FAQs

At present, we run lessons in the following locations:

Sligo

• Club Vitae, Clayton Hotel, Clarion Road, Sligo – Click here to get directions
• Radisson Hotel, Ballincar, Sligo – Click here to get directions
• Pier Head Hotel, Mullaghmore, Co. Sligo – Click here to get directions

Waterford

• Waterford Crystal Sports and Leisure Centre, Waterford City-Click here to get directions

Cork

• Clayton Hotel, Lapp’s Quay, Cork City – Click here to get directions

Limerick

• Clayton Hotel, Steamboat Quay,Dock Road, Limerick – Click here to get directions

Galway

• Clayton Hotel Galway, Ballybrit, Galway- Click here to get directions

Please click on a location above to find out more about the venue and the classes that run there.

No matter where you choose to join us, you can look forward to the same high standards of teaching, safety and care.

We welcome all ages from 3 months upwards to our swim school. 

Please consider the following questions:

-Is your child currently attending any other activity classes?

-Has your child expressed interest in swimming/ do they want to learn to swim?

-Have you discussed swimming lessons with your child?

The main criteria is that they are able to focus and follow short instructions and are able to cooperate in a small group and maintain eye contact. All interaction is age-appropriate. This means we won’t expect anything off your child, which they shouldn’t be able to do.

Junior Splash Programme:

If your child is at atleast 12 weeks old, you can bring them along to our Junior Splash programme.

At these sessions, young children and their caregivers enjoy the water together. Infants, toddlers and preschoolers have the opportunity to learn fundamental swimming skills, appropriate to their age and stage. 

It’s also a wonderful opportunity for you to bond with your little one and meet other parents and guardians.

This programme caters for children from 12 weeks up to approximately 4 years of age. Find out more on our dedicated Junior Splash page.

Standard Swim Classes:

For our standard swim classes, we accept children from 4 years of age. Usually, the child will have started preschool or school. Caregivers are asked to accompany beginners in the water to support their child.

Before enrolling your child in these lessons, please consider the following questions:

1-Is your child currently attending any other activity classes? If so, how do they cope? If not, do you think they are ready to try a new activity?

2-Has your child expressed an interest in swimming? Do they want to learn to swim?

3-Have you discussed swimming lessons with your child?

Ideally, your child should be able to do the following:

• Focus on a task
• Follow short instructions
• Co-operate in a small group
• Maintain eye contact

Of course, this checklist may not suit everyone. We treat our learners as individuals and never have unsuitable expectations. You are the best person to judge if your child is ready for swimming.

If you would like to discuss your child’s swim readiness in more detail, please do get in touch. We’d love to help you as you explore this exciting opportunity for your child.

It’s very common for children to feel anxious about new experiences. We understand this and will partner with you to put your child at ease. Children mature at different rates. Even children from the same family can vary when it comes to being ready for structured lessons. You will know best wether they are ready or not and one of our teachers will be happy to advise you.

Here are some practical steps to consider:

– Bring your child to watch one of our lessons. This will help them to know what to expect. Please get in touch in advance so we can recommend an appropriate time.

– Visit the pool as a family and enjoy your time together in the water. This positive experience will help to build your child’s confidence.

-Please Contact us to arrange an informal meeting with a teacher. Your child can ask any questions they like about what happens at swimming lessons.

-Please Contact us to arrange a trial lesson before signing up properly. The teacher can then advise about the next steps.

Remember, there are many reasons why your child might feel nervous. Encourage them to share exactly what the problem is. Some possible examples include:

-Anxieties about the venue, teacher or other children

-Fear of the water

-Difficulties getting changed

-Fear of failure

-Embarrassment

Our swimmers are grouped by ability, age, height and personality.

To help each learner reach their full potential, children are grouped by:

-Ability

-Age

-Height

-Personality

When we take personality into account, children are more likely to feel comfortable and relaxed. If a child likes to be pushed, they will get on better in a group with stronger swimmers. If a child is hesitant, they may prefer to be one of the more experienced swimmers in their group.

We take great care to place every child in the group that will best help them to thrive. Because we maintain small group sizes, the teacher is able to focus on the personality of the child, as much as their physical ability. In this way, the child is relaxed and enthusiastic and their swimming develops as a result.

