Changing rooms – There are male and female changing rooms at each venue. Parents and children over 8 years must use their own gender changing rooms, i.e. no dads in the girls, no mums in the boys.

Swimwear – Boys are requested to wear close-fitting shorts that finish above the knee. It’s harder and more tiring to swim in long, loose clothing and also difficult for teachers to see correct leg actions. Girls are requested to wear costumes or two-piece swimwear. All jewellery must be removed before lessons.

Hats – All swimmers must wear a swimming hat. At Bromley High School, swimmers are asked to wear the colour assigned to the class level they’re in. These are available to buy on poolside. If you forget a hat you can borrow one. Please ensure hats are on before the start of the lesson, and borrowed ones are returned to us.

Goggles – Most swimmers benefit from a good-quality pair of ‘all in one’ goggles, preferably with un-coloured or pale lenses. Look particularly at the way the eye pieces fit into the nose, and that they are not too wide for the face. Encourage children to wear straps high on their heads (not around the back of the neck), and ensure the eyepieces don’t overlap any part of the swimming hat.

Punctuality and attendance – Please make every effort to arrive at your lesson on time. The first five minutes are often key to the progress made during the lesson. Arriving late also holds up and disrupts the lesson for others. We know it can sometimes be difficult to make a lesson, but regular poor attendance slows progress.