We know that things can be a little confusing at the moment with guidance changing often, so to help clear things up we’ve created a list of COVID FAQs that should answer all of your questions. Please take a couple of minutes to read these below and watch our Learn to Swim Scheme video.
We have made extensive changes across the venues to ensure we can operate in a safe and controlled way. You will find sanitizing stations located around each venues as well as enhanced cleaning measures carried out by our staff. We have limited numbers in each lesson and ask that parents/guardians continue to keep their distance from one another.
Our changing villages also operate a one-way system. Swimming aids will also be cleaned before and after every lesson by submerging them in the chlorinated water for around 15 seconds as advised by Swim England.
If you or a member of your household have any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 DO NOT enter the venue or attend swimming lessons and follow the latest Government guidance.
If you need to self-isolate we will adjust your direct debit accordingly for the following month or carry over the credits. If you need to self isolate, you must contact us and inform us of the date you first started isolating and your end date, so that we can work out how many credits are required.
Our refund policy can be found further down this page.
Following Government and industry guidance, from Monday 19th July spectators will be allowed for lessons and you will be guided to your allocated area at each venue. This applies to parents and siblings. When siblings are in attendance, parents must keep the sibling with them at all times in all areas of our venues.
We do ask that visitors are mindful of one another, keep their distance from those not in their party and sanitize regularly. Whilst spectating areas are open from this date, spaces will be limited so we ask that you keep spectators to a minimum wherever possible.
Cafe areas at Splash and IB Leisure will be available for spectating from 19th July for stage 4 and above.
From 19th July, for the lower levels (duckling classes up to Stage 3) parents are required to stay at the pool side to assist their child with swimming aids. Parents will not need to get in the water. Teachers will be in the water for these lessons and will be able to take a more hands on approach however parental assistance may still be required.
From stages 4 and upwards coaches will teach from the poolside. Parents of stage 4 and upwards will be directed to their designated viewing area.
From 19th July access to the changing facilities will be available before lessons however we still ask that you arrive as close to the lesson start time as possible and to arrive beach ready.
This will help us to control the spread of the virus in our venues.
Yes. You will be greeted by a member of the team at each venue and asked to sanitise your hands. From here you will be directed where to go and informed of any specific requirements to enter and exit the swimming pool.
Each venue is slightly different and we ask that you follow the instructions of our staff and the directional signage around the venue. Our changing villages also operate a one way system and we ask that you adhere to these accordingly.
From Monday 19th July, face coverings are optional.
We ask that all visitors are mindful of one another to help keep everyone safe.
From 19th July, changing facilities are open for before and after lessons for you to use, however we still ask that swimmers arrive with swimwear underneath their clothing and arrive beach ready for their lesson. This will help us stop the spread in our venues.
Lockers are available to store belongings during your lessons and you may need change to access these.
Some of the showers will be available to use however we request showering at home after your lesson to reduced the risk in our venues.
Toilets are available in the venues but where possible we would encourage using the toilet before leaving home. Again to reduce the risk in our venues.
From 19th July you can bring any accessories necessary for the lesson, this includes goggles and swim hats.
From 19th July you can approach teachers with questions and we have allotted time for this, however if your query cannot be resolved at poolside please email aquatics@teesactive.co.uk.
All swimming lessons are 25 minutes long. This is to allow adequate time for children to leave the pool and return to their parents prior to the next group of swimmers entering poolside. This also gives you the chance to speak with the teachers before and after the lesson.
Please email aquatics@teesactive.co.uk and a member of the team will get back to you.
Our selection of videos will show you what to expect in your child’s lessons, how to monitor their progress and the standard of delivery we achieve in every lesson from our experience and qualified coaches.
We are Stockton’s most established learn to swim provider and have been guiding children to take their first splashes for over a decade. Our approach is simple, deliver the best possible experience to help children build self awareness, develop essential skills and enjoy being safe and confident in and around water.
Swimming is undoubtedly one of the most important life skills that you can learn, and fortunately, once you learn how, you will never forget. However, 1 in 3 children in the UK cannot swim. It is for this reason that swimming is now part of the national curriculum and reported on by Ofsted to ensure that all children leave school with the ability to swim 25m.
We follow the Swim England framework across all of our swimming pools to ensure we are delivering the latest technical, technique and teaching content throughout the stages. In recent years there has been an emphasis placed on water safety and understanding the risks of water, a theme that flows throughout our lessons delivered in a fun and engaging way.
The Tees Active learn to swim scheme is proudly supported by Commonwealth Gold medallist and Team GB Olympian Aimee Willmott, who shares our passion and commitment to raising the profile of swimming and promoting its many benefits to children and adults across the region. We believe that every child should have the opportunity to learn to swim and enjoy swimming in their local pool, and together with Aimee we will continue to inspire the next generation of swimmers.
