The first step in our swim school is our Parent and Toddler lessons.

Children can enrol in our swim school to begin their swimming journey with us once they are 4 months old.

The lessons run weekdays between 9:30am and 13:45pm. Lessons last 25 minutes. In the early stages children are grouped by age and lesson times are the same each day. Parents are required to be in the water with their children until the children are 3 years old. At this stage they may graduate into the Dolphins lessons.

Monday - Friday

When in Parent and Toddler Lessons the ratio is 1:10.

When children move into Pre-School Lessons the ratio will lower to 1:5.

Lessons cost £7.50 per session and must be booked termly. There are no lessons during school holidays although 1 to 1 sessions are available for an additional cost for children in the Dolphins sessions.

Children are required to wear a swim nappy which can be purchased on site until they are toilet trained to minimise the chance of any accidents in the water.

Here at Wildern we follow the Swim England pathway and children will start working towards the badges once they reach Pre-School Lessons. There are 4 duckling badges to achieve, the criteria can be seen below.

Duckling 1

By completing this Award you should be able to:

1. Make a supervised safe entry with adult support if required.

2. Float on back with adult support behind the head without floatation equipment.

3. Blow bubbles at the water surface.

4. Wet the head without submersion.

5. Kick 5 metres on back with adult support.

6. Travel without adult support for 2 metres to a floating object.

7. Enter the pool, rotate and return to the side with adult support.

8. Exit the water safely with minimal adult support.

Duckling 2

By completing this Award you should be able to:

1. Make a sitting entry with adult support if required.

2. Rotate 180 degrees either using a log roll or an upright position, using floatation equipment and without adult support.

3. Submerge the face with confidence and without force under adult supervision.

4. Blow an object for a distance of 2 metres.

5. Travel 3 metres using arms and/or legs without adult support.

6. Move 5 metres along the rail or wall without adult support.

7. Enter the pool, rotate and return to the side with minimal adult support.

8. Exit the water safely with minimal adult support.

Duckling 3

By completing this Award you should be able to:

1. Make a supervised jump to an adult with or without support.

2. Float on the front or back without adult support.

3. Push off on the front or back in a streamlined shape from a supporting adult.

4. Blow bubbles with the mouth and nose underwater.

5. Travel 5 metres on the front to the side of the pool without adult support.

6. Kick 5 metres on the front holding a float (the adult may hold the other end of the float).

7. Enter the pool, rotate and return to the side without adult support.

8. Climb out of the water with adult support if required.

Duckling 4

By completing this Award you should be able to:

1. Jump into the water unaided, but supervised.

2. Perform a mushroom or star float.

3. Rotate 360 degrees either using a log roll or an upright position.

4. Push and glide achieving a streamlined position on the front or back.

5. Submerge completely.

6. Travel 10 metres on the front or back, without adult support.

7. Jump into the water, turn around, swim back to the point of entry and hold on to the side or rail.

8. Climb out of the water with adult support if required.

If you would like more information or to book your child in for lessons please call us on 01489 787128 or email leisure@wildern.org