Tauranga Swim School aims to give everyone the opportunity to gain skills and confidence in and around the water. We offer high quality, fun Learn To Swim and water safety programs while keeping our cost as low as possible so you get to have the benefits!
It’s never too late to learn how to swim
Can you swim? Can your children swim? As New Zealanders, we spend a lot of time in our pools and on our beaches and waterways, so it is important that everyone is given the opportunity to learn how to swim.
Read the full article [The Weekend Sun]
Group Classes
First Steps: Parent/Baby Classes
Research shows that when you introduce children to swimming from an early age, they will reach significant milestones earlier than non swimming children. They enjoy the benefits of developing greater physical, cognitive and emotional milestones and this also prepares them to be confident swimmers later in life.
We have divided our First Step Parent/Baby classes into 3 levels:
- 6 - 12 months
- 1 - 2 years
- 2 - 3 years
We offer 30 minute classes with up to eight Parent/Baby couples in a heated pool.
Preschool: Going Solo 3 - 5 years
Our Preschool Going Solo classes are divided into 4 levels from gaining water confidence to swimming with some stroke techniques. We are excited to have the opportunity to teach your children to swim. You are able to start lessons at the appropriate level, any time through the year from the age of 3 years.
Our classes run for 30 minutes in all levels with up to 4 children in a class and individual lessons are also welcome. Free assessments are available when making a term booking.
School aged: Fishies in the Water 5 years - upward
Our School aged classes are divided into 7 levels of ability. From entering the water safely, to critiquing your stroke. Whatever your age or swimming ability, our fun, relaxed and educational program teaches you how to swim with great technique and confidence.
Swimming more than once a week, referral program and family discounts are available.
Please enquire in the office. Terms and conditions apply.
Youth Squad Academy
Swimming motivates and promotes a healthy lifestyle. It cultivates a positive mental attitude, high self-esteem and it teaches students to how to be goal orientated. Swimming is a technical and specialised sport that involves extensive skill development.
- Silver Squad: Swim once a week for 1 hour in a class with up to 8 students per class
- Bronze Squad: Swim once a week for 1 hour in a class with up to 8 students per class
- Gold Squad: Swims 2 - 4 a week for 1 hour with up to 8 students per class
All levels in our Youth Squad Academy swimming classes focus on technique, fitness, endurance, building core strength and Water safety.
All Squad swimmers are encouraged to, and have the opportunity to swim more that once a week. The more swims per week the cheaper each swim becomes. Goggles and caps must be worn.
Adult Squad Academy
- Silver Squad: Swim once a week for 1 hour in a class with up to 8 students per class
- Bronze Squad: Swim once a week for 1hour in a class with up to 8 students per class
- Gold Squad: Swims 2 - 4 a week for 1 hour with up to 8 students per class
All levels in our Adult Squad Academy swimming class focus on technique, fitness, endurance, building core strength and Water safety.
All Squad swimmers are encouraged to, and have the opportunity to swim more that once a week. The more sessions per week the cheaper each swim becomes. Goggles and caps must be worn.
HIP - Holiday Intensive Programs
Our Holiday Intensive Programs are a great way to consolidate the skills learnt during the previous term or just to get you started for the coming term because you get the advantage of consecutive days. The repetition of learning will develop your skills and helps to bring everything together. It can also be a great way to maintain or increase your fitness. Our classes are small giving you more one on one learning allowing you to see measurable results faster.
Triathlete Swimming
I believe that including exercise to a well balance diet as a part of your daily routine will help you to achieve your optimal health. These innovative Coaching and Development Sessions are exciting, and will challenge you beyond what you thought was possible!
Our Coaching & Development is suitable for:
- Stroke technique
- Fitness/Endurance training
- Novice - Advanced Triathletes
- Ocean Swimmers
- Non-Competitive squad swimmers
Sessions are available for swimmers of all ages & abilities, confidently swimming 25 metres or more, with up to 7 swimmers per lane.
Adult Learn To Swim
Swimming and water based activities for fitness is quickly gaining momentum, because it is the perfect sport for nearly anyone, as it engages all your muscle groups in an environment that doesn’t stress your joints. Everyone, from the most competitive athletes to those who have physical and intellectual disabilities, can enjoy the many benefits from swimming regularly.
About our lessons
You will learn quickly, through a series of lesson plans focusing on the four strokes Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly that will help you to understand the mechanics of each stoke giving you the very best results.
If you are an absolute beginner, a confident swimmer or somewhere in between and are wanting to improve your swimming technique, build stamina and increase your fitness then we have the program for you! Your instructor will work with you and shows you how to achieve the best results when practicing in your own time.
School Swimming
Schools in Pools
Tauranga Swim School offers to teach high quality, fun, interactive Learn To Swim and Water Safety programs as part of your Schools aquatic curriculum. This would be carried out in your school pool, or at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Aquatic Centre on their Windermere Campus, at your convenience during the year.