The most important benefit of taking part is that the participant of the Learn to Swim Scheme will gain abilities and confidence in the water. This is a necessary skill which we should all learn.
All participants of Tees Active’s Learn to Swim Scheme also receive an Option 1 Leisure Card when they join, which not only provides discounts for all swim lessons but also gives the holder discounts across a variety of leisure activities with Tees Active for the duration of their time on the scheme! This includes ice skating, swimming, birthday parties, coached activities, soft play and much more! Find out more about Tees Active Leisure Card’s here.
Aimee Willmott – Tees Active Learn to Swim Ambassador
Continuous assessment to ensure your child moves at the right pace for them.
Track progress, receive alerts and manage everything in one place easily from any device.
Receive certificates and medals to keep you motivated as your child progresses through the stages.
All our coaches are Swim England Level 2 qualified.
Children develop self-confidence, social skills and a sense of accomplishment in a fun and friendly environment.
Easy to set up and manage direct debit payments.
Swim Hub is Tees Active’s free online hub that enables parents to track their child’s progress throughout their time on the learn to swim scheme. The online platform is updated regularly so you will always understand where your child is on their swimming journey and when they are ready to proceed to the next stage. We will send you alerts when you child receives a reward and is ready to progress. You can then select a suitable time and date that suits you. Register for free here.
All lessons are 30-45 minutes depending on which stage they are at on the scheme.
Lessons are available to purchase by monthly direct debit.
Pricing is as follows:
Monthly Direct debit – £22.83
Tees Active Leisure Card Holder (Option 3) – £39.50 (10 credits)
Initially you will be required to visit the venue to book your place on to the scheme, complete the direct debit application form and to process your pro rata payment up to the date of your first monthly payment. You will need to bring with you your bank account card plus a payment method for your pro-rata payment.
A pro-rata fee is a one-off payment which must be paid after completing your Direct Debit form. This payment covers the cost of swimming lessons until the date of your first Direct Debit payment. This amount will vary depending on what date of the month you join the programme.
The Direct Debit payment plan is a rolling 30 day contract. The terms and conditions can be found on the reverse of the application form but there are no hidden admin fees. You do not have to pay for a minimum term, however, we do ask for 30 days’ notice if you wish to cancel your membership.
The learn to swim programme is continuous and your child’s lessons may on occasion be due to take place on bank holidays. If this occurs, we will make the necessary adjustment to your next direct debit payment to take into consideration the cancellation of the lesson. The learn to swim programme breaks between Christmas and New Year for two weeks, these weeks have been removed from the price in advance.
Unfortunately, if a Direct Debit payment fails, we will attempt to contact you to take payment or attempt to take payment on the next direct debit run. If the account is not brought back up to date within this period, then we will class this as non-payment. This will result in you being removed from the programme. To avoid confusion and disappointment, please make sure payment is made as soon as possible, as we will not be able to teach anyone that is no longer registered.
If lessons have to be cancelled due to lack of swimming teachers and/or planned pool maintenance, a refund will be given. If however, the pool has to close due to unforeseen circumstances outside of our control due to an emergency etc. then as long as the member has a minimum of 47 lessons per year then no refund will be given. Please make sure you give correct contact details in case we need to contact you about a cancelled lesson.
In the unlikely event that we will need to refund, an adjustment to your next pro rata payment or if it is to short notice to make an adjustment, then we will endeavour to make the adjustment to your next available scheduled payment.
Each swimmer will learn at their own pace and we appreciate that some will be ready to progress to the next stage of the scheme earlier than others. You can track your child’s progress against each aspect of the criteria needed to progress when you log in online to the free swim hub. This will give you an insight into the areas that require more attention allowing you to practice in your own time and progress quicker.
The learn to swim scheme is based on a programme of continuous assessment. As soon as the swimmer is ready to progress to the next stage you will automatically receive an email alert. You can then log in, check availability and book into an available slot.
We ask that you communicate any issues with the venues reception team at your earliest convenience and this information will be passed onto your coach.
Unfortunately we cannot refund or credit lessons for the occasional missed lessons. However, we do have a refund policy where by the swimmer is unable to attend their lessons over a sustained period due to a medical condition. Details of the learn to swim refund policy are available upon request.
Children need to be at least 3 years of age before they can join the scheme, as they will be in the pool independently.
Our Learn to swim Scheme is 100% practical based and all our coaches are level 2 qualified and trained to help and motivate the swimmer to improve their technique and confidence in the water.
