Stingrays Swim School gives children lifelong swimming skills and helps them develop confidence and a love of being in the water through our unique, enjoyable and effective teaching programme.
The Swim School is part of Salisbury Stingrays Swimming Club, a charitable organisation dedicated to promoting and developing aquatic activities.
We operate on a non-profit basis. Income from lesson fees is used to meet the costs of pool hire, teaching staff and equipment, and to support the continuing development of the Swim School for our members.
Swim School Summer Break
Our Swim School is now taking a break for the summer holidays. Lessons will restart in September.
If you're thinking of joining Salisbury Stingrays, we'd still love to hear from you. We'll continue to respond to enquiries throughout the summer, although replies may take a little longer than usual while our team is away on holiday. In the meantime, you can view the dates for the upcoming term using the button below.
Aims and objectives
Our programme focuses on teaching one stroke at a time. This allows children to master the fundamental movements and techniques of each stroke before progressing to the next.
We aim to provide enjoyable, progressive lessons which develop water confidence, safety, swimming technique and stamina.
Our goal is to help every swimmer reach the standard needed to continue along the Club’s swimming pathways, whether they choose competitive swimming or simply want to become a confident and capable swimmer.
Age range
Boys and girls aged approximately 4 to 12 years.
Lesson duration
30-minute beginner and intermediate lessons, and 60-minute advanced lessons.
Lesson days
Lessons take place on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
Venues
Five Rivers Leisure Centre and Godolphin School in Salisbury.
When and where
Five Rivers Leisure Centre
Sunday evenings
Lessons run between 5:00pm and 7:00pm.
Godolphin School
Tuesday and Thursday evenings
Lessons run between 6:10pm and 7:10pm.
Swim School framework
Our unique Swim School framework has five progressive stages. Each stage has a different focus, allowing swimmers to build their skills and confidence gradually.
White Rays
White Rays introduces young swimmers to the water and helps them develop confidence, water safety skills and the basic movements needed for swimming.
Red Rays
Red Rays focuses on developing effective backstroke technique while continuing to build water confidence, balance and control.
Green Rays
Green Rays develops front crawl technique, including body position, breathing, leg action and coordinated arm movements.
Black Rays
Black Rays focuses on mastering breaststroke while continuing to improve previously learned strokes, stamina and overall swimming ability.
Pre-Competitive
Our advanced 60-minute lessons introduce and develop butterfly, racing starts, turns, diving and the skills swimmers need to progress towards squad swimming.
Pre-Competitive lessons are suitable for children who may wish to continue into competitive swimming, as well as swimmers who want to keep developing their technique and fitness without competing.
How our programme works
- Each swimming stroke is broken down into manageable phases to make learning and teaching more effective.
- Previously learned strokes and techniques are reinforced through engaging warm-ups and contrasting activities, helping swimmers move smoothly through the programme.
- Children learn effectively through repetition. Repeated practice reinforces new skills until the movements become more natural and automatic.
- Swimmers can earn a range of badges during each stage, recognising their swimming skills, distances and diving achievements.
- Our teachers are normally in the water during 30-minute lessons, allowing them to support swimmers closely and help them practise each movement correctly.
- Consistent terminology and teaching methods are used throughout the programme, supporting a smooth transition between classes and teachers.
- We invest in the continuing development of our teachers throughout the year, helping them maintain the high standards and enthusiasm of which we are proud.
- Our teachers work with children and their families to overcome fears or anxieties, helping every swimmer develop confidence and discover a love of the water.
- Wherever possible, swimmers keep the same teacher throughout a term and stage.
- When a teacher is unavailable through illness or another unavoidable absence, another suitably qualified Stingrays teacher may teach the lesson.
- After successfully completing the Rays stages, swimmers can progress to our Pre-Competitive lessons.
Meet the Swim School Manager
James Mansfield
Swim School Manager
A fully qualified pool lifeguard, swim teacher and coach, James is a Salisbury Stingrays squad coach and now also manages our swim school. He progressed through the club’s competitive squads and has also been an active member of our Masters squad. Alongside his work with Stingrays, James has gained extensive teaching experience with other organisations. Having always taught and coached with Stingrays, he knows our club well and understands our values.
Interested in swimming lessons?
Contact the Swim School for more information about our teaching programme, lesson availability and how to join.