Our lessons are built around the nationally recommended Learn to Swim Wales (LTSW) ‘Wave’ framework, enhanced by our own unique three-phase approach. Purposefully designed to create fun, focussed and supportive learning environments, specifically tailored to meet the needs of the swimmer.
Foundation Lessons
The perfect starting point for any aspiring toe-dipper! Our Foundation Wave classes keep group sizes small and provide hands-on support to inspire confidence in the water. Children develop key skills such as buoyancy, breath control, underwater comfort, and basic movement, all while learning to feel at ease in both shallow and deeper water. These fundamental skills lay the groundwork for later mastering all four strokes.
FOUNDATION
Wave 1
The starting point for children who are new to swimming lessons. Our in-the-water approach gently introduces learners to the water, supporting confidence and helping them feel comfortable both above and below the surface. Your child will learn how to enter and exit the pool safely, become comfortable with water on their face, and start to develop basic movement skills. They’ll also discover the magic of floating!
Key features
Ability Standard: Non-Swimmer- Avg age guide: 3.5 - 6yrs old
- Class Duration: 30 Minutes
- Class Ratio: Up to 4 Swimmers
- Instructor: In Water
FOUNDATION
Wave 2
Beginners continue to build their water confidence by further developing buoyancy, body control, and learning how to be both comfortable and safe while jumping into the water without goggles! They are also introduced to the secret sauce of swimming, ‘streamlining,’ along with the basics of aquatic breathing and working towards unsupported travel up to 10 metres.
Key features
- Ability Standard: Beginner
- Avg age guide: 4 - 8yrs old
- Class Duration: 30 Minutes
- Class Ratio: Up to 4 Swimmers
- Instructor: In Water
FOUNDATION
Wave 3
The final class of our Foundation Waves sees swimmers venturing into deeper water. With the instructor close by Wave 3 begins to push boundaries and develop confidence and abilities both underwater and beyond comfort zones. All 4 strokes are becoming independent and recognisable across a 10 metre width, while essential water safety knowledge and skills are introduced and echoed throughout all of the following Wave classes
Key features
- Ability Standard: Beginner +
- Avg age guide: 5 - 9yrs old
- Class Duration: 30 Minutes
- Class Ratio: Up to 4 Swimmers
- Instructor: In Water
Development Lessons
Building on strong foundations, our Development Wave classes focus on growing independence in the water and shaping the four recognised strokes of front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. Swimmers gradually progress to full pool lengths and continuous swims of up to 50m, with a strong emphasis on personal survival skills and water safety, marking the starting point from which “safe” swimmers are built.
DEVELOPMENT
Wave 4
The first class of our Development Waves. Wave 4, concentrates on refining correct and efficient kicking techniques across all four strokes and introduces swimmers to the lesser-known fifth stroke, the ‘underwater dolphin kick.’ Additionally, it provides swimmers with their first opportunity to experience swimming in clothes and reinforces essential water safety knowledge, such as the understanding of beach flags.
Key features
- Ability Standard: Intermediate
- Avg age guide: 6 - 10yrs old
- Class Duration: 30 Minutes
- Class Ratio: Up to 6 Swimmers
- Instructor: On Poolside
DEVELOPMENT
Wave 5
The last of our 30-minute widths classes! Wave 5 principally focuses on the advancement of all 4 strokes to the expected standards set by Swim Wales, over a distance of up to 25 meters. Swimmers also further develop essential survival skills such as treading water and sculling whilst also attempting a slightly more challenging clothed swim and trying their hand at a forward somersault. Remember to blow out of your nose!
Key features
- Ability Standard: Intermediate +
- Avg age guide: 7 - 10yrs old
- Class Duration: 30 Minutes
- Class Ratio: Up to 6 Swimmers
- Instructor: On Poolside
DEVELOPMENT
Wave 6
Now we’re swimming! The last of our Development Wave classes and one of the most significant steps in a learner’s journey. Lessons extend to 45 minutes, introducing full-length swimming, greater physical challenge, and the start to building strength in the water. Swimmers refine all four strokes up to 50m, demonstrate water competence by swimming a length while clothed, and are introduced to the exciting world of diving.
Key features
- Ability Standard: Advanced
- Avg age guide: 8 - 11yrs old
- Class Duration: 45 Minutes
- Class Ratio: Up to 8 Swimmers
- Instructor: On Poolside
Endurance Lessons
There is a big difference between a confident swimmer and a truly competent swimmer. Our Endurance classes are that difference. 45-minute lessons, swimming multiple lengths of the pool, Wave 7 & Wave 8 focus on advancing strength and stamina across all 4 strokes whilst maintaining a high standards of technique throughout. With efficient techniques, strength and stamina swimmers not only improve their overall performance but also more vitally their safety!
ENDURANCE
Wave 7
Wave 7 marks a big step up in physicality. Swimmers work on building endurance by completing a 100m Individual Medley (IM), showcasing efficiency and consistency across all four strokes, as well as demonstrating competency over a continuous 200m swim. Diving skills are further developed, and swimmers get the chance to put everything into practice with a fun, friendly relay race.
Key features
- Ability Standard: Confident
- Avg age guide: 9 - 12yrs old
- Class Duration: 45 Minutes
- Class Ratio: Up to 8 Swimmers
- Instructor: On Poolside
ENDURANCE
Wave 8
The final class of the Learn-to-Swim journey. Wave 8 is a bit of an aquatic-allsorts. It continues to grow a swimmer’s resilience in water whilst introducing an eclectic mix of skills, providing a taste of the world of aquatics that learning to swim has unlocked. It’s not just about Front-crawl, Backstroke, Breaststroke & Butterfly; it’s about exploring what you can now do with them.
Key features
- Ability Standard: Competent
- Avg age guide: 10 - 13yrs old
- Class Duration: 45 Minutes
- Class Ratio: Up to 8 Swimmers
- Instructor: On Poolside
CLUB Sessions
Earn official tumble-flipper status! Our Club sessions are perfect for swimmers who’ve completed their learn-to-swim journey and want to keep swimming for fun, fitness, and friendship, while mastering advanced skills and continuing to build their aquatic endurance. Covering levels 1–3 of the Advanced Swimming Skills programme, CLUB sessions provide structured training without the demands of a competitive club. It’s the ideal way to stay active, grow in confidence, and develop the ability to train independently, turning swimming into a lifelong accessible skill.
SINK OR SWIM
CLUB (1, 2 & 3)
Club 1 – Recommended – 1-2 hrs per week
Club 2 – Recommended – 1-2 hrs per week
Club 3 – Recommended – 2 hrs per week
Club sessions focus on refining techniques across all four strokes, with an emphasis upon further enhancing performance and endurance. Swimmers also develop advanced diving skills as well as learning the correct accompanying transitions, starts, legal turns and finishing techniques for each stroke.
Key features
- Ability Standard: Proficient
- Avg age guide: 11+ yrs old
- Class Duration: 1 Hour (x2)
- Class Ratio: Up to 10 Swimmers
- Instructor: On Poolside
Need a BOOST?
Our BOOST Intensive Courses offer a range of intensive learning programmes created to accelerate learning and give swimmers an extra push in their ability and confidence over short periods of time.
View our BOOST courses