School-age swimming lessons with the Y teach stroke and skill development, water safety, and personal survival. We also focus on physical, intellectual and personal development.

In the school-age program, we teach your child swimming, water safety and basic rescue and survival skills that can save lives. Your child will establish a lifelong appreciation for safe activity in the water and learn vital survival skills not just for the pool, but for rivers, lakes and the ocean. They'll also be introduced to skills that will build their foundational skills in aquatic sport.

Children will learn to:

  • develop and refine their swimming strokes;
  • cooperate with and respect others in an aquatic environment;
  • make safe and sensible decisions and solve problems in and around water;
  • challenge themselves to build endurance and strength for the sport of swimming.

Our swimming teachers

All of our teachers hold nationally accredited swimming teacher and water safety certificates. They have current CPR certificates, Working with Children Checks and have training in safeguarding children and young people.

School-age swimming levels

Your child will progress through the program levels based on their ability, which is assessed by our swimming teachers and program supervisors. Below is an overview of some of the skills your child will learn in each level.

Squad training and performance programs

We offer squad programs for confident swimmers who have progressed past Tuna level. These programs will vary, however may include Fitness Squads and Club Development Squads.

Fitness Squad is ideal for children who want to continue training for fitness, while Club Development Squad is perfect for those who want to transition into competitive swimming.


Fitness Squad

Class size: eight to 10 students

  • For confident swimmers who want to swim in a fun, non-competitive session
  • Continues to improve swimming technique
  • Continues to improve endurance and fitness
  • Students must have completed Shark level to transition into this squad 

Club Development Squad

Class size: eight to 10 students

  • For confident swimmers who want to transition into a Swim Club program
  • Continues to improve swimming technique, including stroke refinement
  • Focuses on increased endurance and speed
  • Prepares students for competitive swimming by teaching sprints, starts, turns and finishes, as well as competition rules
  • Prices

    Please see the current prices for swimming lessons below.

    Price per lesson Fornightly direct debit
    Standard rate $20.75 $41.50

    Payment for our swimming lesson membership is taken fortnightly by direct debit, with the total cost spread out across the year with 26 equal payments. This minimises the cost impact to families and ensures your membership is easy to maintain.

    No lock-in contracts – simply provide 14 days' written notice to cancel.

    We review our prices each year.

  • What benefits do swimming lesson members receive?

    Swimming lessons members receive:

    • one swimming lesson per week;
    • unlimited pool access for the student and a supervising parent – great for practise or play;
    • 10% merchandise discount;
    • access to four make-up lessons per year for school-age children who miss a lesson;
    • optional summer suspension during non-program weeks;
    • certificates for each level of the program achieved.

    Parents of children will receive:

    • access to the online customer portal for easy access to change your booking, book a make up or check your child's progress.
  • What should I bring to school-age swimming lessons?
    • Swimwear for your child
    • Towel
    • Goggles (highly recommended, but not essential)
    • Swimming cap (optional)
    • Warm, dry clothes for after class
  • What are your safety requirements?

    To provide a safe environment for your child, parents / carers must:

    • come to the edge of the pool at the start of the lesson and directly hand over your child to the teacher;
    • be present and visible on the pool deck at all times (if your child is under the age of 10);
    • come to the edge of the pool at the end of the lesson and collect your child;
    • only take photos in the pool area with prior arrangement (never in the changing room area);
    • follow the Watch Around Water policy for active child supervision at all times. 
  • Are school-age swimming lessons accessible for all?

    Yes. If a group setting is not an appropriate learning environment for your child, we can develop swimming lessons on request to cater for children with varied needs. This may be in a small group setting or a 1:1 class, depending on the needs of the child.

How to enrol in swimming lessons with the Y

Enrol in swimming lessons online today. For help with online enrolments please see our 'How to enrol in swimming lessons online' guide below.

Not ready to enrol online? Submit an enquiry form to find out more about our swimming lessons. A member of our friendly team will be happy to answer your questions.

  • How to enrol in swimming lessons online

    To enrol your child or someone who you are a guardian for:

    1. Create a responsible person / guest account
      • Visit the online customer portal
      • Select 'Join or book now!'
      • Choose your centre
      • Select 'Swimming Lessons'
      • Select 'Create Parent / Guardian account'
      • Select 'Next'
      • Complete your (the responsible parent / guardian) details
      • Select 'Create account'
      • Select 'Customer portal' to be taken to the swimming lessons timetable
    2. Add a student
      • Once you have completed the above steps, select 'Enrol a student / go to your portal'
      • Choose your centre
      • Complete the student details
      • Select 'Create account'
    3. Determine your level (students must complete a level assessment to enrol in a day and time)
      • Select the 'Swimming Lessons' category to start the self-assessment 
      • Answer questions
      • Your level will be assigned
      • Select 'Next' to receive confirmation that you student account has been created
      • Select 'Select day and time' to be taken to the swimming lessons timetable for your allocated level
    4. Enrol into your class day and time
      • Search and select your class day and time (these will be filtered to your allocated level)
      • Select 'Enrol now'
      • In the pop-up window, select 'enrol now' for the student you wish to enrol in this class
    5. Make payment
      • Select your payment plan
      • Complete the agreement of terms and conditions
      • Select your preferred payment method (bank details or credit card / debit card) for your contract and select 'Next')

    Payment methods

    Please note, these details you enter will be linked to your contract for all future payments. You can change your payment details in the future using your online customer portal.

    Bank details

    • Enter your bank details
    • You will be taken to the payment gateway to make your initial payment which will need to be made by a credit / debit card
    • Make payment

    Credit / debit card

    • Enter your credit / debit card details
    • Make payment
    • Contract confirmation 
  • Make-up lessons policy

    You can access up to four make-up lessons per year if your child misses a swimming lesson.


For more information see our swimming lessons FAQs page

FAQs
  • Watch Around Water policy information
    YMCA Victoria is a Watch Around Water endorsed aquatic safety organisation. Watch Around Water is a set of industry guidelines that outline the minimum supervision requirements of young children at aquatic venues.

    We have followed the Watch Around Policy (outlined below) in our centre since 1 September 2019.

    Children under five years old

    • All children must be accompanied into the centre by a person over the age of 17 and be supervised within arms’ reach at all times in the water.
    • All children must wear a pink wristband supplied by YMCA staff to help identify their age while swimming.
    • Children will not be admitted without a full fee paying parent/guardian who must also be in the water at all times.
    • Groups will not be admitted entry where the number of parents/guardians supervising a group of children under five years exceeds the ratio of 1:2.

    Children under 10 years old

    • All children under the age of 10 must be accompanied into the centre by a person over the age of 17.
    • All children must be actively supervised by an adult over the age of 18 at all times. The adult must have a clear and active view of the child with no physical or structural barriers between them (this includes tech and devices
    • such as mobile phones).
    • All children must wear a yellow wristband supplied by YMCA staff to help identify their age while swimming.
    • Groups will not be admitted entry where the number of parents/guardians supervising a group of children under 10 years exceeds the ratio of 1:4.

    Birthday parties

    • All children under the age of 10 must be accompanied into the centre by a person over the age of 17 and handed over to the supervision of the birthday party leader (staff member).
    • All birthday party participants must wear a blue wristband and an age-based wristband (pink or yellow) to identify their participation in a party.
    • The adult guardian of the birthday party child must remain accessible and actively supervise the group at all times.
    • At the conclusion of the birthday party, children will remain in the supervision of the birthday party leader and supervising parent until physically handed over to their supervising parent/guardian.
    For more information visit the Watch Around Water website

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