprises will not accept liability for any infection passed to a swimmer by another swimmer on the course or in the pool.

General rules: • Swimmers must shower before entering the pool.

• No swimmer should enter the pool area without a member of St Helen’s Enterprises staff being present.

• Parents/carers are not permitted to interrupt a teacher during a lesson unless there is urgent need. General questions should be directed to the main Reception desk or at the end of the lesson providing this does not impede on any subsequent lessons.

• No food or drink is permitted in any of the pool facilities. Swimmers, siblings, parents and guardians are expected to observe St Helen’s Enterprises strict No Smoking Policy, Smoking is not permitted within the building or grounds at any time.

• No outdoor shoes are to be worn poolside, If you wish to speak to your child’s swimming teacher please either remove shoes and socks or put on shoe covers provided, before you go onto poolside. This clause is in accordance with the Health and Safety Policy.

• It is forbidden under all circumstances to use mobile phones and/ or audio visual equipment in the changing rooms, on poolside or during swimming lessons. Please take heed of signage to this effect.

useful information Please ask at Reception for further information on all current swimming courses.

Swimming courses can be booked either over the phone or at Reception.

We advise all swimmers to wear goggles and those with long or shoulder length hair to wear swimming hats.

Mobile phones and cameras are not permitted.

St Helen’s Sports Complex Green Lane Northwood HA6 1AF

enterprises@sthelens.london 01923 843270 www.sthelens.enterprises

@sthnenterprises