In response to demand, a number of swim classes each term are dedicated to young adults (aged 10+) who may wish to learn to swim but don’t want to join a class of young beginners. The only difference is the age category. Otherwise the classes follow the exact same pattern as other classes. As with all our classes, they are demand led so may not always be available. It’s best to put your name down on our waiting list. Please forward details via our contact page.

Our days and times vary depending on venue and level. Please check our online timetable for the most up-to-date information.

Classes run alongside the school term, with our holidays matching the school calendar. However, we swim on each bank holiday, except for Christmas/New Year, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter. 

Please note we do not swim on Bank Holidays in Waterford as the leisure centre is closed. 

After completing the Beginners’ lessons, learners move through our numbered levels. These progress from Level 1 (which involves becoming confident in the water) to Level 8 (which focuses on technique and stamina). Your child will receive a certificate after completing each level.

You can learn more about our curriculum on our dedicated Levels pages.

It may surprise you to learn that many of our successful swimmers had a ‘speed wobble’ in the initial weeks. Some children find it hard to settle in or don’t enjoy their lessons as expected.

If this is the case for your child, we recommend that they take a break from swimming for a few weeks. Don’t force them to continue if they are truly unhappy. This time can be used to get to the source of the problem and to think about how to move forward.

If your child is young, perhaps they find it difficult to wait their turn or process instructions in the pool. In this situation, there’s no harm in waiting for a couple of months before trying again.

Perhaps a situation outside of lessons is distracting your child. Ask yourself:

1. 1. Have they recently recovered from an illness? Might they be coming down with an illness?
2. 2. Are there any changes at school (a new teacher, perhaps)?
3. 3. Is there a new arrival at home?
4. 4.Are they having any difficulties with their friends?
5. 5. Is there something else worrying them?

Spend some time talking with your child. Try to discover what the problem is and decide on a course of action together. And, of course, please feel free to contact us. Your child’s instructor will happily chat with you about ways to further help your child to adapt and have fun.

Some join our junior splash programme from 3 months old ,some start around the time they start school and thrive, other parents choose to wait until the child has settled at school, before undertaking swimming lessons.

In return, at Splash Swim School we try to ensure there are no more than four swimmers in your child’s beginner swim lesson. We try to match up personalities, standards, the correct time and day, so that no parent arrives at the pool hurried and stressed!

However, while it may take some time, it’s very important to us that your child understand their role in learning to float. We use woggles and aquaplanes to ensure your child develops the correct arm pull and leg kick, for the chosen stroke. 

If you feel the above environment is suitable for your little fish, then they most likely are ready for lessons.

Talk to us about swim lessons in one of our locations 

Beginners are placed in a group with a maximum of 4 swimmers. 

As they progress, their group may grow in size to:

Level 1: Maximum of 5 swimmers

Level 2+: Maximum of 6 swimmers

Level 5+: Maximum of 6 swimmers

Because the classes are small, your child’s teacher can focus on their personality as well as their physical ability. This makes learning more fun and helps your child to progress faster.

Our lessons typically last for 30 minutes, although some of our more advanced lessons run for 45 minutes.

Our online timetable will tell you the length of the class you are interested in.

We require all swimmers to have some basic items of swimwear and equipment. These include:

•  – Swimming togs
• – Swimming hat
• – Goggles
• – Non-slip shoes
• – Towel
• – Swim equipment (as recommended by your instructor). 

Please read our dedicated Swim Equipment page for more information.

Your child may also want to bring shower gel and shampoo for the shower afterwards. 

It’s a good idea to have a dedicated swimming bag to keep everything in. Encourage your child to help with repacking their bag at home once all their gear is dry again. This will help them to take ownership of their lessons and get excited about the next one.

Finally, please label your child’s items, just in case. It makes it much easier to return any lost or muddled-up property!

Floating with armbands can be great fun. And they’re very useful (often necessary) on family trips to the pool.

However, at Splash Swim School, we want your child to understand their own role in learning to float. This takes time, but we teach our learners to rely on their bodies to float without help. Unfortunately, armbands can get in the way of this if used too often.

We do use other equipment to help our learners to develop with confidence. You can learn more on our Swim Equipment page.

In the past, our swim instructors swam in the pool with the learners. However, for health and safety reasons, the Covid-19 pandemic put a stop to this practice. 

