Any feedback on the swimming lessons at Dulwich Pool?

[redjam]

My daughter (nearly 6) has been doing swimming lessons in Beckenham for nearly a year. She loves them but there's not been a great deal of progress - she still can't really 'swim' for more than a couple of seconds! I'm thinking of trying to switch to lessons at Dulwich Pool in the New Year but my daughter is very worried about being, literally, out of her depth at the new pool as it's not as shallow as Beckenham kids' pool. Whereas I feel it might help her to make quicker progress if she can't be tempted to put her feet down all the time.

Has anyone had experience of the beginners' classes there? Obviously I know they won't leave them to drown but does anyone know how they make the transition from using a float to swimming sole when they can't touch the bottom? And any thought of what level class she should join? She can go nearly a whole width using a float or noodle (front and back) but she can only do a couple of strokes on her own without sinking. I'm thinking level 2 or 3 but not sure... Any feedback much appreciated.

[Fuschia]

redjam Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> My daughter (nearly 6) has been doing swimming

> lessons in Beckenham for nearly a year. She loves

> them but there's not been a great deal of progress

> - she still can't really 'swim' for more than a

> couple of seconds! I'm thinking of trying to

> switch to lessons at Dulwich Pool in the New Year

> but my daughter is very worried about being,

> literally, out of her depth at the new pool as

> it's not as shallow as Beckenham kids' pool.

> Whereas I feel it might help her to make quicker

> progress if she can't be tempted to put her feet

> down all the time.

>

> Has anyone had experience of the beginners'

> classes there? Obviously I know they won't leave

> them to drown but does anyone know how they make

> the transition from using a float to swimming sole

> when they can't touch the bottom? And any thought

> of what level class she should join? She can go

> nearly a whole width using a float or noodle

> (front and back) but she can only do a couple of

> strokes on her own without sinking. I'm thinking

> level 2 or 3 but not sure... Any feedback much

> appreciated.

I would recommend Superkids swimschool at Thomas the Apostle in Nunhead.

Superkids Swimming School

Tel: 020 8651 2002

Speak to Joe or Margaret

[cactus]

My 5 year old is currently doing beginners/level 1 at Dulwich pool.

I think we've done 5/10 sessions so far, and the children have mostly been

'swimming' half widths, front and back, using floats.

Last week the tutor took each child back and forth without floats, by holding

onto their fingertips and asking them to kick, then for a few seconds she let them

try alone, the results were a bit mixed! Anyway, I'm not sure how it will progress, and if

any of them will be swimming a few stokes alone by the end of the 10 weeks, but I'll keep you

posted.

My not so tall 5 year old can just about touch the bottom of the pool on tiptoes, which seems

ideal, he's worked out that he's safe, but keeps on kicking/moving just in case!