Swimming news

Swim school news - Summer 2022

Written by: Collette Day, Swim Manager, Waltham Abbey Leisure Centre

Overview

We are now halfway through 2022 and life is almost back to normal, with a different set of challenges facing us.

We are resilient and this is evident with the large number of you now back enjoying swimming lessons with us. Numbers are at an all-time high and as a result we need to add more lessons especially stages 4,5 and 6.

In order to create these spaces, we will re-align the start times on a Monday and a Thursday so they start on the hour or half past from Monday 1st August. Letters will be given to those children whose lessons will be affected. I will then be able to create 6 new, much needed classes and allow space for your child to progress and improve with us.  It will also give more options to get siblings in at the same time.

Entrance and exits to lessons

Entry and exit from lessons is a constant issue and this change will require patience and an orderly entrance and exit from the pool hall.

If I can remind everyone that we have bus stops for Stage 1 (red), 2 (orange), & 3 (yellow), in the change village and this is where the dry children should wait to come in.

The bus stops for Stage 4 to 10 are in the Main Pool Hall and dry children can wait here until the teacher collects them, to start their lesson.

This will enable the children that have finished their lessons to exit first. The teacher cannot start the next class until all children from the previous class are collected so keeping the collection area clear from the those waiting to start lessons will speed this up.

Each 30-minute lesson includes registration, safe entry and exits.  It is not all water time. If we can work together to clear wet children from the pool hall first, the traffic of people should flow.  Those waiting, will be called when the teacher is ready.

Your cooperation would be much appreciated.

Other ways to ease congestion in this area would be to have one parent collecting, if possible, going home to shower, and reducing the number of bags you are holding. Lockers are £1 and this is refundable. Buggeys can be locked securely in the vanity area, if you are able to do so.

Membership cards

Please ensure you have these at all times.

If you do not have a card, please speak to our reception team.  If you're like me and keep losing or forgetting your card, why not download our Places Locker app where you can view your virtual card which will swipe you through.

Course Hub

Please ensure you sign up to this, it is available for all parents, to check the progress of their children. When you child reaches 100% and the teacher has marked them ready to progress to the next level, it is the parent/guardian's responsibility to do this via the course portal. 

Our reception team will be happy to help with this.

Find out more

September school starters

You are probably by now thinking about your little ones starting on their school journey.

If you have not yet had a letter, these are being given out. If you have not had a letter by August then please ask reception to advise you of your after-school options.