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.
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
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Term 1 2025 Learn to Swim
Monday 3 February 2025 -Sunday 13 April 2025
Set your child up for success in the pool with guidance from our expert instructors ensuring they will master the basics of swimming in a fun and safe environment.
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.
All swimmers require a swimming cap, goggles and fitted racing bathers to participate in lessons. For guidance on acceptable swimwear, refer to Swimming Australia's Inclusive Swimwear Policy.
UWA Sport aims to foster an environment that welcomes, accepts and embraces the diversity of our community.
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 7:30am. Contact our Aquatics team to find out which sessions are available.
- Sensory friendly lessons are available at 5:30pm on Wednesdays and Fridays.
- Private lessons are available upon request. Contact our Aquatics team for more information.
Cost
- Lessons are charged at a rate of $26.50 per lesson, or $265 for the 10-week term.
- Private lessons are available at a rate of $65 per lesson. To enrol in private lessons, contact our Aquatics team on (08) 6488 6073 or [email protected].
- Receive a 10% discount when you enrol your child in a second weekly session. This discount will automatically apply when registering through the Client Portal.
- Families enrolled at UWA Early Learning Centre and UniCare receive 10% discount on their booking. Call our Aquatics team on (08) 6488 6073 to confirm your eligibility.
Registrations are now open through the Client Portal.
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Term 1 2025 Parent and Toddler
Monday 3 February 2025 - Sunday 13 April 2025
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 between 18 months and 3 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
- Saturdays 8:30am, 9:30am and 10:30 am
- Sunday 8:30am, 9:30am and 10:30 am
Cost
- Lessons are charged at a rate of $22 per lesson, or $220 per 10 week term
- Families enrolled at UWA Early Learning Centre and UniCare receive a 10% discount on their booking. Call our team to confirm your eligibility.
Booking and program enquiries can be directed to the Aquatics team on (08) 6488 6073 or [email protected]
Registrations are now open through the Client Portal
Upcoming programs
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Autumn Holiday Intensive Lessons
Monday 14 April 2025 - Friday 24 April 2025
Accelerate your child's swimming progress by continuing your swimming routine through the school holidays! Holiday Intensive lessons focus on a different stroke every day, working on refining your child's abilities in the four core strokes as well as deep water and diving skills. Holiday Intensive lessons can deliver an entire term's worth of swimming in just 10 days, and are perfect for busy families who have many commitments during the school term.
- Week 1: Monday 14 April - Thursday 17 April (4 days)
- Week 2: Tuesday 22 April - Thursday 24 April (3 days)
Lesson Times
- Lessons are held at 7:30am, 8:00am, 8:30am, 9:00am, 9:30am and 10:00am daily
Cost
- Lessons are charged at a rate of $26.50per lesson. This equates to $132.50 for a 5-day week or $185.50 for the full 7 days.
- Private lessons are available at a rate of $65 per lesson. To enrol in private lessons, contact our Aquatics team on (08) 6488 6073 or [email protected].
All students require a swimming cap, goggles and fitted racing bathers to participate in lessons.
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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 6073 or email [email protected] to arrange your assessment today.
Our levels
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Super Beginner Progressed (SBP)Swimmers refine their freestyle and backstrokes, developing technique and control to swim 12.5 metres unaided.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Pre SquadSwimmers 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.
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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.