Any progress made by the swimmers will be updated within 24hrs of the end of that day’s lesson.
To enable you to register for swim hub your personnel details on our system need to be correct. Please contact the Reception team or complete the enquiry form at the bottom of this page and they will be happy to update your details for you.
Starting swimming lessons is a big step for many children (and often for those taking them!).
Even if you are a pool regular yourself, it’s not always obvious what to bring for your child’s first swimming lesson.
So we thought we’d help out by highlighting some steps to take beforehand and what to bring to the first session.
Before the lesson
We strongly recommend you familiarise your child with the local pool and swimming pool environment. Family trips swimming are the perfect way to do this, as well as a fun day out! It may also be worthwhile checking what their dress code is for lessons and whether you need to take anything extra.
The lesson itself
It’s a nice idea to involve your child in what they need for their swimming lesson so they know what to expect when they get to the pool. Use our checklist below to make sure you have all the essentials.
First Swimming Lesson Checklist
Here is our list of things to think of when taking your child for their first swimming lesson.
Starting swimming lessons is a big step for any family and we want to make you feel as comfortable as possible by proving a full overview of each stage and what you can expect. The Swim England framework is designed to equip children with the necessary skills to support a life long ability to be confident in the water. If you child wishes to continue the journey on completion of the first 7 stages, we have a number of options available to develop skills further.
The Discovery Ducks and Duckling awards are designed to help toddlers (aged 3+) and children to explore and enjoy the fun of learning to swim whilst boosting confidence in and out of the water.
Stage 1 helps to build water confidence, while introducing water safety skills and the basic skills needed to build swimming ability. Learners will develop basic safety awareness, learn basic movement skills and water confidence skills. They will also be introduced to a structured class setting. Swimmers may use flotation equipment, such as arm bands and floats, throughout this stage.
Stage 2 sees swimmers develop streamlining to their strokes and travel without their feet on the floor, using a recognised leg kick. Swimmers are also introduced to aquatic breathing and taught to make safe entries into the water, including jumping. They will develop basic floating and learn how to rotate to regain an upright position without support.
Stage 3, swimmers will develop their kicks, on both their front and their back. They streamline through push and glides, whilst also swimming underwater. Swimmers will develop safe entries into the water, including submersion, and travel up to 10 metres on their front and back. Water safety knowledge and rotation skills will also be progressed.
Stage 4 sees swimmers perfect their leg kicks for all four strokes and further develop push and glides, while also being introduced to sculling. They will develop an understanding of buoyancy through a range of skills and should swim 10 metres to the Swim England Expected Standards.
Stage 5 swimmers will develop their skills in treading water, learn the correct arm pulls for all four strokes and learn how to do handstands and somersaults. This means they will develop their technique and perform all strokes to the Swim England Expected Standards. The emphasis is on ensuring all work done in the previous stages is developed further.
Stage 6 teaches swimmers how to prepare for exercise, while developing an efficient technique for all four strokes and further developing surface dives. The effective swimming skills taught include coordination, breathing and an understanding of water safety.
Stage 7 focuses on fully developing all four swimming strokes, as well as building stamina and improving diving skills. Swimmers should develop a quality stroke technique for up to 100 metres, incorporating the skills they have learnt throughout the stages and combining them to develop a linked routine. They should successfully complete an obstacle course, which combines a variety of skills they have learnt from Stages 1 to 7.
After swimmers have completed Stages 1 – 7 of our Learn to Swim scheme, they can continue on our scheme by completing the Swimming Challenge awards. The Bronze, Silver, Gold and Honours award challenges swimmers to develop a wide range of skills and stamina with a focus on good stroke technique.
Tees Active recognises the achievement of all swimmers that complete all 7 stages and then continue to achieve all Swimming Challenge awards. Children are awarded with a commemorative certificate and medal to mark their achievement.
RLSS UK’s Rookie Lifeguard programme gives your child the skills they need to be confident in the pool or the sea – which means peace of mind for you. With fun, varied activities, the Rookie Lifeguard scheme teaches children how to swim and enjoy water safely, whether in shallow or deeper water.
Parents can play an active role in increasing water confidence in babies and young children from an early age. Although it’s not essential to take your child to a swimming pool, bath time activities can be a good introduction to the water. Here are four activities to help build your child’s water confidence.
The Causeway, Billingham Town Centre, TS23 2LJ
If you would like to enrol your child onto the Tees Active learn to swim programme, please complete this short form and a member of the team will be in touch. Please provide the dates, times and venues that you are able to attend so that we can find the most suitable space. We will add you to a waiting list if your requested days and times are not available and will be in touch once a space becomes available.
Find out more about how Tees Active are working with partners to drive positive change in the community.
