Top tips for swimming teachers returning to lessons post-lockdown

The Swim England Learn to Swim team have shared some top tips to support swimming teachers as they get back into lessons following the coronavirus lockdown.

Research conducted earlier this year found that thousands of parents have said they would be willing to take their children back to swimming lessons, with many having already returned as soon as pools reopened.

The recognised national governing body have produced guidance documents for both swimming lessons and school swimming in addition to these five top tips for teachers.

1. The first top tip is to keep that very first lesson back really simple. It could be overwhelming for both teachers and pupils coming back to an environment where there are so many changes. However, most importantly, enjoy being back on poolside.
2. Make sure you reassess your learners that first session back. They may have got better, they may have regressed during this absence from the water, so it’s really important to check where they’re at. Then you can plan your lessons moving forward to make sure they are right for your learners.
3. Consider spending some time on that first week back recapping safe entry and exits. With key safety points this will ensure your learners are ready to swim safely.
4. Start thinking about different organisation methods that can be used to keep swimmers engaged and moving while also keeping to social distancing.
5. Consider making lessons as fun and engaging as possible during the return to the pool. Help those learners fall back in love with swimming and remember why they were swimming before lockdown started. Think about what games, different activities and themes you can play to make lessons engaging while making sure everyone is still following whatever guidelines are in place at the time.

There are a number of resources available to help swimming teachers, such as the Swim England Expected Standards videos and the temporary lesson plan structures within the Covid-19 recovery toolkit.