Children's Swimming Lessons
Monthly payments
The Pelican Centre’s Learn to Swim programme offers swimming lessons for every child’s level and ability.
Taught in small group sessions or junior 1-2-1s, every child receives coaching from our professional and incredibly experienced swimming teachers, enabling them to progress through each stage whilst gaining confidence, skills and a lifelong love of water.
Our Learn to Swim programme is incredibly popular and we operate a waiting list.
Register with us now by signing up to our waiting list on Swimphony. We’ll contact you when a place is available.
Please note that sometimes this may take up to 12 weeks.
Monthly payments
Intensive junior swimming lessons over school holidays help you to really kick on through the Learn to Swim programme.
Choose from 5-day group lessons, stroke workshops or more intensive 1-2-1 personal lessons from our professional swim coaches. Pre-booking and payment is required to secure your place, and book early as places are limited!
Personal swim training delivered 1-2-1 for junior swimmers of all abilities. Delivered throughout the year, but book early as places are limited!
Price per lesson.
Minnows (U3s) and Squid Squad (3.5-4 year olds) are our first structured lessons, following the Duckling swimming scheme.
These fun lessons introduce children to water through play, gaining confidence and a love of aquatics right from the start. Children start to move by themselves in the pool, learning how to float, going underwater and taking their first strokes.
Stages 1-7 follow the National Plan for Teaching Swimming, guiding swimmers through the FUNdamental movement skills for swimming.
Fun lessons where our youngest swimmers are introduced to water through play, gaining confidence & a love of aquatics right from the start! Minnows lessons are scheduled to follow school terms and are payable via monthly Direct Debit.
Our 3.5-4 year olds start to move confidently by themselves in the pool, learning how to float, going underwater & taking their first strokes without any support.
1Enter the water safely - must be able to jump in
2Move forwards, backwards & sideways 5m
3Scoop water & wash face confidently
4Be at ease with water being showered over head
5Move into a stretched floating position & hold for 3-5 seconds
6Regain an upright position from back/front
7Take part in a teacher led game or activity
8Swim 5m on back unaided
9Swim 5m on front - with ability to put face in unaided
10Demonstrate an understanding of pool rules
11Be confident without the use of armbands
12Exit the water safely
1Jump in safely – minimum 2m depth
2Blow bubbles rhythmically
3Demonstrate ability to float – Front ‘Streamline’; Back with arms by side
4Swim 10m on front – face in, arms over
5Swim 10m on back – arms over
6Perform a rotation from front to back
7Perform a rotation from back to front
8Show basic breaststroke leg action
9Swim with confidence out of depth - 10m front & back
Instructor must be confident that a swimmer can swim out of depth to pass Stage 2
1Jump in from poolside & fully submerge
2Sink, push & glide on front, when surfaced roll onto back
3Sink, push & glide on back, when surfaced roll onto front
4Fully submerge & pick up an object from the pool floor
5Answer 3 questions correctly on the Water Safety Code
6Swim 10m front crawl with correct technique & recognisable breathing – begin with Push & Glide
7Swim 10m backstroke with correct technique – begin with Push & Glide
8Swim 10m breaststroke with correct technique - pull, stretch, kick – begin with Push & Glide
9Must be able to achieve 20m (2 widths)
1Demonstrate an understanding of buoyancy
2Perform a tuck float for 5 seconds
3Perform a sequence of changing shapes whilst floating
4Kick 10m of all strokes using a float
5Swim 20m (2 widths) front crawl with correct technique (unilateral breathing) – begin with Push & Glide in Streamline
6Swim 20m (2 widths) backstroke with correct technique – begin with Push & Glide in Streamline
7Swim 10m breaststroke, correct technique (pull, breathe, stretch, kick, glide) – begin with Push & Glide in Streamline
8Perform head first sculling action for 5m
9Introduce treading water
10Swim 10m (1 width) using butterfly leg kick
11Must be able to achieve 25m (1 length)
1Perform a head first sculling action for 10m
2Perform a feet first sculling action for 5m
3Sculling sequence with partner & rotation for 30-45 seconds
4Tread water for 60 seconds
5Swim 25m (1 length) front crawl, correct technique & bilateral breathing – begin with Push & Glide in Streamline
6Swim 25m (1 length) backstroke, correct technique – begin with Push & Glide in Streamline
7Swim 25m (1 length) breaststroke, correct technique (pull, breathe, stretch, kick, glide) – begin with Push & Glide in Streamline
8Swim 10m (1 width) butterfly with recognisable technique
9Perform a handstand
10Perform a forward somersault
11Demonstrate an action for getting help
12Must be able to achieve 50m (2 lengths)
1Show an understanding of preparation for exercise
2Sink, push off & begin to kick
3Sink, push off, glide & rotate into front crawl
4Swim 10m wearing clothes
5Swim 50m front crawl, correct technique & bilateral breathing – begin with Push & Glide in Streamline, attempt tumble turn & correct finish
6Swim 50m backstroke, correct technique – begin with Push & Glide in Streamline, turn on back & correct finish
7Swim 50m breaststroke, correct technique (pull & breathe, stretch, kick, glide) – begin with Push & Glide in Streamline, turn on back & correct finish
8Swim 20m (2 widths) butterfly with recognisable technique – begin with Push & Glide in Streamline, turn & finish with 2 hands
9Perform a ‘shout & signal’ rescue
10Perform a surface dive & sitting down dive
11Must be able to achieve 100m
1Swim 50m front crawl to ASA standard, with correct turn & finish
2Swim 50m backstroke to ASA standard, with correct turn & finish
3Swim 50m breaststroke to ASA standard, with correct turn & finish
4Swim 25m butterfly with recognisable technique
5Perform a standing dive
6Swim 200m using 3 different strokes with correct technique, turns & finishes
7Complete a 400m drill set
8Tread water using an eggbeater action for 30 seconds