Learning to swim is one of the most important life skills there is — and at Impulse Leisure, our iSwim programme is designed to help swimmers of all ages and abilities build confidence, develop technique and progress at their own pace.
Our lessons are available across Belhus Park, Blackshots and Corringham, with sessions for babies, children and adults. Whether you’re taking your first strokes or refining your technique for competitive swimming, our friendly team of qualified instructors are here to support you every step of the way. All lessons follow the Swim England Swimming standard, ensuring a consistent, structured pathway for every swimmer.
Our Swimming Lessons
Baby & Toddler Lessons
Introduce your little one to the water in a fun, relaxed and supportive environment. Our baby and toddler sessions use songs and games to gently build water confidence — all with adult support throughout. Available for children aged 3 months to 4 years.
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Our Swimming Lesson Stages
Learning to swim is a journey, and every stage builds the skills and confidence for the next. Our lessons follow the Swim England Learn to Swim Framework, giving your child clear goals to work towards as they progress.
Stages 1–7: Building the Foundations
These 30-minute lessons form the core syllabus for primary school aged children. Each stage has its own set of targets, so your child always knows what they’re working towards next. It’s swimming made simple, one step at a time. Read what is involved in each stage below.
By completing the Learn to Swim Stage 1 Award, swimmers will be able to:
- Enter the water safely.
- Move forward for a distance of 5 metres.
- Move backwards for a distance of 5 metres.
- Move sideways for a distance of 5 metres.
- Scoop the water and wash the face.
- Be comfortable with water showered from overhead.
- Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing.
- Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing.
- Push and glide in a flat position on the front from a wall.
- Push and glide in a flat position on the back from a wall.
- Give examples of two pool rules.
- Exit the water safely.
By completing the Learn to Swim Stage 2 Award, swimmers will be able to:
- Jump in from poolside safely.
- Blow bubbles a minimum of three times rhythmically, with nose and mouth submerged.
- Move from a flat floating position on the back and return to standing without support.
- Move from a flat floating position on the front and return to standing without support.
- Push from a wall and glide on the back – arms can be by the side or above the head.
- Push from a wall and glide on the front with arms extended.
- Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the back for 10 metres, without the use of floatation equipment.
- Travel using a recognised leg action with feet off the pool floor on the front for 10 metres, without the use of floatation equipment.
- Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the front, to a back floating position, then return to standing.
- Perform a tuck to rotate from a flat floating position on the back, to a front floating position, then return to standing.
- Perform a log roll from the back to the front.
- Perform a log roll from the front to the back.
- Exit the water without support.
By completing the Learn to Swim Stage 3 Award, swimmers will be able to:
- Jump in from poolside and submerge.
- Sink, push away from wall and maintain a streamlined position.
- Push and glide on the front with arms extended and log roll onto the back.
- Push and glide on the back with arms extended and log roll onto the front.
- Travel 5 metres on the front, perform a tuck to rotate onto the back and return on the back.
- Fully submerge to pick up an object.
- Correctly identify three of the four key water safety messages.*
- Push and glide and travel 15 metres on the back.
- Push and glide and travel 15 metres on the front.
- Perform a tuck float and hold for three seconds.
- Exit the water without using steps.
*The four key water safety messages include:
- Always swim in a safe place.
- Always swim with an adult.
- If you fall in, float, breathe, relax.
- If someone else in trouble, call 999/112.
By completing the Learn to Swim Stage 4 Award, swimmers will be able to:
- Perform a sequence of changing shapes (minimum of three) whilst floating on the surface and demonstrate an understanding of floating.
- Push and glide from the wall towards the pool floor.
- Kick 10 metres backstroke (one item of equipment optional).
- Kick 10 metres front crawl (one item of equipment optional).
- Kick 10 metres butterfly on the front or on the back.
- Kick 10 metres breaststroke on the front (one item of equipment optional).
- Perform a head first sculling action for 5 metres in a flat position on the back.
- Travel on back and log roll in one continuous movement onto front.
- Travel on front and log roll in one continuous movement onto back.
- Push and glide and swim 20 metres, choice of stroke is optional.
By completing the Learn to Swim Stage 5 Award, swimmers will be able to:
- Perform a flat stationary scull on the back.
- Perform a feet first sculling action for 5 metres in a flat position on the back.
- Perform a sculling sequence with a partner for 30-45 seconds to include a rotation.
- Tread water for 30 seconds.
- Perform three different shaped jumps into deep water.
- Push and glide and swim 25 metres backstroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Push and glide and swim 25 metres front crawl (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Push and glide and swim 15 metres breaststroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Push and glide and swim 10 metres butterfly (performed to
- Swim England expected standards).
