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What to Expect - Swimming Lessons
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- Park in the main carpark or other safe spaces nearby. Please do not park in the gravel carpark by the pool, as these spaces are owned by nearby houses. Swimmers should ideally arrive with swimwear underneath clothing, ready.
- Walk to the pool via Bloxham High Street. Once you reach the traffic lights, turn and walk to the pool via the gravelled area.
- At the top of the steps, walk towards the windows, where a teacher will be waiting. The teacher will allow entry 5-10 minutes before the lesson via the changing rooms for the first lesson of the day.
- Parents/carers and swimmers enter via the changing rooms, removing muddy/outdoor shoes upon entry.
- Teacher will direct swimmers to the side of the pool where their lesson will take place (far side by spectator seating, or the near side of the pool). If swimming in the far side of the pool, for example, parents/carers and swimmers walk towards shelves on the far side. Swimmers remove their outer clothing and put their belongings on the shelves.
- Swimmers stand on the side of the pool.
- Parents/carers make their way to the spectator seating.
What to Expect Once the Lesson has Ended
- Swimmers exit the water via steps and collect their belongings from the shelves.
- Farside swimmers walk clockwise around the pool (the ‘long way round’, past the diving blocks) with their parent/carers. This reduces disruption to the near-side lesson.
- Enter the changing rooms. If the changing room reaches 14 people including parents/carers and swimmers - and a swimmer is old enough to get dressed, parents/carers should wait on the balcony outside.
- Swimmers and parents/carers exit via the balcony, walk down the steps to High Street
“Are parents allowed in changing rooms?”
- Yes. There is space for 14 people per changing room. If a changing room reaches 14 people (including parents/carers and swimmers), and child is old enough to get dressed, parents/carers should wait on the balcony outside.
“Do I have to remove my shoes upon entry to poolside?”
- In our bid to reduce plastic waste, we ask all visitors to remove footwear rather than use plastic overshoes. You may, however, bring flip flops to change into on poolside.
“Are spectators allowed?”
- Parents/carers of any age can spectate. If parents/carers bring a young sibling, the young sibling needs to be sitting quietly, ideally on parent’s/carer’s lap, for the duration of the lesson. Spectator seating at the deep end of the pool only, to maximise teaching space in the shallow end.
“Can I bring my child to the lesson, and then disappear into Bloxham for the duration, to come back at the end of the lesson?”
- Yes. Please return before the end of the session time, ready to collect your child.
“What will happen if I leave any belongings behind after the lesson?”
- Lost property will be moved to the red lost property boxes on poolside, if found.
“Can my swimmer use the showers?”
- We ask all swimmers to shower before lessons, to promote pool cleanliness.
“What time should we arrive?”
- Please arrive a maximum of 10 minutes (previously 5 minutes) before your lesson begins. Make sure that your child arrives “beach ready” wearing their costume or trunks underneath comfy clothes or towel robe.
- If you are travelling by car, we recommend parking early.
- For any late arrivals, we cannot guarantee that the swimming teacher will be able to allow the swimmer to join-in with the lesson.
“Do I need to bring anything else with me?”
- If your child wears goggles, please make sure your they bring their own. If your child is confident enough, or doesn’t want to wear goggles, they can swim without them.
- If you have floats and equipment, please feel free to bring them. We do have them available to borrow during lessons. If your child wears arm disks or uses a floatation pack, we’ll need your help on the poolside to fasten and remove them.
- Swimming hats should be worn for stages 1-7. Unlike other swimming lesson providers, we do not operate a coloured-hat system (in our bid to reduce waste).
- Swimmers should be accompanied by only 1 parent/carer on poolside, as we have limited seating.
- You may wish to bring an umbrella for the wet weather. It may be particularly useful if you are waiting in a small queue to enter, or if you are waiting on the balcony after the lesson.