Swimming lessons @ Peckham Pulse (pre-school) advice needed

[EDlittlemoo]

Hi

Just wondering whether any mums/dads have their kids in swimming classes at Peckham Pulse? My son has just been accepted into the pre-school swimming group and I just wanted some parent views as to how the sessions are run etc.

Also one of the ladies at the desk said I wouldn't need to go into the pool with him even though it's his first session, is that usual?

Thanks in advance!

[Mens]

My girls used to go years ago and really enjoyed it. The pool is super shallow (less than half a metre when they raise the floor) and really warm. The children can easily walk around in it. They didn't make much progress but I know other children who did.

[anna79]

We had our daughter there when she was younger. We didn't think it was good and ended up complaining to the manager. My daughter and another girl were a bit nervous of the water and on occasion they cried. The teacher did not get in with them and did nothing to reassure or encourage them. I over heard her complaining that the girls cried and she just shrugged her shoulders when it happened and let them get out! She was really rude and didn't seem interested at all.

Obviously things may have changed since then but I was annoyed that the manager did nothing to address it.

Our daughter now has a lesson in the Dulwich Prep pool on Saturday run by Amelia. They are great and teach from in the water. She is now going underwater and is nearly swimming independently. They play fun games and are really encouraging, she hasn't cried once in a whole year!

[newtoedf]

Both my children have had swimming lessons at Peckham Pulse since they were 3. The pool is great, the instructors have always been in the water with them and it's worked really well for us. The warm, shallow water has done wonders for their confidence. I can see what people mean about wondering if they are progressing much - at times I've wondered the same myself but it really does seem to work - now he's 5 and has a couple of years of lessons under his belt, my 5 year old can swim a length of the 25m pool. It's not perfect, I get frustrated by the lack of a proper waiting list system but it's one of the few places where the parents can have a swim themselves while the kids are in lessons which is something we've always enjoyed.