What we can offer:
- Tauranga Swim School delivers a high quality, creative, fun and fast moving program that the children will enjoy, while at the same time achieving a greater level of water confidence and also the ability to swim.
- Each child would have the opportunity of ten 30 minute lessons at a heavily reduced price.
- Swimming Instructors who are passionate and trained to teach each class and all abilities.
- Lessons aimed at the level the children are currently swimming at.
- 3 levels to cater for each child from non swimmer to advanced swimmer with a maximum of 10 children per class.
- 10 lessons at the same time each day for 2 weeks.
- Yr 1 - Yr 8 10 day Activity booklet to assist and support with classroom learning about swimming and water safety.
- Each child is assessed on what they are achieving before and after their swimming lessons, so you can see the value and have measureable results.
- All the teaching aids required would be provided by Tauranga Swim School.
Swimming Environment (N/A if using school pool)
- BOP Polytech pool is an outdoor 25 metre heated pool.
- Pool temperature sits consistently around 27.5 - 28.5 degrees.
- Instructors are very experienced in teaching children in deeper water.
- Instructors hold a current First Aid Certificate.
- The changing rooms are equipped with 4 very good hot showers, large changing area and toilets that are all kept to a very high hygienic standard (Also wheelchair access).
- The lane the children swim in is 1.2 mtrs deep with non swimmers being taught on the pool entrance ramp. We use portable swimming platforms for the children to stand on in the pool if required.
- Children breathe in fresh air.
Your benefits
- Receiving instruction from trained professionals.
- High quality, fun Learn to Swim and Water Safety program where you will see measureable results.
- Sustainable results due to repetitive learning.
- The Learn to Swim program is proven to work and a high level of achievement is guaranteed.
- Cost per lesson is heavily reduced providing affordability.
- Experienced instructors to teach children with physical and intellectual disabilities.
- A 10 day activity book for yrs 1- 8 to support classroom learning.
- Children breathe in fresh air.
“Since having the instructors from Tauranga Swim School working with our students and staff this summer, I have received numerous grateful comments from the parents in our school community. I have been impressed with the skill level of the instructors and in speaking with the staff, they felt the service was professional, friendly and highly effective. Our kids made great progress and the teachers’ confidence in teaching swimming has increased profoundly also.”
“Andrea has coordinated a swim programme at Oropi School during February-March of each year, for the last three years, based at the Oropi School Pool. I have been highly impressed with Andrea’s efficiency at running this programme. It always runs very smoothly....”
Read the full testimonial [PDF]
Please contact Andrea to discuss your schools needs.
Professional Development
Teachers and parents who teach the classes with their own Learn to Swim curriculum.
Option 1
Tauranga Swim School will provide 2 hours of training to those in a teaching role prior to swimming lessons beginning.
Training would cover:
- Children’s aquatic readiness
- Developmental progress
- Teaching drills
- Breathing
- Stroke technique
- Water safety
- Practical, in-pool drills
- Other things you would want to learn and discuss
Resources you will receive:
- Tauranga Swim School Drills and Technique Training DVD
- Hand out sheets for Drill progression and Aquatic Readiness
Option 2
Everything in option 1, plus Andrea will spend the day with each teacher on poolside and their classes giving teachers direction, advice and support.
Please contact Andrea to discuss prices.
Special Classes
Disability Swimming - Children, Youth, Adults
People with disabilities enjoy water based activities because the water not only supports their whole body, but aids in providing greater mobility. Learning to swim is a great way to encourage a healthy lifestyle and increase fitness with low impact exercises in an environment that doesn’t stress your joints. Swimming is also a great place to build social skills, gain more confidence in and around the water and where you also get to make new friends!
Our Disability Swimming program is tailored to meet individual needs. Our instructors are passionate about working with those with physical and intellectual challenges. We love to celebrate each individual’s achievements and recognize the daily challenges they face.
Disability classes run for 30 minutes, with up to 3 people in each class.
Individual lessons are welcome.
Funding may be available through the Halberg Trust for children under the age of 18yrs who have a physical disability. Please feel free to talk to Andrea for more information.
Facilities for people with physical disabilities
The Toi Ohomai Aquatic Centre (formely Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Aquatic centre) caters for clients with physical disabilities. The facilities include Car Parking, Wheelchair showers and toilets and Wheelchair ramp and hoisting. You will always find the facilities to be well maintained and clean with underfloor heating in the changing rooms.
Private/Individual Swimming
If you are a beginner learning full submersion and breath control, or you just want to improve your stroke technique, build stamina and swim for fitness, we will tailor a program just for you. With 1:1 you will learn quickly and gather an understanding of the mechanics of each stroke giving you the very best results. Your instructor will give you a tailored program to help you achieve the best results when practicing in your own time.
Private/individual lessons run for 30 minutes.
We can teach up to 2 family members in a class if they are at a similar level of ability.
Terms and conditions apply.
Private/Individual - In your own home
- Do you have your own pool?
- Do you have some goals that you would like to achieve?
- Would you prefer to learn to swim in the privacy of your own home?
