Lessons for Children

About UWA Learn to Swim

The UWA Aquatic Centre is one of the best learn-to-swim environments with families being able to enjoy an enclosed 25 metre pool and warm 28-degree water temperature all year round. Our supportive environment aims to nurture young swimmers, with opportunity to progress through our recreational pathways or to continue swimming competitively upon completion of the Learn to Swim pathway.

Our qualified instructors are passionate about providing the best experience for each child in the pool, from water safety skills to the perfection of swim strokes. The UWA Aquatic Centre is a recognised industry leader in providing swimming programs, and every week we see more than 1000 children from three years old upwards visit us to improve their skills and confidence in the pool. Initial emphasis is placed on developing confidence and effective movement in the water, later progressing to the swimming essentials of freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and dive starts.

An instructor smiles and gives their student a high five while in the water.

Our daughter has become a very competent swimmer who did very well in her most recent school swimming carnival.

Learn to Swim Parent

Current programs

Term 2 2024 Learn to Swim
Monday 15 April - Sunday 30 June 2024

Every week, swimmers will focus on a different stroke, working on specific aspects of each stroke as well as deep water and diving skills. Our structured teaching methodology ensures that the foundations of each stroke are mastered before progressing to more advanced skills.

Lesson Times
- Lessons are held 7 days a week. Weekday lessons are held in the afternoon starting from 3:30pm, and weekend lessons in the morning from 7:45am. Contact our Aquatics team via email or on 6488 2277 to find out which sessions are available.
- Private lessons are available upon request. Contact our Aquatics team via email or on 6488 2277 for more information.
Cost
- Lessons are charged at a rate of $25.00 per lesson (weekdays) and $27.50 per lesson (weekends)
- Private lessons are available at a rate of $60 per lesson on weekdays, and $65 per lesson on weekends.
  To enrol in private lessons, contact our Aquatics team on +61 8 6488 2277 or [email protected].
Enrol in a second weekly session and receive 10% off. Families enrolled at UWA ELC and UniCare receive 10% discount on booking.

All students require a swimming cap, goggles and fitted racing bathers to participate in lessons.
Term 2 2024 Parent & Toddler Lessons
Monday 15 April - Sunday 30 June 2024

Registrations are now open for Term 2 Parent and Toddler Lessons.

Get ready to explore the water and start your child's lifelong love of swimming through this educational program for parents and their children. Children will be introduced to introductory movement, floatation, water safety, submersion and breath control skills, assisted by instructors and parents in a comfortable and supportive environment.

This program is for children aged 2-4 years who would benefit from having a parent in the water with them. All levels of swimming ability are welcome, from no prior experience through to children who are confident in the water.

Swimmers should wear a fitted swimming nappy under their swimsuit. This applies to all children under the age of 3 as well as children over the age of 3 who are not fully toilet trained (including at night time). Contact our staff for more information about swimming nappies.

Lesson Times
- Mondays 10:00am - 10:30am
- Saturdays 8:45am, 10:00am, 11:30am
- Sunday 8:45am, 10:00am, 11:30am
Cost
- Lessons are charged at a rate of $22.50 per lesson (weekdays) and $27.50 per lesson (weekends)
Booking and program enquiries can be directed to the Aquatics team on +61 8 6488 2277 or [email protected]

Enrol now

Upcoming programs

UWA Sport's Commitments to a Child-Safe Environment

UWA Sport is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. At UWA Sport, all staff are dedicated to creating positive, safe, supportive, engaging and respectful relationships with children and families.

The UWA Sport Guidelines for Child Safeguarding and Protection in an Aquatic Setting: Child Safe Handling and Behaviour Management Practices outlines the approach that staff must take toward child safeguarding, including class management, appropriate handling, physical contact for educative purposes, and guidelines for behaviour management. It also discusses family involvement in children’s learning and avenues for children, staff, parents or other stakeholders to raise complaints or concerns about child welfare. To obtain a copy of this guideline, please email [email protected].

Any person can report a concern or make a complaint regarding the safety of children in UWA Sport programs. In non-emergency situations, concerns may be addressed with a pool deck supervisor, who may be able to intervene immediately. Alternatively, concerns may be raised with the Aquatics Business Manager via [email protected] using the subject line Attn Manager: Confidential, or by calling 6488 1412 during business hours and asking to speak to the Aquatics Business Manager.

If a child is in immediate danger or a person believes that they have knowledge of serious risk of harm, they should contact emergency services on 000 or the Department of Communities, Child Protection and Family Services on 1800 273 889. Serious concerns should usually be made to these agencies via phone where possible.

Book your free assessment

All children who are new to the program or who haven't swum for some time will need to book a swimming assessment to determine their levels in the UWA Learn to Swim program. This will take approximately 10 to 15 minutes for each child.

Assessments can be organised at the UWA Aquatic Centre and are free of charge.
Please call 6488 2277 or email [email protected] to arrange your assessment today.

Our levels

Introduction (Parent and Toddler)

For children aged 2-4 years who would benefit from having a parent in the water with them. All levels of swimming ability are welcome, from no prior experience through to children who are confident in the water. Swimmers will be introduced to introductory movement, floatation, water safety, submersion and breath control skills, assisted by instructors and parents in a comfortable and supportive environment.
Entry (E)

For children who have never learned to swim before or who are nervous or reluctant to enter the water. Swimmers learn the basics of water confidence such as entry and exit, movement around the pool, blowing bubbles, submerging and floating. A significant amount of teaching is done through play, with the teacher in the water.
Beginner Confident Water (BCW)

Swimmers develop floating, bubbles, breathing, body position and kicking over distances of 5–7 metres, with a teacher in the water.
Beginner Confident (BC)

Swimmers will become proficient at bubbles, breathing, and kicking on their front and back over distances of 7–12.5 metres. Swimmers also begin to learn freestyle technique.
Beginner Progressed (BP)

Swimmers learn to perform formal freestyle and backstroke with the use of flotation aids and flippers to help maintain an efficient body position.
Super Beginner Progressed (SBP)

Swimmers refine their freestyle and backstrokes, developing technique and control to swim 12.5 metres unaided.
Progressed (P)

Swimmers further refine their freestyle and backstroke without the use of flotation aids. Swimmers learn to breathe to their non-preferred side in freestyle. Swimmers also begin learning the breaststroke kick.
Progressed Advanced (PA)

Swimmers continue to develop stroke technique across freestyle and backstroke, including a continuous arm recovery in backstroke, and a bent arm recovery in freestyle. Swimmers also learn to perform breaststroke.
Advanced (A)

Swimmers begin to develop competitive strokes, including multiple 25 metre lengths of freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke. Swimmers also learn tumble turns, butterfly kick, and racing dives.
Pre Squad

Swimmers learn introductory squad swimming skills such as turns, how to read the pace clock, rules and etiquette of squad training, and continue to refine the four competitive strokes, including learning butterfly over 12-25m. With a strong focus on maintaining technique in addition to increasing fitness, this introductory squad aims to provide swimmers with a sound basis in skills for either a competitive or recreational swimming pathway with UWA or its affiliated aquatic clubs.
Older Swimmer Stream (OS)

All children can participate in our Learn to Swim program, regardless of age. For those children who have started swimming later in life, or have taken a little longer to progress, the Older Swimmer and Older Swimmer Teenager streams group them with similar-age as well as similar-ability peers.