At that point, we began to ask parents/caregivers to join their beginners in the water. We were delighted with the success of this, as we discovered many benefits for both children and adults:

• – Young children are calmer and more focused.
• – Learners get more praise since they are encouraged by both their teacher and their caregiver.
• – Children progress faster thanks to the extra support.
• – Caregivers enjoy quality time with the children.
• – Adults have the opportunity to observe and be part of the children’s learning. 
• – Caregivers feel like a valued part of the Splash Swim School community. 

As a result, we’ve continued to bring parents/caregivers into the pool for beginner classes. If you’re uncomfortable with this, please don’t give up on the idea of swimming lessons for your child. Get in touch to arrange a chat about possible solutions for you and your little one.

Prices vary between locations, please contact your preferred location for a price.

In response to demand, a number of swim classes each term are dedicated to older children and young adults (aged 10+) who want to learn to swim. Naturally, they may feel uncomfortable in a group of much younger beginners.

In these classes, the only difference is the age category. Otherwise, they follow the exact same pattern as other classes. As with all our classes, they are demand-led so please make sure to contact us for a place on the waiting list.

Your child will receive a certificate at the end of every term

If you would like to discuss your child’s progress with their instructor, please contact us to arrange a suitable time.

Your child’s safety and well-being are our top priority. Splash Swim School is fully licenced and insured and we meet all the regulations laid down by Swim Ireland.

Each of our instructors is highly trained in child protection and makes safety a priority at every lesson. Thanks to continuous professional development, they are always growing in their knowledge and awareness of safety around the pool.

We run swim classes for adults in the following locations: 

• – Clayton Hotel, Sligo
• – Pier Head Hotel, Mullaghmore, Co. Sligo
• – Crystal Sport and Leisure Centre, Waterford

Please check our online timetable for the most up-to-date information. Since adult lessons can vary according to demand, please get in touch if you don’t see a class that suits you. Once we know you’re interested, we can work together to get you swimming as soon as possible.

You’ll spend 30 minutes in the pool each time you visit us. This is long enough to make progress, but not so long that you feel exhausted and lose focus. You’ll finish each lesson feeling like you’ve achieved something and improved an aspect of your swimming.

Of course! Here at Splash Swim School, we love helping learners of every age and ability to reach their full potential in the pool. Your instructor will take the time to get to know you and your current skills. This means they can easily identify how to get you started quickly and with confidence.

Yes, we can. Your instructor will tailor their teaching to the exact needs of each learner in the group. They will quickly discover your current level and decide on the best ways to help you progress and grow as a swimmer.

First of all, get in touch to arrange a chat about your concerns. We’re used to supporting learners who have worries in these areas. 

If it would be helpful, we can arrange for you to visit the pool in advance. This can help with visualising what will happen when you come for a lesson. We can also arrange an informal meeting with your future instructor. This is a chance to ask questions and discover more about the learning process.

Once you start learning to swim, your instructor will always be sensitive to your anxieties. You’ll progress at your own pace and will never be pressured to do something you’re uncomfortable with. We want our swim school to be a happy, safe and calm environment for all. 

At Splash Swim School, we treat every learner as an individual. This means our swimmers progress at a rate that suits them, depending on their unique abilities. 

Your instructor will tailor their teaching to help you advance as quickly as possible. At the same time, they will encourage you to try your best and to push yourself as you feel able. 

Because of these personal differences, there’s no standard answer about how long it will take you to learn to swim. 

Depending on your current skills, you can progress from complete beginner to preparing for a race.

Although we teach specific skills at each level (Beginners, Levels 1-7), you’ll decide the pace at which you learn. Visit our dedicated Levels pages to discover more about the content at each stage. 

At Splash Swim School, you’ll be encouraged to progress at your own level, regardless of the others in your group. Your instructor will help you work towards individual goals in a way that suits your experience, abilities and personality.

At times, when it’s suitable, your lesson might include some fun competitive activities. But these would only happen if you and other group members wanted them.

All learners are asked to bring the following items of swimwear and equipment:

• – Swimming togs
• – Swimming hat
• – Goggles
• – Non-slip shoes
• – Towel
• – Adult Kick board (as recommended by your instructor). 

Please read our dedicated Swim Equipment page for more information.

You may also want to bring some shampoo and shower gel for after your lesson.

Adult swim classes will contain no more than 6 learners, including yourself. This makes it easy for you to get to know your instructor and fellow students and to be part of a supportive class community.