Chelmsford Fitness & Wellbeing Gym

Swimming Lessons at Chelmsford Fitness & Wellbeing Gym

Chelmsford gym offers swimming lessons for adult and children of all abilities — whether you're a gym member or not. Pricing and timetable shown at time of booking.

Book a swimming lesson

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Learn to swim at Chelmsford gym

Our friendly team of Instructors are all fully Swim England qualified and ready to start you on your swimming journey through the Swim England frameworks. We cater for everyone from babies of five months to senior citizens (it’s never too late to learn!)

We are dedicated to building your water confidence and developing essential aquatic skills, whether you are a nervous beginner or training for a triathlon we have it covered.

  • We offer a range of lessons for all ages and abilities including group lessons of up to six pupils and 1-to-1 or 1-to-2 options
  • All of our lessons are 30-minutes long
  • Our Swim School programme runs for 50 weeks of the year, with a two-week break in December
  • Lessons are open to non-members, with members enjoying a discount across the range of lessons
When the Swim School is running, the small pool is closed and adult lane swimming is reduced to two lanes in the main pool. See the timetable for details.


View our swimming timetable


Baby swimming lessons

Help your little one develop a valuable life skill with our baby swimming lessons. We offer adult and child lessons from five months to four years following the Swim England Discovery Duckling Scheme. Your child will gain water confidence and basic swimming skills through fun and play.

From three years old, your child can move through to the Duckling Scheme, developing their aquatic skills and independence in the water with the help of the instructor.

Kids swimming lessons

Children aged 4 and older can dive into the Swim England Learn to Swim Programme. Our experienced instructors will guide your child through the stages, from basic water confidence through to mastering all four strokes. 

Your child will also learn vital water safety skills while building their confidence and ability in the water. 

The Learn to Swim Programme is also offered as part of our 1-to-1 and 1-to-2 options.

Adult swimming lessons

Our adult swimming lessons are designed for everyone, regardless of skill level. Whether you're a beginner, want to feel more confident in the water, or wish to improve your technique. Following the Swim England Adult Swimming Framework we can teach you as part of small group lessons or on a 1-to-1 or 1-to-2 basis.

Private swimming lessons

We offer 1-to-1 and 1-to-2 lessons to all ages and abilities. These are ideal for nervous swimmers, or those who find group lessons too busy. Aside from the individual tuition, they also offer flexible timing, so are ideal for adults on shift work who are unable to commit to a regular day and time.

1-to-2 lessons are ideal for partners, siblings or friends of a similar ability. Lessons can be arranged with your instructor at mutually convenient times across the day around other timetabled activities.

FAQs

How much do swimming lessons cost at Chelmsford gym?

For pricing information, please visit the gym and speak to the team.

At what age can my child start swimming lessons?

Baby swimming lessons start from 5 months old, and kids' swimming lessons start at 3 years old.

How many swimming lessons are needed to learn how to swim?

Every child learns at a different pace. Typically, children aged 3 and older who take 30-minute lessons each week are able to swim confidently within about 12 months.

What should babies wear for swimming lessons?

  • A paper or reusable swim nappy
  • Swimsuit, swim set (i.e. shorts and long-sleeved vest) or wetsuit

Which strokes and skills are taught at Chelmsford gym?

We follow the Swim England Framework for children and adults, teaching the four main strokes: front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly.

General swimming lesson FAQs

  • Buying swimming lessons
    • How much do swimming lessons cost?

      We offer both private (1-to-1 or 2-to-1) and group swimming lessons. For detailed pricing, please speak to your local centre.

    • How can I purchase swimming lessons?

      The first step is to make an enquiry either in person at your local centre or via the online swim booking button on the swim pages of the site.

      All our lessons are now booked online and using a direct debit. Simply ask a member of the swim team for more information and they will be happy to guide you through the process.

    • Do I have to be a member of Nuffield Health to purchase swimming lessons?

      For the majority of our centres, swimming lessons are available to members and non-members. Ask at your local centre for information on any restrictions.

      The centres that do not offer lessons to non-members are: Baltimore Wharf, Barbican, Bridgend, Bristol North, Cannock, Chester, Chislehurst, Ealing, Friern Barnet, Gloucester, Kingston, Liverpool, Paddington, Surbiton, Warwick, Wolverhampton.

