Swimming School FAQ's
Q. How long does it take to learn to swim?
A. We appreciate that every child is different and will all learn new things in different ways and at different speeds. The teachers at O'Tooles use our syllabus to teach your children the skills required to advance through the levels. A child can only advance when they have completed all the criteria set out in the syllabus. There is not a specific day where the teacher will assess the children they will conduct a continues assessment throughout the course of lessons. If your child excels in a certain level then they are often moved up multiple classes. Learning to swim is not a race or competition it is an extremely valuable life skill that we feel everyone needs to learn.
Q. How many pupils are there in a class?
A. Class numbers vary depending on the pool size; the class level and if there is an assistant present.
Q. How long are the swimming lessons?
A. Lessons at O'Tooles Swimming School run for 30 minutes. The Club Swim is a little longer and runs for 45 minutes.
Q. Can my child wear goggles?
A. In line with recommendations from the swimming governing bodies (Swimming Teacher's Association & the Amateur Swimming Association), children are not encouraged to wear goggles.
At O'Tooles we believe it vital for a child to be able to swim well without the need to wear goggles. It will also help promote water confidence. It also reduces the time spent adjusting goggles. This often takes up valuable lesson time and diverts their attention away from the teacher and lesson. We will offer help and advice to try and instil water confidence if your child has become dependent on goggles. We have no restraints on children wearing goggles in an Octopus 3 level and above.
View the STA/ASA Goggle Policy on the STA website.
Q. Does my child have to wear a swimming hat?
A. Swimming hats must be worn in all of our pools. The pool owners have very strict guidelines on cleanliness. A swimming hat ensures the chemicals in the hair do not contaminant the water. Pool attendants routinely unblock the filters in the pool. Hair often falls off people's heads and contributes to the grime in the filters. We ask swimmers to wear hats in order to reduce these problems. In addition to keeping the pool clean, a hat can also benefit the swimmer.
A swimming hat reduces the friction through the water, making the swimmer more streamline and therefore improving their swim for both short and long distances.
The right hat ensures hair is not a distraction, the head is kept warm and the child or adult has a more pleasant swim.
Hats can be purchased from our Support Office or on poolside.
Q. How do you assess my child?
A. In order to establish which class is suitable for your child we offer free assessments. This enables us to assign your child to the correct class in our syllabus. The assessments are held a variety of pools and will be carried out by one of our fully qualified swimming teacher.
Q. Do you offer trial lessons?
A. O'Tooles does not hold trial lessons. All customers are asked at the booking in stage to pay for a term's lesson upfront. We cannot allow a swimmer to have one trial lesson only for them to decide they do not wish to continue as this space has been put aside for them. If the child for any reason does not wish to carry on with the lesson, he/she can be taken out and a full refund will be given for the remaining weeks if we are able to fill that space with a new swimmer.
Q. Can I use photography equipment at the pool?
A. In line with guidance produced by the Institute of Sport & Recreation Management, O'Tooles Swimming School would like to remind you that: No photography whatsoever is allowed in and around the swimming pool and changing areas.
Photographic equipment not permitted to be used on site:
• Video recorders
• Camcorders
• Mobile phones with imagery equipment
• Cameras etc.
Q. What do I do if my child cries in the lesson?
A. This is a question often asked by parents who have a nervous child or are bringing their child to swimming lessons for the first time. Our teachers are very experienced with this situation and will handle it appropriately. If a child becomes distressed during a lesson, the teacher will comfort them and perhaps offer a toy to play with as a distraction. If the child is distressed before they enter the water the teacher will ask the parent to pass the child to them and for the parent to move away from the poolside.
We appreciate it is difficult to leave your child when they are upset but it is a lot easier for the teacher to talk to and calm down the child when they are not focussing on their parent. We often ask the parent to leave poolside altogether so they cannot be seen. This enables the teacher to say to the child that once they have calmed down, mum or dad will come back in.
