Swim Academy FAQs

A ‘keep left’ policy is in place on all pathways and corridors to encourage social distancing and we ask you to follow this. We also have signage showing guidance from Swim England displayed around changing area.

We will be implementing a phased return to swimming lessons with staggered start times to allow for smooth transition in and out of the pool.

For swimmers:

• Pool set-up has changed to accommodate for social distancing to provide more space for you or your child to learn to swim
• Class sizes have been reduced to limit the number of swimmers in the pool at any one time which is in line with Swim England’s guidance

For parents:

• Every other seat in the spectator area has been made unavailable

If you have concerns, please raise them with a member of our staff.

We ask all parents to take responsibility while using our changing rooms and to adhere to the guidance set by Swim England and the government.

Teachers and assistants will now be delivering all lessons from the poolside.

• We will no longer be able to provide armbands for lessons – if your child is in preschool or stage one swimming lessons, we ask you to provide your own disc arm bands. Please visit the website here to watch the video around armbands and expectations.
• Teachers will no longer be allowed to fit children’s goggles or help them put them back on. If your child is wearing goggles please ensure they are fitted correctly, and they understand if they come off they have to stay off for the duration of the lesson unless they can get them back on themselves.
• On arrival, you will be given a coloured wristband which will be the same colours as your child’s tank number and designated changing cubicle.

• We have tried to keep teachers’ days and teaching times as close to the old programme where possible, but there are some times where it has been necessary to make changes.

• ‘Beach ready’ means having their swim attire on underneath their clothing when they come into the centre. On arrival, swimmers will be directed to go straight to their allocated lesson waiting area (on the pool spectator balcony) and there they can remove clothing and wait to be collected for their lesson.

Please note there will be no access to any changing facilities for incoming swimmers as there will be a one-way system in place for lesson drop off and pick up to ensure social distancing can be maintained safely.

Swimming lessons will have their own separate queue into the building, which is to the right of the main entrance.

A member of staff will be present outside to take an initial headcount and ensure you enter the building when it is safe to do so. Swimmers will have a designated area to undress in the spectator seating and parents will take all belongings to their seat.

Swimmers will be shown onto poolside from the spectator seating to the designated class area where they will meet their teacher.

Parents will then be shown to a seating area for the duration of the lesson.

You will need to queue up to the right of the main entrance under your designated tank sign which will be sent to you via email.

You will now need to arrive 15 minutes before the start of your session and queue outside.

To reduce time and contact in the changing village, swimmers will only be able to use the changing rooms after their lessons to dry and dress. Lockers will not be in use for swim academy lessons.

Yes. Parents will need to wear a face mask when they are sat in the spectator seating area and in the changing village.

We are trying our best to group siblings in the same session or, failing this, the session after. Siblings will enter the building at the same time and get ready for their lesson. Further information will be sent out to parents with more than one child.

If you have replied to our survey that you are wanting to return from September, you will receive an email of child’s class time and the date lessons will resume. Your direct debit will be unsuspended and will start in September. If you need to change this, please email us at swimacademy@surrey.ac.uk

If you are not returning just yet, then your direct debit will continue to be suspended until you are ready to restart.

Due to our new staggered start times for lessons and the flow into the building, if you arrive more than 10 minutes late for your child’s lesson, you will unfortunately not be able to attend the lesson.

Our normal assessment slots are suspended until further notice. Please email us at swimacademy@surrey.ac.uk if you are interested in having an assessment and we can provide more information.

Hand sanitiser will be available and is encouraged to be used by guests at the station where they enter the building.

We totally understand that you may not be ready to return immediately. In this case we can suspend your membership until you’re ready to come back. If this is the case, please email us at swimacademy@surrey.ac.uk.

• Touch points around the building will regularly be cleaned by staff with sanitising products.
• Swimming teachers will be washing down their areas and deep-cleaning the equipment after every lesson.
• Hand sanitising gel will be provided at key areas of the facility, and you will be expected to sanitise your hands prior to entering the facility.
• Drinking fountains will be available but may only be used to fill a container. You may not drink from a fountain. We also ask that after filling your container you wipe down the contact areas of the fountain.
• We will provide sanitising wipes for parents to use when wiping down their seat and changing cubicle

All activities must be pre-booked before your arrival at SSP. We will be implementing a queueing system prior to checking in for your pre-booked activity.

We recommend going to the toilet before arriving for swimming lessons, however toilets will be available for use. Due to the limited space within our toilet facilities, we ask that you please be respectful of the current social distancing requirements.  If your child needs to use the toilet during the lesson, parents will need to walk around through the changing village to the shower area to accompany their child to the toilet as per previous procedure.

During the first few weeks, teachers will use ongoing assessment with swimmers (not recorded) and focus on aspects such as safety skills, re-capping core aquatic skills, confidence building, getting comfortable with new ways of swimming, travelling and spacing out in the water and on poolside, as well as enjoying being able to be back in the water of course!

Once swimmers have had a few weeks to settle back in, teachers will begin to update the online portal assessments. Please don’t be alarmed if there is a drop-in percentage on your child’s initial re-assessment. Swimmers will be returning with differing levels of stamina and skills to where they were previously at and it is important for teachers to have an accurate record of assessment for each swimmer, so they can plan their lessons accordingly to cover the needs of each child in that group. Swimmers will be supported and encouraged at their own pace of learning by our teachers.

Please direct enquiries to swimacademy@surrey.ac.uk