      In some of our centres our swim school is oversubscribed and as such you will need to be a member to participate in swimming lessons.

    • What happens once I have paid for my swim packs?

      You will receive an email confirming the times and days of your swimming lessons. You will also receive a link to follow to see the swimmer’s CoursePro Progress. You will be able to see your direct debit details and lessons through this portal once the initial payment has been made. You will also be able to see all criteria assessments for the stages booked.

    • Who carries out swimming lessons?

      Our experienced Swim England qualified instructors provide lessons in accordance with the Swim England Learn to Swim Programme Frameworks.

    • How do I arrange my lessons?

      Please arrange these with the Swim Manager at your local centre or click here to book online

    • How long is a swimming lesson?

      All of our swim lessons are 30 minutes in length except for our Squad group lessons which are 60 minutes in length.

    • What strokes and skills are covered in Nuffield Health's swimming lessons?

      We follow the Swim England Framework for both children and adults, teaching the four main strokes: front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly.

      You or your child will also pick up important skills like treading water, pushing off and gliding, diving, and submerging to retrieve objects from the bottom of the pool.

  • Cancellations and missing a lesson
    • What happens in events where lessons need to be cancelled?

      Teacher Absences - If a swimming teacher is absent, a qualified replacement will deliver the session. Refunds or credits will not be issued for lessons taught by a cover teacher. If a swimming teacher leaves Nuffield Health, another qualified teacher will take over the class. Refunds or credits will not be provided due to a change in instructor.

      Lesson Cancellations - If a lesson is cancelled by the club, a pro rata credit will be applied to your account and reflected in the following month’s Direct Debit payment.

      Non-Attendance: Any missed lessons—for any reason—will not be refunded, credited, or rescheduled. If we need to cancel a lesson and cannot offer a catch-up session, we will apply a credit toward your next payment. For closures on the day, the refund will be processed through.

    • What happens if I miss a lesson/s?

      Unless there is a medical reason for missing the lesson, you will lose a credit. If you need to miss lessons for a medical reason, please provide a medical exception letter to say that you are unable to swim and contact your local centre as soon as possible.

    • Can I cancel swim lessons purchased online via CoursePro or in-centre before the course or session starts?

      We run a continuous swim program. If for any reason, Nuffield Health needs to cancel a swimming lesson your/your child’s swimming lessons credit will not be affected. NB: in adverse weather conditions, where the centre remains open and scheduled lessons go ahead, credits will not be given to those who do not attend.

      However, if you are having private 1-to-1 or 2-to-1 swimming lessons you will be able to cancel before the session starts. You are responsible for providing adequate notice of any cancellation for private 1-to- or 2-to-1 lessons. Nuffield Health requires a minimum of 24 hours’ advance notice of cancellation and failure to provide this notice will result in a full deduction in your credits for the lesson(s) missed. NB: that a message left on an answer phone is not considered satisfactory notice.

    • Can I amend or change the time of my swimming lessons?

      We can change times and days on a permanent basis, but not on a weekly basis.

    • What happens if I get injured and can’t continue with my swimming lessons or course?

      We allow swim subscriptions to be frozen for full calendar months in cases of prolonged illness or injury, provided you submit appropriate medical documentation.

      We are unable to freeze payments for:

      • Absences of one week or less
      • Minor illnesses (e.g. colds, seasonal bugs)
      • Short-term holidays or personal commitments
      • School breaks or temporary preferences
      • Temporary personal health needs (e.g. menstruation)
    • When do my swimming lessons expire?

      All private lesson packs (1-to-1 and 2-to-1) have an expiry of 90-days. This means you can use your lessons for up to 90-days from purchase. However, if your lessons go past their expiry date and you have not used them within the 90-day window, then the lessons will be lost (barring medical or extenuating circumstances).

      For group lessons, are on a continuous course and run for 50 weeks of the year.

    • What happens to my lessons if I go past expiry?

      If your lessons go past the expiry date for the given pack and you have not used them, then the lessons will be lost.

    • Can I get a refund if I don’t like it?

      Nuffield Health Swim School does not provide refunds. Upon exceptional circumstances, credits may be issued. Credits may be issued upon the following proviso only; medical, in which medical documentation is provided.