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About University of Bristol Swim School

University of Bristol Swim School offers a range of group lessons for both juniors and adults, from beginner to advanced ability. We also offer short-term swim courses that run during school holidays. All of our programmes are based at the University Swimming Pool located at our Clifton campus. 

Our lesson programmes continue for 49 weeks of the year, breaking for two weeks at Christmas and one week at Easter. 

Junior Swim Lessons

University of Bristol Swim School follows the Swim England Learn To Swim Stages 2-7 to structure our swim programme. The progressive stages form part of a national syllabus for learning to swim, for primary school age children, and ensure that your child learns how to be confident, competent and safe in the water.

Our Swimming Pool features a Teaching Pool and Main Pool. Swim lessons take place across both pools and lesson location is dependant on the swim stage.

• Stages 2–4 group lessons – Teaching pool
• Stage 5 group lessons – Main pool
• Stage 6 group lessons – Main pool
• Stage 7 group lessons‌ – Main pool
• Stage 8-10 (Swim Fit and Rookie Lifeguard) – Main pool

Lessons take place week day afternoons from 16:00 onwards and Saturday mornings.

Junior swimming lessons are available on a Direct Debit basis.

Lessons booked on a Direct Debit will be able to access all benefits associated with our Junior Membership. 

Junior Acquatic Sports

Join us outside of your lessons for a fun and friendly sports session. 

Junior Swim Fit (9-12yrs)

Aimed at Stage 8 – 10, these sessions are for anyone who has completed Stage 7 wants to develop their stamina in the water. You will learn lane etiquette, how to use the lane clock during swim sessions and will develop skills in dive work, starts and turns. Sessions will take place across two lanes in the Main Pool. Session ratio is 1:8.

Teen Swim Fit (13-17yrs)

Aimed at Stage 8 – 10, for teenagers wanting to continue to swim without the competitive swim club environment. A 45min session to develop stamina in the water, learn lane etiquette, how to use the lane clock, develop skills in dive work, starts and turns. Sessions take place in the Main Pool. Session ratio is 1:12 

Rookie Lifeguard

University of Bristol Swim is the only provider of the RLSS Rookie Lifeguard course in central Bristol. Rookie Lifeguard is a swim programme developed by the Royal Life Saving Society, in partnership with Swim England. The Bronze, Silver and Gold stage awards ensure children have good knowledge of pool and sea safety, and have learned rescue and resuscitation techniques.

• Course type: Continuous
• Date and time: Monday, 7–7:45 pm
• Who can attend: Swimmers at Stage 6 or above

How to become a Rookie Lifeguard

Sign up online. Payment via Direct Debit.

Holiday courses

We offer short-term intensive swim courses during school holidays for juniors looking to kick-start the learn-to-swim journey or progress their swimming ability.

Summer

• Week 1: Monday 25 to 29 July
• Week 2: Monday 1 to 5 August
• Week 3: Monday 8 to 12 August
• Week 4: Monday 15 to 19 August
• Week 5: Monday 22 to 26 August 

Courses run Monday to Friday with a 30-minute swim session taking place every day. Please register your interest through our form.

‌Adult lessons and courses

Adult Beginners

All about gaining confidence to enter the pool safely. It also covers the ability to move around the pool and achieve the basic core aquatic skills. Including entries, exits, buoyancy, balance and aquatic breathing. Building up to swimming independently over short distances (5 to 10 metres). Group ratio 1:5.

Adult Improvers

By this point you’ll be able to swim independently, the focus of these group lessons are to improve stroke technique for Frontcrawl, Backstroke and Breaststroke. Building confidence to swim distance 100m-200m. Group ratio 1:6

Group lessons

Pay monthly by direct debit £28.60 per month with pro-rata joining amount for the first month

Individual lessons are available with one of our experienced teachers.

30mins  

1:1 £25

1:2 £35

National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ)

The University of Bristol Swimming Pool is a course provider of the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) Pool Lifeguard training course. The NPLQ is the most awarded, internationally-recognised, lifeguard qualification in the UK and Ireland.

Course requirements: Participants must be 16-years of age at the date of the final assessment and comply with all pre-requisite swim skills outlined by the RLSS.  

Courses run throughout the year. Course dates will be published on the RLSS website and promoted via the University of Bristol Sport Instagram page.