At British Swim School, our mission is to “ensure that every person regardless of age or ability has the opportunity to become a safe and happy swimmer.” Our Adaptive Aquatics Program embodies this mission by tailoring our fun, gentle, and progressive teaching methods to each student’s unique abilities. We focus on water acclimation and developing swimming skills with safety as our top priority.
Each student in our Special Abilities and Adaptive Aquatics program is enrolled in our Dolphin level. Classes range from a 1:1 to 2:1 student to instructor ratio, depending on temperaments and goals. We believe students thrive when learning alongside peers, so we encourage having a “swim buddy” for motivation when possible. Initially though, we recommend a 1:1 ratio to help students become comfortable with the instructor, environment, and activities.
Initial Assessment
We begin by working closely with parents through a detailed questionnaire to understand each swimmer’s needs. This helps us match them with the best-fitting instructor, considering factors such as temperament, voice quality, tone, and personality.
Goal Setting
In collaboration with parents, we establish initial goals based on their abilities. These goals are dynamic and evolve as the swimmer progresses. Once a goal is met, we set new objectives to continue their development.
Ongoing Communication
We maintain regular communication with parents to update them on goal progress, current motivators, and any relevant information to ensure our teaching methods remain effective and beneficial.
British Swim School instructors complete a minimum of 40 hours of specialized training on the British Swim School curriculum and teaching methods. Additionally, locations that offer Special Ability classes have undergone further training to offer this program, equipping our instructors with detailed knowledge of behavioral characteristics and a toolkit of strategies to address various disabilities and needs. We also provide ongoing educational opportunities to ensure our instructors are well prepared to teach students of all abilities.
Burlington, ON