Children's Courses

At Oxfordshire Swim Academy, we provide a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment where children can thrive in the water. Our fully qualified, experienced teachers deliver water-based, engaging lessons that focus on each child as an individual.

We teach without the use of flotation aids, blending stroke development, water safety skills, and play! This approach builds confident and competent swimmers for life. Following the world-leading Swim England Learn to Swim Framework, we celebrate every child’s progress with certificates and badges – no matter how big or small the achievement!

What We Offer

Semi-private and private lessons at:
- A warm private pool in Wheatley, Oxfordshire (after school)
- Revival Health & Leisure Club, Buckingham (after school)
- Booker Park School, Aylesbury (seasonal holiday courses)
Lesson structure
- All lessons are 30 minutes
- Ratios tailored to your child’s ability:
  - Discovery Duckling, Duckling, Stage 1 → 2:1
  - Stages 2–4 → 3:1
  - Stages 5–7 → 3:1 to 6:1 (space permitting)
    
    This gradual increase in ratio allows children to gain confidence at their own pace while receiving personal attention.
After-school lessons
- Run once a week during Oxfordshire state school term times
Holiday intensives
- Usually run over 4–5 consecutive days, ideal for accelerating progress
Prices
- From £19.80 per lesson for a semi-private class

Progression & Achievements

Children work towards Swim England awards, starting with:

Discovery Duckling 1–4
Duckling 1–4
Stages 1–7
Plus Rainbow Distance Awards

Every achievement is celebrated with complimentary badges and certificates.

Parent Portal

Our state-of-the-art Parent Portal makes life simple:

Cancel lessons (with 24 hours’ notice) and rebook missed sessions
Track your child’s skills and distance achievements
Stay up to date with notifications and academy news
Contact us easily through the portal
Manage your payments at your convenience

Which Stage is Right for My Child?

To help you choose the right class, we’ve included a summary of the Swim England stages below. For detailed guidance, visit Swim England Learn to Swim or contact us directly — we’re always happy to advise.

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DUCKLING 1&2

Helping complete beginners from 3 years to build confidence and independence in the water through play. They will learn to float and move in water in a fun and friendly environment with the use of flotation equipment.

DUCKLING 3&4

Helping preschoolers build confidence and independence in the water through play and guided movements. By Duckling 4 they will be jumping in, going underwater, floating and travelling 10 metres with or without the use of flotation equipment.

STAGE 1

This course helps to build water confidence while introducing water safety skills. Preferably children will have achieved duckling awards prior to joining stage 1. Learners will develop basic safety awareness, and learn basic movement skills and water confidence skills. Swimmers may use floatation equipment.

STAGE 2

This course helps swimmers develop streamlining to their strokes and travel without flotation aids with their feet off the floor on their front and back. Swimmers are required to be able to travel a minimum of 5 meters with flotation aids to join this course. They will also be introduced to aquatic breathing and taught to make safe entries into the water, including jumping.

STAGE 3

This stage helps swimmers to streamline through push and glides and swim underwater.

Swimmers will develop safe entries into the water, including submersion, and travel up to 10 metres on their front and back. Water safety knowledge and rotation skills will also be progressed. Children are required to be able to swim 5 meters on their front & backs un-aided to join this stage.

STAGE 4

This course helps swimmers to perfect their leg kicks for all four strokes and further develop push and glides. They will develop an understanding of buoyancy through a range of skills whilst also being introduced to sculling and should be able to swim 10 metres on the front and back to join this stage.

STAGE 5

During Learn to Swim Stage 5, swimmers will develop their skills in treading water, learn the correct arm pulls for all four strokes and swim 10 meters to Swim England's expected standards. They will learn how to do handstands and somersaults. Children are required to kick 10 meters proficiently in all four strokes to join this course.

STAGE 6

Stage 6 teaches swimmers how to develop efficient techniques for all four strokes including coordination, aquatic breathing, an understanding of water safety, swimming 25 meters and further developing surface dives. Swimmers are required to swim 10 meters to Swim England's expected standards to join this course.

STAGE 7

Stage 7 focuses on fully developing all four swimming strokes to swim 25 meters in each, as well as building stamina and improving diving skills. Developing a quality stroke technique for up to 100 metres and successfully completing an obstacle course, which combines a variety of skills they have learnt from Stages 1 to 7. Children are required to be able to swim 25 meters with rhythmical breathing to join this course.