Aquatic Dolphins Swim School
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Swimming Lessons
Aquatic Dolphins Swim School
Russell Hill Road Thomas More Catholic School, Purley CR8 2XP
# Aquatic Dolphins Swim School
Aquatic Dolphins Swim School has been teaching swimming in the Purley area since 1986, now operating across multiple venues including Woldingham Girls School and the newly opened Oakhyrst Grange. They specialise in teaching children from age 3 upwards and adults, with a particular focus on making swimming accessible to everyone, including those with additional needs.
The school follows Swim England's Learn to Swim Framework, enabling pupils to work towards recognised badges and certificates that track their progress. Their teaching philosophy is fundamentally fun-based, designed to instil a genuine love of water rather than simply ticking boxes. They recognise that swimming is a critical life skill—addressing the fact that one in five UK adults cannot swim—and work towards the National Curriculum requirement of children swimming 25 metres before leaving primary school.
What sets them apart is their flexibility and personalised approach. Rather than rigid term structures, pupils can join at any time with fees calculated proportionately, and children progress to the next level as soon as they're ready rather than waiting for term breaks. They offer diverse lesson formats including parent-and-child sessions, group lessons for beginners, one-to-one tuition, and specialist SEN lessons.
The team's passion is genuine; they swim weekly themselves and embrace open water swimming in summer. Beyond basic water safety, they encourage pupils to see swimming as a gateway to numerous activities—from family holidays and snorkelling to water sports and fitness.
Aquatic Dolphins Swim School has been teaching swimming in the Purley area since 1986, now operating across multiple venues including Woldingham Girls School and the newly opened Oakhyrst Grange. They specialise in teaching children from age 3 upwards and adults, with a particular focus on making swimming accessible to everyone, including those with additional needs.
The school follows Swim England's Learn to Swim Framework, enabling pupils to work towards recognised badges and certificates that track their progress. Their teaching philosophy is fundamentally fun-based, designed to instil a genuine love of water rather than simply ticking boxes. They recognise that swimming is a critical life skill—addressing the fact that one in five UK adults cannot swim—and work towards the National Curriculum requirement of children swimming 25 metres before leaving primary school.
What sets them apart is their flexibility and personalised approach. Rather than rigid term structures, pupils can join at any time with fees calculated proportionately, and children progress to the next level as soon as they're ready rather than waiting for term breaks. They offer diverse lesson formats including parent-and-child sessions, group lessons for beginners, one-to-one tuition, and specialist SEN lessons.
The team's passion is genuine; they swim weekly themselves and embrace open water swimming in summer. Beyond basic water safety, they encourage pupils to see swimming as a gateway to numerous activities—from family holidays and snorkelling to water sports and fitness.
Services offered
Children's swimming lessons (age 3+)Adult swimming lessonsParent and child lessonsOne-to-one swimming tuitionTwo-to-one swimming tuitionSEN specialist lessonsAqua Zumba classesGroup beginner lessons