Whatever your need, we can come to you.
- We will tailor a program and work with you to achieve your goals
- Provide a program for you to work on in your own swimming time
- Video your progress through each stage of your learning, if required.
Police: Swimming Competency
NZ Police Officers regularly work around waterways and oceans as a part of their everyday duty. From time to time the Officers have to make timely and safe decisions about working around and sometimes in water in response to many varied event types, ranging from vehicle crashes to weather driven civil defence emergencies.
Tauranga Swim School offers swim training for NZ Police Recruits and officers who wish to extend their skills. We will tailor a program to suit your needs and level of ability. We can schedule lessons around your availability.
If you are already a competent swimmer, we have adult Learn To Swim and Squad training and technique classes suitable for your swimming ability and fitness level. Our lessons are based at the Toi Ohomai Aquatic Centre (formely Bay of Plenty Polytechic) which has a 25 metre heated swimming pool with the best water quality in the Bay!
Swimming Competency Requirements at RNZPC are as follows:
- Submerge in water
- Remove clothing while in water
- Scull 10 metres
- Swim 50 metres freestyle
- Swim 25 metres side-stroke
- Swim 25 meters breast-stroke
We will help you with
- Proper Freestyle/Backstroke/Breaststoke swim technique
- Sidestroke kicking
- Fitness/Endurance swimming
- Increase speed
- How to conserve energy while in the water
- Remove clothing
- Submerge under water and Sculling
If you’re already an officer and wish to brush up on any particular swim skill, we are happy to personalize lessons for you.
Aquaphobia - The fear of Water
Aquaphobia is “an abnormal and persistent fear of water”.
People who suffer from Aquaphobia might resist water based activities experiencing high anxiety and panic attacks. This anxiety can also extend to getting wet or splashed unexpectedly. Their fear is very real. It can be extremely debilitating and embarrassing for them, and can severely impact their daily life.
Symptoms of Aquaphobia
Some common physical reactions of aquaphobic’s when thinking about, near or around water include:
- Increased heart rate
- Nausea
- Headache
- Uncontrollable shaking
- Sweating
- Inability to think clearly or react normally
All of these symptoms are the result of high levels of emotional and physical stress that the body endures during a phobic episode. This phobia knows no boundaries and can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, and fitness level or life experience. It is estimated that one out of every ten people suffers from some degree of this phobia.
In addition to these physical barriers, there are many emotional wounds and scars that result from being phobic such as:
- Diminished self esteem and confidence
- Feelings of guilt, shame or failure
- Internal problem solving conflicts
- Decreased willingness and ability to confront new challenges
Andrea has had great success working with aquaphobic clients and she considers it a wonderful privilege to work with children and adults alike, supporting them in their journey to overcome their fear and achieve success.
We tailor a 30 minute program specific to the individual needs of the client, working 1:1 with them at their pace to achieve their goals.
Water Safety
Water Safety School Program
Tauranga Swim School offers a Water Safety program alongside the Learn to Swim program. The classes run for 1½ hours and are taught in 20 minute rotations.
This is a fun program with lots of opportunities for the children to put into practice the skills they gain during their lesson.
Teaching skills for water safety are as follows:
Life Jacket
- How to put on correctly/Safe pin drop
- Swimming in groups (Huddling)
- Survival kick
Reach Rescue
- Different objects to use for rescue
- Rescue procedures
Floating
- Different objects to use for floating
- Floating techniques
Distance swimming
- Swimming any stroke for 200m without stopping
- Treading water for 3 minutes
- Removing clothing in deep water
Distance swimming is typically for year 5, 6, 7 and 8 children who are competent swimmers.
Please contact Andrea to discuss your school’s needs.
Water Safety Program - Swim 4 Your Life
Most of us look forward to the summer months when we can relax and enjoy some fun times in the waves at the beach, camping by the lake and playing in our rivers. After all, we live in a beautiful country surrounded by water, why not make the most of it and enjoy what we have.
Surf Life Saving reports that 23 more people died in New Zealand waters last year than in 2014, taking the 2015 drowning toll to 113 - a 26% increase on 2014’s deaths, and well above the five-year average of 103...
Sadly, many of us will have our own story to tell. Some are more tragic than others. Tauranga Swim School is committed to, and works tirelessly on developing people’s swimming ability and raising awareness around water safety.
Making sure every child has the ability to swim 200-300 metres could save many lives, says Tauranga Swim School owner Andrea Sinden.
Read the full article [PDF]
Have these figures moved you enough to take action?
Are you ready to be educated, so you can enjoy our beautiful rivers, lakes and beaches with a new respect for the water and the confidence to enjoy it? Swim 4 Your Life is a 3 hour Water Safety program designed for Children from aged 5 years upwards and their families.
Swim 4 Your Life program teaches
- About the dangers and Hazards in and around Water (Beaches, Rivers, Lakes, Pools).
- How to identify them.
- What to do when in trouble.
There will be lots of time spent in the water putting into practice what you have learned.
This program is open to children and their families.
