A detailed explanation of the Shirley Pool Teaching Philosophy
The West End Way
A great deal of stroke tuition relies on on the pupil acquiring timing and skills through practice, supported by accurate and timely teaching points.
Try to avoid practicing movements that they cannot perform correctly. Learning motor skill is a problem solving, trial and error exercise for the body. The secret is to practice something the body CAN do not something it can’t.
Too much error can be so discouraging that any enthusiasm to learn can drain away.
Easily mastered basic skills become the springboard for more advanced skills.
The only way to make sense out of the wilderness of skill building is a step by step system of learning and practice that is organised to take the students through it. That is the West End Way.
The way that we teach children to swim at Shirley is different. Teaching methods have evolved over many years and we continue to strive for the most effective way to teach babies, children and adults to swim.
Take a look at the overview video
These are the current levels, click on the links for more details.
Parent & Baby – Divided by age, starting at six weeks
Under Fives – Three and four years without parent
Beginners in the small pool – School age non swimmers
Tadpoles – An introduction to the main pool and deep water
Backstroke – Reinforcing backstroke, simple front crawl and starting to dive
Front crawl – Progressing diving and “proper” front crawl
Breaststroke– Legs, then arms & timing
Butterfly– Advancing stroke technique and fly
Turtles – Four basic strokes mastered, extra space to practice advanced skills
Saints – Stretching stamina, developing competitive skill