"I came across Sen Swim by chance through word of mouth and I couldn't be more impressed. My daughter, who struggles immensely with focus, listening & retaining information, is well on her way to independence in the water, after completing an intensive half term swim course. The quality of the teaching and their patience & ability to instill confidence in the children is very impressible. I have complete confidence in the team and would happily recommend them."
Sophie
What We Do
SEN Swim is a swim school dedicated to providing 1:1 swimming lessons for children and young people with additional needs. We aim to provide safe, fun and inclusive lessons to our swimmers, with a range of needs including, but not limited to: autism spectrum conditions , ADHD, down's syndrome, global delay and/or anxiety disorders.
Our Approach
At SEN Swim our lessons are fun, safe and personalised for each individual that attends their 1:1 lessons. We follow our own SEN Swim curriculum that each child or young person progresses through at a pace and in a way that works best for them. For more Information about how we work, please get in touch!
Locations
JANET ADEGOKE LANE POOL, W12 7DB
25m main pool:
Pool temperature: 29°C - 30°C
Pool depth: 1.0m shallow end - 1.7m - deep end.
JANET ADEGOKE TEACHING POOL, W12 7DB
10m teaching pool:
Pool temperature: 31°C - 32°C
Pool depth: 0.7m - 0.9m.
OAKLANDS SECONDARY SCHOOL
GRESHAM ROAD
TW3 4BX
Pool temperature: 30°C - 31°C
Pool depth: 1.4m
JACK TIZARD SCHOOL
SOUTH AFRICA ROAD
W12 7PA
Pool temperature: 33°C - 34°C
Pool depth: 1.2m
CLAPHAM LEISURE CENTRE
141 CLAPHAM MANOR STREET
SW4 6DB
Pool temperature: 30°C
Pool depth: 1.8m
STRATHMORE SCHOOL at GREY COURT SCHOOL
HAM STREET
RICHMOND, TW10 7HN
Pool temperature: 33°C - 34°C
Pool depth: 1.2m
HORSENDEN PRIMARY SCHOOL,
HORSENDEN LANE NORTH
UB6 0PB
Pool temperature: 32°C
Pool depth: 1.3m
Term time
SEN Swim offer lessons through out school term time, running lessons for 36 weeks of the year. We offer both after school and weekend lessons, across our pool venues
Holiday Swim
Our school holiday intensive courses are a great way for your child to start lessons with SEN Swim, or for frequent swimmers with us to develop their swimming skills and have fun! The courses are either 4 or 5 days long and run in every school holiday (apart from the Christmas holidays).
School Swim
SEN Swim also offer bespoke swimming lessons for schools and organisations that work with children and young people with additional needs. This can be group or 1:1 lessons, at the request of the organisation. For more information please complete the enquiry form below
Frequently Asked Questions
What children and young people do you offer lessons to?
At SEN Swim we offer 1:1 swimming lessons to children and young people aged 3 – 19 years old with a range of additional needs. We have a team of experienced SEN swim teachers who work with needs including but not exclusive to autism, ADHD, global delay, down’s syndrome, anxiety disorders, fear of water and those with other learning difficulties. We also offer lessons for children and young people with cerebral palsy, depending on the specific needs, as well as some physical disabilities so please enquire if you are interested. We do not require any proof of special needs, so if you feel your child would benefit from our services please get in touch and we would love to hear more about them and see if we are the right fit!
How do the lessons work?
All lessons at SEN Swim are taught in a 1:1 capacity and we adopt a child-centred approach, as no two lessons look the same. We have a comprehensive intake process, where we gather information about your child, so their allocated swim teacher can prepare as best as possible. The initial lessons are used for the child or young person to become familiar with their surroundings and for their swim teacher to assess their swimming level and how they learn best. Every child learns in a different way and we will work with them and their parents or caregivers to adopt an approach that works best.
At SEN Swim we are strong believers that the positive relationship between student and teacher is integral to the progress and development of swimming skills. From this base we work with developing the swimming strengths and likes of the student first, to build their confidence and trust in their teacher. Once confidence and trust is built we aim to work on some of the areas the student may have anxieties around and swimming skills that require development. Every student will develop and learn at different rates, so patience and an understanding of the students we work with are some of the key skills our amazing instructors have!
How long will it take my child to swim on their own?
Every student will learn to swim at a different pace. But here at SEN Swim, we have seen many great success stories of pre beginner swimmers, now swimming independently. Each child may also develop their own style of swimming and we celebrate that, alongside those learning the conventional 4 strokes. we have developed a method of teaching that focuses on the key areas of swimming development, to promote safe and efficient swimmers. Please ask for more information.
Do you provide lessons for strong swimmers with additional needs?
Yes we do! We provide swimming lessons for students of all abilities and adapt each lesson to make them appropriate, yet challenging and progressive for each child. Also we have a range of resources and teaching techniques to support learners with a range of communication and sensory needs.
We believe 1:1 lessons are the safest and most effective way to teach students with such a wide range of learning needs and swimming abilities. This allows the student to experience swimming lessons from an instructor who builds a relationship with them, understands their individual needs, and teaches each child the way that is best for them. This also reduces any risk to the students as, the swim teacher will always be working closely with them and supervising their safety.
We do not currently offer group lessons at SEN Swim but do encourage those students who are able and safe to access group lessons at school or through another swim school, as the social opportunities can aid learning and swim skill development. We can recommend suitable places for group lessons, through some of our partner swim schools.
How does the booking process work?
Upon receiving an enquiry, by email, online form, or phone we respond by email with information on what spaces we have available and the pricing for the booking. At this stage we can answer any questions you may have by email or a phone call.
If you are happy to proceed, we send you a student information form, our terms and conditions and a payment link for the booking. We take bookings for the whole term and each child booked on with us, will get priority booking for the following school term.
Do you give refunds for missed lessons?
Due to our rigid booking of instructors and pool space, we are unable to offer refunds for missed lessons due to any reason not caused by SEN Swim. We can however offer a make up lessons (maximum 2 per term), subject to availability. These cannot be carried over to future terms bookings. In the rare occasion SEN Swim cancel a lesson, we will offer a full refund for the lesson or a lesson credit to your account.
This is all outlined in our terms and conditions sent at point of booking.
What happens at the first lesson?
We are well experienced in meeting anxious students, who may be non-verbal or verbal and take some time to adjust to a new environment, people and sensory inputs. We therefore know that the first lessons can be tricky for some students, and they may become distressed. Our instructors will work very closely with you and your child to help them settle and feel comfortable. We use several techniques and resources to support each child settle. If a child does not settle in a particular environment, we can look to move them to a more suitable pool, as we have a range of differing venues that may meet the needs of an individual better. However, we are strong believers in not giving up and working our best to make the environment and lesson as best as possible for every child we teach.
Do you offer lessons in the school holidays?
Yes, we offer intensive holiday courses in the school holidays, including half term breaks, the easter break and summer holidays. We do not offer lessons during the Christmas break. The courses are either 4 or 5 days long and are a great way for new swimmers to get use to how we work, as well as frequent swimmers who can really enhance their skills and have fun!
What qualifications/experience do the swimming teachers have?
All of our instructors are carefully selected for their personal skills, as well as being experienced SEN professionals, many of whom work as teachers or teaching assistants in special needs schools.
All teachers are either SEQ or STA certified swim instructors, have a pool safety/rescue award and have a valid enhanced DBS check.
The most important skills all our instructors possess are a real passion and persistence in delivering the best possible lessons for the children and young people who attend our lessons!
