SwimWay Autumn Term 2024: Instructor & First Aid Training

By Kirsty McLauchlan

At SwimWay, our top priorities are delivering high-quality swimming lessons and maintaining rigorous safety standards. To ensure this, we hold quarterly meetings dedicated to Instructor and First Aid Training.

A Warm Welcome to the New Term

Dan Pastor, the founder of SwimWay, kicked off our Autumn Term 2024 meeting by welcoming both new and returning instructors. It was a great start to the term, setting the tone for a season of growth and learning.

We thrilled our team by welcoming guest speaker and early-age specialist, Chantal Barle. She gave a presentation on The Importance of First Impressions. Chantal delivered an engaging session on building strong relationships with both parents and children. She shared her own experience of having her child learn to swim with SwimWay. Her insights reinforced the importance of trust, communication, and word-of-mouth marketing.

A standout takeaway from Chantal’s talk was: “First impressions set the tone for long-term success.” She also highlighted that the most impactful form of marketing is word of mouth, which is central to SwimWay’s success.

Instructor Engagement and Reflection

Our instructors participated in an exercise, writing three words that best describe them as swimming teachers. One word that resonated with everyone came from instructor and photographer Jordana Barale—Active Listener. This perfectly captures SwimWay’s commitment to attentively listening to clients, parents, and children. Thus ensuring we tailor our lessons to each individual’s needs.

Building trust and rapport with both students and their families is central to our approach. We maintain strong communication by providing regular feedback. This is done both in person and online via Course Pro, keeping parents informed of their child’s progress.

Exciting Updates for Autumn Term

Dan also announced several exciting new initiatives:

• • Aqua Aerobic Classes at Kew Gardens: We’re excited to launch our new Aqua Aerobics classes at the Kew Gardens venue, starting with a free trial session on September 18th.

• • New Group Lessons at Sheen Mount: Group lessons are now available on Mondays and Wednesdays at Sheen Mount pool, offering a new opportunity for children to develop their swimming skills.

• • Parent & Baby Lessons: Expanded weekend classes are now available at Kew Gardens, Gordon Avenue, and Wimbledon.

• • Online Bookings: We have been working hard for a number of years to provide this much-needed service for our clients, and will be introducing an entirely new system in the latter-half of 2025. Until then, we have introduced a basic online bookings functionality with our current system which will be available outside of our booking periods.

• • Summer 2025 Multi-Sports Camps: Looking ahead, we’ll be launching new Summer Swimming Multi-Sports Camps, which will combine swimming with other fun activities to create a well-rounded summer experience for children.

First Aid Training

We wrapped up the meeting with our crucial First Aid Training session. This was led by David Ashton, one of our highly qualified instructors and First Aid specialists. David made the learning experience both informative and engaging. He walked us through essential skills like CPR, safety breaths, and wound care for babies, children, and adults. He was joined by lifeguard Rufus Henderson, who provided valuable insights into real-world emergency scenarios and the best ways to handle them.

This hands-on practice ensures our instructors are not only skilled in teaching swimming but also equipped to handle potential emergencies in a calm, confident manner.

At SwimWay, we are committed to continuously improving our services to ensure the highest quality swimming lessons in a safe and supportive environment. With our regular instructor and first aid training, alongside exciting new class offerings this term, we’re ready for another successful season. Stay tuned for more updates, and we look forward to seeing you at the pool!