SWIM YORK is operated by City of York Council and teaches swimming to over 1,500 children and adults.  All of our teachers are qualified to a minimum of Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) Level 2 and assistant teachers to ASA Level 1.  All of our classes are taught with a high teacher-to-pupil ratio and we aim to provide a very high standard of tuition, incorporating the ASA National Plan for Teaching Swimming into our SWIM YORK scheme.  Teachers are police checked and experienced in teaching swimming to children and adults.  All sessions are supervised by qualified, police checked lifeguards to ensure a safe environment to learn to swim at all times.

Swimming lessons are available throughout the year, weekdays, weekends and evenings and with both group classes and 1:1 teaching on offer you can choose what is best for you.  We also run intensive additional courses during school holidays.

Full details may be obtained by downloading the leaflet on the right hand side of this page.

Enrolling

You can enrol at either Edmund Wilson Swimming Pool or Yearsley Swimming Pool. Contact us on (01904) 552424 or email: swim.york@york.gov.uk for more information.

If you are new to SWIM YORK we offer FREE swimming assessments to ensure your child starts at the right level.

Costs

Swimming lessons cost £4.30 for a 30 minute class or £5.50 for 40 minutes.

1:1 learn to swim sessions cost £18.00 for a 30 minute class.

Free swimming

Only SWIM YORK offers free swimming to children throughout the duration of the course.  Adults receive 10 free swims per course.

Lesson structure and content

Ducklings

This class assists parents or guardians in introducing their young children from 6+ months to the pleasures of water.  Different classes are available for different ages, up to the age of 5. These sessions (with adult and child in the water) will help to develop water confidence and will encourage your child's physical development.  Skills learnt in Ducklings classes will assist progress through other swimming levels.  Awards: Ducklings Levels 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Level One

In Level 1 your child will gain confidence and develop independent movement in the water.  Your child will be introduced to multi stroke swimming and develop skills for breaststroke, front crawl and back stroke leg kick, and learn water skills including safe entry into the water, push and glide and submersion.  Awards: ASA Level 1 / ASA Puffin Award.

Level Two

In Level 2 your child will develop the skills to swim 5 metres back stroke and front crawl leg kick and 5 metres full stroke breaststroke without the use of armbands.  General skill development will include unassisted jumps into the water with complete submersion including safe exit from the water and floating skills.  Awards: ASA Level 2 / ASA 5 metre award. 

Level Three

From level 3 onwards your child's swimming will develop without the use of armbands.  Stroke technique will be improved and enable your child to swim 10 metres full stroke breaststroke, 10 metres back crawl legs and 5 metres full stroke front crawl.  Awards: ASA Level 3 / ASA 10 metre award.

Level Four

Level 4 will continue to develop technique in front crawl, breaststroke and back crawl which will include improved breathing technique and butterfly body movement will be introduced.  Your child must swim 10 metres back crawl, breastroke and front crawl with front crawl breathing to the side and 5 metres butterfly undulation.  Awards: ASA Level 4. 

Level Five

Level 5 is a transition level from shallow to deep water and will enable your child to progress safely to the higher levels whilst continuing to develop stroke technique.  Your child must swim 25 metres breaststroke, 25 metres back crawl, 10 metres front crawl breathing to the side and 10 metres butterfly undulation.  They will also be introduced to jumping into deep water and treading water.  Awards: ASA Level 5 / 25 metre award.

Level Six

Level 6 continues development of basic stroke technique and coordinated breathing in deep water.  Your child must swim 50 metres breaststroke, 50 metres back crawl, 25 metres front crawl with breathing to the side and 10 metres butterfly undulation.  A sitting dive will be introduced.  Awards: ASA Level 6 / 50 metre award.

Level Seven

Level 7 introduces more efficient stroke technique and continues to develop stamina.  Your child must swim 100 metres breaststroke (breathing face in the water), 100 metres back crawl, 25 metres front crawl with bi lateral breathing, 10 metres butterfly undulation.  Awards: ASA Level 7 / 100 metre award.

Level Eight

Level 8 continues development of efficient stroke technique.  Your child must swim 200 metres breaststroke, 200 metres back crawl, 50 metres front crawl with efficient technique, 25 metres butterfly undulation and 10 metres butterfly full stroke.  Awards: ASA Level 8 / 200 or 400 metre award.

Level Nine

Level 9 increases stroke efficiency and stroke technique and introduces correct touch turns in all four competitive strokes.  Your child must swim 800 metres, swum using front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke (a change of stroke may occur every 50 metres), 100 metres front crawl and 25 metres butterfly drills.  All strokes must be swum with efficient technique with basic ASA recognised turns for all strokes.  The correct underwater conversions to strokes following turns will be introduced.  Awards: ASA Level 9 / 800 metre award. 

Coaching Levels One to Five

5 coaching levels will continue to develop your child's ability by encouraging good technique plus speed and stamina.  They will also offer a more competitive approach to swimming and can act as pathways to local competitive clubs.

Additional Courses

A variety of additional courses will be held to complement the standard levels.  These include Rookie Lifeguard, Bronze Medallion, The Honours Challenge Award, Personal Survival, Synchronised Swimming, Water Polo and Dives and Turns Coaching.

Both Edmund Wilson and Yearsley Swimming Pools run specialist courses for children during school holidays such as Synchronised Swimming, Flip 'n' Fun, Sub Aqua and Water Polo.

We also provide lifesaving and lifeguarding courses at our Royal Life Saving Society approved facility, Edmund Wilson Swimming Pool.

National pool lifeguard qualification courses run at Edmund Wilson Swimming Pool throughout the year.  This nationally recognised qualification entitles the participants to lifeguard at any pool in the United Kingdom. The course comprises of aquatic rescue skills, first aid, resuscitation and supervision of swimming pools.

Adult Swimming Lessons

Our swimming teachers are experienced in teaching adults to swim and individual and class lessons run throughout the year. 

Beginner

This class takes you from being a complete non swimmer through to swimming up to 15 metres on your front and back.  You will develop basic stroke technique for breastroke and back crawl, learn shallow water skills, overcome your fears and develop confidence in the water.

Shallow water improver

This class will continue to develop your stroke technique in breaststroke and back crawl and introduce you to basic front crawl.  You will become a length swimmer, developing the technique to enable you to swim 50 metres of breaststroke, 25 metres of back crawl and 10 metres of front crawl.  You will also learn to tread water and develop some deep water skills.

Deep water improver

This level is for those confident in swimming lengths on your front and back in deep water.  Now you will develop greater stamina and a more effective stroke technique in breaststroke, back crawl and front crawl with butterfly being introduced.  Jumping and diving skills, underwater swimming and sculling will all be included.

Advanced (technique and swim fit)

These sessions are for swimmers able to complete lengths of front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke.  You will be taught advanced technique for all the strokes including butterfly together with competitive starts and turns.  You will also develop greater fitness, stamina and speed through swim programmes and training sessions.