Swim School Advice & Rules

Here you will find more information on:

  • Go Learn Home Portal and payment

  • How to prepare for your first lesson

  • Our rules and code of conduct for learners and their parents/guardians

  • Advice on swim safety and what to do if your child is ill

GoLearn Home Portal

As a parent or guardian, being able to easily monitor your child’s swimming development is important.  To help you do this we’ve introduced a digital platform – Go Learn – which means you can see how your child is progressing in their swimming lessons and manage the admin of ensuring that they have continued enrolment in lessons.  

To access the GoLearn Home portal you must provide a current email address for each parent/guardian with a child in a swimming programme.

The benefits of the home portal are:

  • Keep up to date with your child’s progress; including what needs a little work and what has been achieved.

  • Manage your payments and top up your 10-week block of swimming lessons without needing to contact the centre.

  • Receive automatic payment reminders at 3 weeks, 2 weeks and 1 week to go before a top-up is required.

  • Get notifications when your child is ready to progress to a new level.

Payment

There are two options when paying for swimming lessons; an upfront cash payment for a block of 10 lessons, or a Direct Debit payment, both of which are calculated on a pro rata basis. (Please note T&Cs apply).

All children enrolling into the swimming programme are required to be paid for at reception before attending their first swimming lesson.  Direct Debit payments are processed on the first of every month and failure to make payment may result in the cancellation of the swimming lessons.  Cash payers will receive 3 week, 2 week and 1 week countdown e-mails here you are required to top up your child’s lessons.  If you do not make payment prior to the 10th lesson starting your child will be removed from the class.

Once payment has been made, you will be sent an activation e-mail to set up your child’s GoLearn account, cash payers can also top up their child’s lessons through the portal.

Lesson fees are non-refundable and will only be granted in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the management.  All fees are to be paid in advance of the first lesson.  The monthly Direct Debit is taken on the 1st of every month unless the first falls on a weekend then it will be taken on the next working day.

Preparing for your First Lesson

You can prepare for the first lesson by checking the start date and time, you can see this in the home portal.  

Ensure you get to the sports centre with plenty of time to get your child/children changed and ready to start their lesson.

It is not advised to swim on a full stomach, and we discourage swimmers from eating within the hour of the start of their lesson.

  • In your child’s swimming bag should be:

    • Swimming costume

    • Towel

    • Hair band and brush for long hair

    • Shampoo and shower gel

    • Coin/token for the locker

    Goggles and swimming hats are optional and are available to purchase at reception.

    If your child wears glasses, they would benefit from wearing prescription goggles.

  • All children should wear appropriate fitting costumes, trunks or shorts designed for swimming.

     

    All swimmers MUST shower before they enter the water.

    Goggles should be fitted correctly before the start of the lesson and swimming instructors have the right to ask the child to remove their goggles for certain outcomes.

Code of Conduct

  • Parents must accept that their child is under the supervision, control, and care of the swimming teacher during the lesson period.  We reserve the right to remove your child should they persistently disrupt the class or are seen to be putting themselves or others at risk.

    We will consult the parents or guardians before this decision is made. If a child is removed under these circumstances and suitable arrangements cannot be made no refund will be provided.

  • We will not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour directed toward our staff.  Anyone behaving in this manner will be asked to leave the sports centre.

    No photography or filming is permitted in any area of our sports centres.

  • Please arrive in time for the start of the lesson, lessons are 30-minute slots and children must be collected promptly at the end of each lesson.

  • At Abertillery and Ebbw Vale sport centres where viewing is permitted, parents must not interfere with lessons or distract the swimming instructors by shouting over the pool balcony.

     

    At Tredegar Sports Centre where viewing is not permitted, parents must ensure that reception has your correct contact details in case of an emergency and then you should wait in your car until 5 minutes before the end of your child’s lesson.

    No photography or filming is permitted in any area of our sports centres.

Safety & Illness

The safety, comfort and wellbeing of all our swim school participants is our top priority, so please remember the following tips:

  • Please ensure that you have advised the swimming instructor of any medical conditions, injuries, or additional needs your child may have.  This should be done in the first lesson.

  • If your child has been ill with diarrhoea, an ear infection, infectious disease, open wounds, or sore eyes they must not attend their lesson until 48 hours after their symptoms have subsided.

  • If your child wears earrings, they need to be stud only. If not, they need to wear a swimming cap to cover them – these can be purchased at reception if you don’t have one.

  • If your child has long hair, it needs to be tied back so it doesn’t distract them or affect their lesson.

  • Before the start of the lesson, please check if your child needs to go to the toilet.

More questions?

If you have a query that hasn’t been answered here, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions for more guidance.