FAQ

Parking: Parking is plentiful around the pool building, but please remember that this is a working farm with machinery, electric fencing and livestock (including rather friendly farm dogs!).

Footwear: Please keep footwear on from the parking area to the pool building. When you arrive there is a Reception area for coats and shoes and there is a large viewing window where you can watch your child's class. All shoes are to be removed or blue shoe covers used. (Please remove any muddy footwear). 

So that we can prioritise the changing rooms for wet swimmers, please bring your child in their swimwear where possible.

Please go through to the shower area and shower your child before entering the poolside.

Could we ask that you do not remain on poolside during your child's lesson. If a teacher would like you to stay, they will ask you. Having a parent/carer on poolside can be very distracting for a child and it helps to maintain a quiet / calm teaching environment for everyone. 

When your child’s swimming lesson is about to finish, please return to poolside to collect your child. 

Parking: As the main car park can sometimes be full, please pull up at the barrier and speak to reception on the intercom and explain that you are attending swimming lessons. (The intercom is on the passenger side so it is probably easier to walk around and talk directly into the intercom.) 
Once you have driven through the barrier, there are a number of parking spaces to the left or alternatively you can park on the main road. Please ensure you are not causing an obstruction and please do not park on any dedicated parking spaces for chalets. 
 

When you come into the Reception area, you will find the changing rooms are through the door to the left and then right. Please ensure all shoes are removed or shoe covers are used. (Please remove any muddy footwear). 

Please leave any kit in the lockers provided (not in the changing rooms) and come through to the poolside a few minutes before your class starts. 

Please wait behind the baby pool area and your child's teacher will come to collect them at the start of the class. 

Could we ask that you do not remain on poolside during your child's lesson. If a teacher would like you to stay, they will ask you. Having a parent/carer on poolside can be very distracting for a child and it helps to maintain a quiet / calm teaching environment for everyone. 

Once your child is happily settled, please pass back through reception to the restaurant area, where you can view your child's swimming lesson and have a cup of coffee : ) 

Please return to poolside a couple of minutes before the class finishes to collect your child. 
 

Please do not block the fire exits or the route to & from the pool, particularly around the shower area if you are waiting to drop off/collect. 

Parking: The Downs School is at the end of the long driveway and there is ample parking available. 

The swimming pool is to the rear of the main school building - please follow the gravel path from the rear of the parking area.

Please remove shoes and place in the box before coming onto poolside. A pair of flip flops will come in handy : )

To keep the pool area calm and congestion free - only come through onto poolside 10 minutes before your child’s class starts.

Please arrive with your child swim ready whenever possible, so that we can prioritise the changing room for wet swimmers.

There are benches around the swimming pool so that you can watch your child swim.

Mobile phone use on poolside or the changing area is not permitted. This is for safeguarding and we thank you for your help with this.

Once your child is 8 years old they will need to use the relevant boy / girl changing area.

Babies can start swimming with us from three months old and they can join a class before their immunisations. Please consult the latest Government guidelines.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-guide-to-immunisations-for-babies-up-to-13-months-of-age

The pool at Wrington is heated to a toasty 30 degrees and there is underfloor heating throughout the building to keep everyone warm and cosy. 

Children who attend our Mini Swim or Baby Swim classes must comply with our double nappy policy and you will  need two swim nappies for your little one to prevent any accidents escaping. 

An approved snug fitting neoprene swim nappy (https://www.splashabout.com/collections/baby-swimming-happy-nappy-products) and under this a reusable or disposable swim nappy.

You will need your swim kit, swim nappies for your little one, towels and a changing mat. You can bring a car seat into the changing room, but buggies are not allowed.

These classes are perfect classes for building your child’s water confidence and learning skills which lead to independent swimming. They don’t need to have any previous swimming experience and can join this class at any point in the term. 

We have toys and equipment galore and everything will be provided for a fun filled learning experience. 

Your child will be in the water with one other swimmer and our teacher, who will be close by to offer assistance and support. We also use submersible platforms so that your child can stand up between activities, enabling them to fully engage with the teacher and build confidence. The favourite game is going underwater and naming all the sea creatures printed on the platform.

As we are working on building confidence underwater and learning the four main strokes, we encourage children to wear goggles in these sessions. When children first start with us they may initially prefer not to wear goggles and that is fine. It’s important that children are confident jumping in and swimming without goggles, as this is a key water safety skill and this is something we practice regularly throughout the term.

If your child is a non swimmer they will be starting in our level 1 class. If they are already swimming or transferring from another swim school, please contact the office to organise an assessment and we will inform you of the relevant class for you child.

We ask that everyone watches from the dedicated spectator area as this helps to maintain a quiet, calm teaching environment for everyone. If your child is just starting with us in the Junior Swim session, we are happy for you to remain on poolside for a week or two whilst they settle.

If your child has a medical condition or additional needs, you will need to complete a short form to give us as much information as possible, to ensure that your child is placed in the most appropriate class.

We invoice a term in advance, and use a secure payment platform, which allows you to break down your invoice into smaller payments (minimum amounts are payable each month).

Our term dates follow the school schedule and we don’t teach over Christmas, Easter or the summer holidays. 

Dates vary by pool, so please find the exact dates for the pool you come along to at:

Wrington:https://www.littleswimcompany.co.uk/pools/wrington

Cheddar Woods: https://www.littleswimcompany.co.uk/pools/cheddar-woods-resort-spa

Wraxall (Bristol): https://www.littleswimcompany.co.uk/pools/the-downs-school-poolhttps://www.littleswimcompany.co.uk/pools/the-downs-school-pool

We automatically rebook each child every term. If your child is not going to be continuing the subsequent term please let us know as soon as you can as this helps us with scheduling.

If  your child is swimming in our Junior Swim programme and they have been assessed as ready to move up by their teacher, we will place them in the correct level when we rebook for the subsequent term.

Sometimes swimmers will have a time and teacher change, regardless of whether they have moved up as the timetable alters each term. 

All of the details will be contained in the invoice you will receive towards the end of term.

All our instructors have an Enhanced DBS check and have received training in Safeguarding either from the STA or an approved organisation. 

All our instructors adopt and abide by the STA Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults policy  https://www.sta.co.uk/policies/safeguarding-policy/

Any welfare concerns should be addressed to the Little Swim Company welfare officer: Victoria Forman

All our instructors are fully trained (Level 2)  with either the STA or ASA and complete regular nationally recognised Safety / First Aid courses. 

Each swimming teacher has their own personal insurance through their professional body (IoS or STA) and we also hold swim school and public liability insurance.

If your child is suffering from sickness or diarrhoea please do not bring them to classes during and for  the 48 hours after the symptoms have cleared.

Your child should not attend swimming lessons if they are suffering  from a chest, ear, throat or eye infection. Please wait until they have made a full recovery before returning to classes.