Children's Swimming Lessons

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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.

Why choose the Pelican Centre for your child’s swimming lessons?

Small class sizes so your child progresses at their own pace, led by experienced teachers who get the most out of every lesson.
Learn alongside children of the same ability – no mixed classes, so the focus remains on your child with activities suited to them.
Great focus and attention from teachers to make sure your child gets the most out of their pool time
Affordable swimming lessons at £28 per month – much less than private swim schools nearby
Swimming lessons with some of the best outcomes across Wigan Borough. The Pelican Centre is renowned for excellent teaching and great progress
Poolside viewing area for parents and guardians, so you can watch your child’s lessons and progress once they’re in the pool without you
Teaching only by fully-qualified Level 2 swimming teachers – no unqualified teachers, and pool assistants are qualified lifeguards
Swimming lessons for children aged 1-3 that follow the Duckling swimming scheme, a programme of structured lessons where young children learn through play
From age 4+, your child learns to swim following Swim England’s Learn to Swim Stages 1-7 for complete swim teaching of all strokes, competencies and water safety skills
A warm pool and fully-equipped changing rooms
Good choice of days and times for your child’s swimming lesson
Individual reports and feedback for your child

Register for children’s swimming lessons!

Our Learn to Swim programme is incredibly popular and we operate a waiting list for some class times and stages.

Minnows (U3s), Squid Squad (Tots) and Shrimps (Stage 1) classes can be booked online – just browse to check availability, find the class time for you and add to basket.

For all other stages, 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.

Not sure what stage to start? For under-3s, choose Minnows. For 3.5-4 year olds, choose Squid Squad (Tots).

If your child is aged 4+ and can’t swim, they must start in Shrimps (Stage 1).

£28 P/M

Children's Swimming Lessons

Monthly payments

1-2-1 junior lessons

Personal swim training delivered 1-2-1 for junior swimmers of all abilities. Delivered throughout the year, but book early as places are limited!

£25 per lesson

1-2-1 Junior Swimming Lessons

Price per lesson.

Book 1-2-1 lessons online!

Learn to Swim swimming lessons

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.

Minnows (U3s)

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.

Squid Squad (Tots)

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.

Shrimps (Stage 1)

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

Starfish (Stage 2)

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

Sea Horses (Stage 3)

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)

Turtles (Stage 4)

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)

Stingrays (Stage 5)

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)

Dolphins (Stage 6)

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

Sharks (Stage 7)

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