New Learn to Swim programme features playful characters and game-based learning

Oldham Active (Oldham Community Leisure), the charitable trust that operates leisure facilities in the borough, including five swimming pools, has launched its own specialist Learn to Swim programme for children aged three and above.

The innovative programme, created by Oldham Active’s experienced Aquatics Brand Manager, Becca Thomas, has been designed to provide a fun and engaging environment for young people to learn how to swim, setting it apart from traditional swimming lessons. 

Oldham Active's exclusive Learn to Swim programme is available at Oldham Leisure Centre, Royton Leisure Centre, Chadderton Wellbeing Centre, Failsworth Sports Centre and Saddleworth Pool and Leisure Centre.

Becca said: "We're thrilled to launch our new Learn to Swim programme, which has been developed with the most up-to-date teaching techniques, placing a strong emphasis on water safety awareness and core fundamentals. 

"We have gone away from traditional teaching and focused more on a fun approach to swimming.

“Swimming is a life skill that is imperative to learn, but it is also an extra-curricular activity that children should love taking part in.

"Teaching children core skills through games is a way to develop the swimmer whilst keeping them engaged at all times. 

"We hope our learn-through-play programme will help children in Oldham feel more confident and comfortable in the water while ensuring their safety."

Oldham Active’s swimming programme has undergone a rainbow themed rebrand, and includes brand new fun and colourful water-based characters designed by Oldham Active’s Kath Mahon, Manager at Failsworth Leisure Centre.

Kath said: "I'm pleased with how the characters have turned out, and I really enjoyed working with Oldham Active’s Junior Health Champions to help select the character’s names; Casey the Crab, Sally the Starfish, Pedro the Pufferfish, Omar the Octopus, Sheldon the Shark, Destiny the Dolphin and Steve the Stingray.

"These fun characters will help create a fun and engaging environment for children to learn how to swim and celebrate their achievements."

Oldham Active has undertaken a campaign of training and upskilling local people to become swimming teachers, which has allowed the leisure group to expand its timetable, offering even more lessons each week.

Becca added: “We already teach 4,000 young people to swim each week, but investing in our existing teachers and upskilling local people to become swimming teachers has allowed us expand our capacity, meaning we are now taking on new enrolments.

"Children enrolled for our centres’ previous swim courses have been assessed by our team and will join at the equivalent stage of the new seven-level programme.”

For more information and to enroll your child, visit the Oldham Active website here

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