- Perform a handstand and hold for a minimum of three seconds.
- Perform a forward somersault.
Demonstrate an action for getting help.
By completing the Learn to Swim Stage 6 Award, swimmers will be able to:.
- Give two examples of how to prepare for exercise and understand why it is important.
- Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into backstroke.
- Sink, push off on side from the wall, glide, kick and rotate into front crawl.
- Swim 10 metres wearing clothes.
- Push and glide and swim front crawl to include at least six rhythmical breaths.
- Push and glide and swim breaststroke to include at least six rhythmical breaths.
- Push and glide and swim butterfly to include at least three rhythmical breaths.
- Push and glide and swim backstroke to include at least six regular breaths.
- Push and glide and swim 50 metres, choice of stroke is optional (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Perform a ‘shout and signal’ rescue.
- Perform a surface dive.
By completing the Learn to Swim Stage 7 Award, swimmers will be able to:
- Push and glide and swim 25 metres backstroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Push and glide and swim 25 metres front crawl (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Push and glide and swim 25 metres breaststroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Push and glide and swim 25 metres butterfly (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Perform a movement sequence (linking skills with strokes and sculls) of one minute duration, in a group of three or more, incorporating a number of the following skills:
Sculling: head first, feet first
Rotation: forward or backward somersault, log roll
Floating: star on the front or on the back, tuck float, create own
Eggbeater: Moving, lifting one or both arms out of the water - Perform a sitting dive or dive.
- Push and glide and swim 100 metres continuously using one stroke (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Push and glide and swim 200 metres, using a minimum of three different strokes (performed to Swim England expected standards).
- Tread water using eggbeater action for 30 seconds.
- Complete an obstacle course (using minimum of four objects) with feet off the pool floor throughout.
Stages 8-10: Taking It Further
Ready for more? Our 60-minute lessons introduce the world of competitive swimming, helping your child sharpen specific skills and refine their technique. Perfect for young swimmers who want to push themselves further.
By completing this Award you will be able to:
- Complete a set lasting 400 metres (e.g. 16 x 25 metres, 8 x 50 metres, 4 x 100 metres) on a specific turnaround time agreed by the teacher or coach (e.g. 1 minute for each 25 metres) with a focus on stroke technique and consistency.
- Swim 400 metres continuously using one stroke.
- Push and streamline then kick 25 metres backstroke with or without using a board.
- Push and streamline then kick 25 metres breaststroke with or without using a board.
- Push and streamline then kick 25 metres butterfly without using a board.
- Push and streamline then kick 25 metres front crawl with or without using a board.
- Perform a backstroke turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.
- Perform a breaststroke turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.
- Perform a butterfly turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.
- Perform a front crawl turn from 10 metres in to 15 metres out.
- Perform a dive track or grab start, and kick butterfly underwater in a streamlined position for 5 metres with the focus on progressing it to 10 metres.
By completing this Award you will be able to:
- Complete a set lasting 800 metres (either 16 x 50 metres, 8 x 100 metres, 4 x 200 metres) on a specific turnaround time agreed by the teacher or coach (e.g. 90 seconds for 50 metres) with a focus on stroke technique and consistency.
- Swim 800 metres continuously using one stroke.
- Swim a continuous 100 metre individual medley (4 x 25 metres) using recognised turns with a focus on stroke technique and consistency.
- Perform a 15 metre underwater kick on front from a push and glide in a streamlined position.
- Perform a backstroke start then butterfly kick in a streamlined position underwater up to a maximum of 15 metres from the start point (wall). Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.*
- Perform a front crawl start then kick in a streamlined position underwater up to a maximum of 15 metres from the start point (wall). Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.*
- Perform a butterfly start then kick in a streamlined position up to a maximum of 15 metres from the start point (wall). Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.*
- Perform a breaststroke start then perform a one and a half pull underwater. Transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25 metres.
By completing this Award you will be able to:
- Complete a set lasting 1600 metres (either 16 x 100 metres, 8 x 200 metres, 4 x 400 metres) on a specific timed turnaround set by the teacher or coach (e.g. 2.30 minutes for 100 metres), focus on stroke technique and consistency.
- Swim 1500 metres continuously using one stroke.
- Perform a continuous 100 metre individual medley kick (4 x 25 metres) without using a kick board.
- Swim a continuous 200 metre individual medley (4 x 50 metres) using recognised turns.
- Perform a front crawl relay take over – as an incoming swimmer.
- Perform a front crawl relay take over – as an outgoing swimmer.
