Praise For Teachers’ Academy

Praise For Teachers' Academy

Leisure operators have praised the innovative Institute of Swimming’s Teachers’ Academy for helping them to recruit teachers of the highest calibre. More than 130 people have applied to join the pilot scheme of the Academy in London and Manchester since it was launched by the Institute of Swimming recently. It’s been created as almost 400,000 people could be missing out on swimming lessons due to a nationwide shortage of swimming teachers. Now leisure operators Everyone Active and Manchester-based Trafford Leisure have teamed up with the Institute of Swimming to ensure they appoint graduates of the Academy – highly-skilled teachers who are ready to hit the poolside running. The Academy gives people the chance to become a swimming teacher for only £50 and takes them through the Swim England Level 1 Swimming Assistant (Teaching) course and Level 2 Teaching Swimming Qualification. In between the courses, they will work with potential future employers to gain practical experience, benefit from CPDs to help them develop as well as getting expert advice and support from a mentor to ensure they have the necessary experience for the role.

Jacqui Tillman, Head of Swimming at Everyone Active, said: “It is not acceptable that children are missing out on the opportunity to learn a life-saving skill because of a shortage of teachers, and through our partnership we are determined to make the vocation more accessible. “With the Academy managing the search and recruitment of trainee teachers, operators will be able to dedicate more time to children’s swimming development. “The Academy provides the ideal mix of high-grade training and practical experience in an affordable package, giving operators peace of mind that the swim teachers they recruit can deliver safe, high-quality swim lessons to children of all abilities. “We hope that more teachers will realise their full potential and open up more opportunities for people to learn to swim.”