Teaching swimming is an enjoyable, social, and rewarding career offering a flexible way to earn whilst helping people have fun and stay safe in the water.

A recent survey of Institute of Swimming members found that 96% of swimming teachers love their job. We see people from a range of backgrounds training to become swimming teachers and will provide you with all the tools you need to succeed.

What do you need to become a Swimming Teacher?

To become a fully qualified Swimming Teacher you will need an SEQ Level 1 and Level 2 Swimming Teacher qualification.

If you have no previous experience and are over 16 you can start your swimming career with the SEQ Level 1 Swimming Assistant (Teaching) course before completing the SEQ Level 2 Swimming Teacher qualification.

If you have previous work experience or wish to fast-track your career you can opt for the Combined SEQ Level 1 Swimming Assistant and Level 2 Teaching Swimming course.

Steps to becoming a Swimming Teacher

Step 1 – Research the profession

You can become a swimming teacher with little or no experience of teaching or swimming, your SEQ Level 1 and 2 Swimming Teacher qualifications can provide you with all the knowledge, skills and experience you need.

Once qualified a variety of career routes are open to you such as teaching preschool swimming, school swimming, coaching, swim coordinator or manager, owning your own swim school or specialist swimming teacher roles. The profession is ideal for a variety of people including students looking to fit in work around their studies.

Step 2 – Find an SEQ Level 1 Swimming Assistant course

The SEQ Level 1 Swimming Assistant (Teaching) course is the first step to becoming a swimming teacher and allows you to support a Level 2 Swimming Teacher. This course is endorsed by CIMSPA and can be completed through a mixture of e-learning/ online learning and practical pool sessions. Once qualified you can also gain 12 months free CIMSPA affiliate membership giving you access to further benefits.

Step 3 – Complete your SEQ Level 2 Swimming Teacher course

This course builds on the SEQ Level 1 Swimming Assistant (Teaching) qualification and gives you the skills to independently plan and deliver swimming lessons. In order to start your SEQ Level 2 Swimming Teacher course, you will need to be at least 16 years of age and hold the SEQ Level 1 Swimming Assistant (Teaching) qualification. CIMSPA endorses this course as meeting the requirements of the Swimming Teacher professional standards.

Step 4 – Get Insured

By getting insured you protect yourself against claims. Institute of Swimming Membership offers you support and helps to develop your teaching capabilities. Our industry-leading insurance offers up to £20 million of cover with free access to legal and employment advice, online learning and further support. By becoming a member of the Institute of Swimming you will qualify for letters after your name in recognition of your dedication to aquatics.

Step 5 – I’m a qualified Swimming Teacher… what’s next?

Find employment
Take a look at current Swimming Teacher job opportunities at Careers in Aquatics. Create a CV and approach companies for work opportunities – read about tips for writing your CV.
Develop your skills
You can develop your swimming teacher career by completing CPDs, accessing e-learning and free resources or completing a specialist course such as SEQ Level 2 Teaching Swimming to Babies and Toddlers or SEQ Level 3 Swim Coordinator.

Get supported

Join a Swimming Teacher Recruitment Academy

Become a swimming teacher for £79 and be matched with an employer to mentor and support you through your training.

Find out more

Apprenticeships

Institute of Swimming offer Leisure Team Member Apprenticeship and Leisure Duty Manager Apprenticeships. These apprenticeships allow you access to high-quality training whilst being employed in the leisure industry, kick-starting your career.

Find out more

The qualifications you will need

SEQ Level 1 Swimming Assistant (Teaching)

Develops your knowledge, skills and abilities as an assistant swimming teacher.

SEQ Level 2 Teaching Swimming

Builds on the SEQ Level 1 Swimming Assistant (Teaching) qualification, giving you the skills to independently deliver swimming lessons.

Combined SEQ Level 1 and Level 2 Teaching Swimming

This combined course enables anyone with experience supporting swimming lessons to complete the theoretical elements of both SEQ Level 1 and Level 2 Teaching Swimming qualifications side by side.

Search courses

Hear from other swimming teachers

Abu Bakr is a lifeguard turned swimming assistant, who has found teaching to be an incredibly fun job

Abu Bakr is a lifeguard turned swimming assistant, who has found teaching swimming to be an incredibly fun job. Here he talks with us about his journey from being a lifeguard, how swimming teaching fits with his studies, and the importance of representation. The change came at the perfect time as Abu Bakr started to focus on his studies. He says, "I started as a lifeguard, and I was watching the swimming lessons. I always thought that was

Habiba became a Swimming Teacher after learning to swim and falling in love with it

Habiba became a swimming teacher by chance. It wasn’t something she had been thinking of or planning, but she’s very pleased she did. Habiba says: “I started taking some swimming lessons as an adult to improve my stroke and technique, and slowly but surely I realised how much I enjoyed being in the water. It was my own swimming teacher that suggested I should think about training to become a swimming teacher. I was pregnant whilst

Teaching swimming has taken Carly from her local pool, to travelling the world

Carly Gates, TUI Academies Team Leader and Swim Coach has travelled the world with her swimming teacher qualifications. She started her career as a swimming assistant and lifeguard at her local leisure centre and now works for TUI where she can see the world, and help holidaymakers learn a life skill whilst having fun. "I first came to being a swimming teacher after working at my local leisure centre as a lifeguard," says Carly. "I had just

Bobbie Inspires Next Generation of Swimming Teachers

Bobbie, from Kent, has had a fantastic career in aquatics. Here she shares with us how she first embarked on her swimming career and what she hopes to achieve going forward. Bobbie has been working within the leisure sector for a decade. She says: “10 years is a long time to stick with any career these days, and the reason I have is that I simply love to teach swimming. I’m passionate about the benefits of being able to swim

Former forensic nurse breaks down culture barriers through teaching swimming

Vicki, 53, retrained as a swimming teacher in 2020 after deciding to leave her long-term career as a Forensic Mental Health Nurse for the NHS. The Institute of Swimming has caught up with Vicki to see how she is finding being a swimming teacher after training through the Institute of Swimming Recruitment Academy. Vicki says: “Swimming is my happy place. When I need to escape I always head to the water. I was

Catherine found swimming shaped her childhood, teens and future

Catherine, 18, has been announced as the Youth Volunteer of the Year at the Swim England National Awards. Catherine, originally from Leighton Buzzard, shares with us her volunteering journey and how her love of swimming has made a profound difference to her life. Catherine says: “Swimming has been such an important and constant in my life. I started learning to swim when I was three and joined the swimming club, Linslade

How to Become a Swimming Teacher