Policies & Frequently Asked Questions

At Southern Swim School, we highly recommend and encourage two lessons per week to maximise skill acquisition, confidence and learning outcomes.

We value and promote parents’ expectations of lessons to be high, however we also strongly believe that commitment to consistent and quality swimming lessons will ensure that expectations are not only met but exceeded. With this commitment to swimming, we are extremely confident in promising that your child will be capable of swimming independently at a very young age, and that the skills and techniques acquired in our program will allow quicker progression through our levels. This will also result in your swimmers maintaining their motivation to achieve.

If your child enrols in one lesson per week the current pricing is $25/lesson including GST.

If your child enrols in two lessons per week, the second class is 30% off, so total pricing per week is $42.50 including GST.

Private lesson current pricing is $74.50/lesson including GST.

15 minute Private Lesson current pricing is $38/lesson including GST.

Additional needs 1-1 Private Lesson current pricing is $42/lesson including GST.

Semi Private lesson (Same family members) current pricing is $43.50 per child /lesson including GST.

Contact us for further information about pricing. Prices are subject to change over time.

Our Learn to Swim Program operates perpetually. We will close for 3 weeks over the Christmas/New Year period and 2 weeks in July(for maintainence). Lessons year round are the best way to ensure consistency and continual progression for your children.  

Learn to Swim Classes operate as a monthly block, and lessons are charged on a pro rata basis. This means that you will only be charged for the number of lessons assigned by the calendar in the monthly block.  

If you begin classes after the first lesson of the month, your first months’ fees will be calculated on a prorated basis, and this initial payment will be taken as an upfront, over the counter payment.

Enrolments are possible after the commencement of the month but are dependent on availability.  

All new students who are over the age of 3 and can swim completely independently without the use of flotation aids require an assessment prior to enrolment.

2 lessons per week is highly recommended for the best and fastest learning outcomes.  

Our Make-Up Policy:

We offer unlimited make-up tokens, valid for 365 days.

To qualify for a make-up token, your attendance must be cancelled at least 2hrs prior to the start time of your scheduled class through your Customer Portal or app. We do not accept notifications via phone or email.

Your make-up token will be available after your scheduled class and will expire 365 days from your scheduled class date.

Make-up tokens can be redeemed on a self-serve basis by your customer portal or app. We do not accept bookings of make-ups via phone or email.

Make-up lessons can be booked a maximum of three days in advance from the class that you would like to attend and are strictly subject to availability. We will not overbook a class to accomodate a make-up.

Make-up lessons can only be booked into the appropriate swim level, any recent level changes will be reflected in your search.

Make-up lessons are a service that we offer to our current customers. Make-up tokens are not available for use after withdrawal from Southern Swim School. Make-up lessons cannot be exchanged for cash, credit or any other benefit. Unused make-up tokens will not be refunded.

Private lessons will qualify for make-up classes in group lessons only.

Additional needs private lessons, with children who are unable to participate in a group class, will be catered for on an individual basis.

We are open 7 days a week

Monday-Friday 6:30am-7pm

Saturday & Sunday 7am-12:30pm

Please dress your children in appropriate swimwear. As the pool is beautifully warm, we do not encourage rash vests or board shorts to be worn in classes. These can hinder swimming skills being performed correctly 

All children under the age of 3 (or any who are not completely toilet trained), are 

required to wear a disposable swimming nappy, with a reusable swim nappy over the 

top to secure this. We sell these products in our Centre at our Reception desk. 

Goggles are a vital teaching aid at various stages of the learning process. We sell a 

great range at the reception desk. Our lessons do include frequent goggle free activities. 

The wearing of swimming caps is compulsory for all children in our Turtles level and above. Swimming caps keep hair out of the mouth and eyes. They also help enormously with filtration and therefore pool cleanliness. Lastly, they really assist our 

teachers in instructing your children.  

In our program, children who are consistent and are swimming once per week may be in the same level for approximately 12 months or at least 60 lessons. Children who are swimming twice per week consistanltey may be in the same level for approximately 8 months or at least 40 lessons. This does differ from child to child and some children will progress slower and some children will progress quicker. There are particular levels that children progress through slower than others as well.  

Crying during swimming lessons can occur for several reasons. Crying can be due to be due to separation, finding a new level/skill too challenging, or having an off week (we all have off days when we just don't want to do something.) If your child is new generally it will take up to 4 or 5 lessons for them to settle in. It is extremely important to stay consistent and positive about swimming lessons at this point. There have been even the most unsettled children come out the other end because their parents have stayed committed.  

Separation anxiety may begin as early as 6 months old and last until your child is 3 years old. It most frequently develops between 8 and 12 months and peaks between 12 and 24 months. This peak in separation anxiety usually occurs when your child is nearly ready to progress from a starfish class to turtles class without a parent in the water. Some children may become clingy/upset in lessons around this age. It is important to understand that this is not related to your child becoming fearful of the water or disliking lessons, it is purely because of this peak in separation anxiety. It is important to stay consistent and remain calm to ensure we push through this little regression, so our kids come out the other side.  

Swimming without goggles is an essential part of a child’s swimming journey. It is incredibly important to ensure all children are relaxed and comfortable getting their eyes wet in case they ever fell into a pool.