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Learn to Swim

Enrol / FAQ

LEARN A SKILL FOR LIFE.

Let us help you with your progress along the Aquatic Pathway! We have programs for everyone.

1) Enrolments are ongoing - If you are in the program, your lesson day and time remains active for as long as you and your child need. If the scheduled day or time no longer suits you, you can request a change via email. We may also suggest a change if your child advances to a higher level. In such cases, we will work with you to offer a day and time that is convenient for you.

2) We enrol from our online enrolment preference list - We keep our preference-list in a strict order of first-come-first-served. We try and accommodate all enquiries as best we can.

Learn to Swim

We are now taking Expressions of Interest for our LTS program. Complete your preferences using the form below and the Aquatic Team will be in contact when a spot is available.

Guardians Program

Enrolment preferences for the DKHAC Guardian Program are currently open. Complete your online preferences using the form below and the Aquatic Team will be in contact when a spot is available.

Fees and charges for the Aquatic Programs can be found here: Current Fees and Charges

Aquatic Program Forms

Below are the current DKHAC Aquatic Program forms:

Learn to Swim / Guardians Enrolment Form(PDF, 392KB)

Adult Learn to Swim Enrolment Form(PDF, 269KB)

Aquatic Programs Direct Debit Form(PDF, 132KB)

Program times

The DKHAC Aquatic Programs run throughout the year with breaks in the public-school holidays, see the Calendar for more details.

Weekday Morning Guardians Program

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
From 9:30am to 12:20am
30 minute lessons with 5 minute gaps between each class
Lesson start times 9:30am / 10:05am / 10:40am / 11:15am / 11:50am

Weekend Guardians Program

Saturday
From 8:15am to 12:45pm
30 minute lessons with 5 minute gaps between each class, plus a 30 minute break at 10:30am for our teachers
Lesson start times 8:15am / 8:50am / 9:25am / 10:00am / 10:35am 30 minute break / 11:05am / 11:40am / 12:15pm

Weekday After-School Learn To Swim Program

Monday to Thursday
From 3:45pm to 6:35pm
30 minute lessons with 5 minute gaps between each class
Lesson start times 3:45pm / 4:20pm / 4:55pm / 5:30pm / 6:05pm

Friday
From 3:10pm to 6:00pm
30 minute lessons with 5 minute gaps between each class
Lesson start times 3:10pm / 3:45pm / 4:20pm / 4:55pm / 5:30pm

Weekday Morning Discovery classes (small offering)
We have a very small number of positions available for Discovery level students during the week as part of the Guardian Program on Monday through Friday.

Saturday Learn to Swim Program

Saturday
From 8:15am to 12:45pm
30 minute lessons with 5 minute gaps between each class, plus a 30 minute break at 10:30am for our teachers
Lesson start times 8:15am / 8:50am / 9:25am / 10:00am / 10:35am 30 minute break / 11:05am / 11:40am / 12:15pm

Adult Aquatic Program

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
45 minute lesson from 6:45pm to 7:30pm

Pool Access

During the swim year:

2024: Tuesday Feb 12th 2024 to Saturday Dec 14th 2024

A swim school booking gives that person access to the DKHAC pools, subject to any restrictions in place at the time.

Where the swim school booking is for a child under the age of 6, this free access includes the responsible person access to the Centre and pool.
Where the swim school booking is for a child under the age of 11, this free access includes the responsible person access for supervision purposes.

Our Adult Swim Program gives free access to the DKHAC Pools (as per the LTS customers above) while you have an active and financial booking in the program.

Your access card needs to be presented at the front Customer Service Desk when accessing the pool. Should you lose your RFID access card and require a replacement, there is a standard $5.50 replacement fee.

NOTE - your booking in an Aquatic Program does not give you access to members change rooms or other member only areas.

Aquatic Program Absence Policy

Your booking fee secures the spot in the program, we only provide credit to your family account for illness or injury with a medical certificate.

We require an email from the Responsible Person to be sent to dkhac@hobartcity.com.au with supporting document attached, so that the DKHAC staff can process the credit.

We will accept medical certificates up to 14 days from the date of the missed lesson.

Cancellations

You can cancel your enrolment at any time. The Responsible Person needs to email us at dkhac@hobartcity.com.au requesting the cancellation 3 business days prior to the next direct debiting date, otherwise the account will be billed for the next period (no refunds available). You can check the direct debit dates on our Calendar.

Lesson payments

Setup a Direct Debit:

Fees are paid fortnightly direct from your account.
Should your account default, payment can be made in-person at the Customer Service desk or over the phone.
Find the current Direct Debit form here

Third child discount

There is a 25% discount for the third child onward from any single-family unit.

Private lessons

We offer 1:1 swimming sessions only to children that meet a basic assessment criteria through our Equal Access Program.

What to bring to your first lesson?

You are booked in and ready to go, but what things do you take to your first swimming session? A swimsuit and towel may both be obvious essentials, but here are a few suggestions of other things to take to your first swimming session to help ensure you have the best possible experience at the pool.

Things to take to your swimming sessions:

Swimwear. It is advisable when learning to swim to make sure swimwear is as close fitting as possible. If it is designed as a swim attire, then you should be good to go!
Towel and robe. A towel is essential for drying off after your swim, but if you are unsure about walking around the poolside in your swimwear, it is a good idea to bring a towelling robe to cover up and keep warm.
Swimming cap. Swimming caps are particularly useful for those with longer hair, as they not only keep the hair out of the face, but also will reduce ‘drag’ so make swimming that bit easier.
Goggles. Although not essential, wearing swimming goggles is highly recommended by swimming professionals for adults as it encourages better technique.
Flip flops or poolside shoes. You may not consider it one of the things to take with you but if you don’t fancy going barefoot, or have concerns about slipping on poolside, pack some flip flops for your walk from the changing rooms to the pool.
Water bottle. Swimming is a form of exercise. When you swim it’s important to keep hydrated. In a pool you won’t notice how much you sweat and therefore how much water you lose. Remember to bring a water bottle, keep it on the side of the pool and take regular sips throughout the session.

Levels

FIND YOUR LEVEL.

DKHAC's Learn to Swim program is designed to guide its participants along the aquatic pathway from water familiarisation to water confidence. We focus on the core aquatic skills and on developing an understanding of safety in and around the water.

This program is offered to children from ages 4 years and up.

Our levels are Discovery > Swim Prep Core > Swim Prep Skills > Swim 1 > Swim 2 > Swim 3

For parents that want to get involved with children under the age of 4 years, please see our Guardian Program.

Discovery
Pre-requisites:	Age - over 4 years Parents / Guardians are not in the water for this level, child needs to be able to be confident and independent in the water. Depth - in 25m pool, no exposure to deeper water without floatation.
Students per class:	3
Description:	Discovery is fundamental for learning foundational swimming skills, water safety and water survival within a supportive environment that encourages the independence of the child. The Discovery program guides children through fun and safe activities, gradually building upon their breathing, floating and movement skills, supporting the development of trust and learning through independent interaction with the instructor.
Experience in this level:	Safe entry and exit Get your face wet Float and recover without an aid Push and glide (no aid) Demonstrate a torpedo (no aid)

Swim-Prep CORE
Pre-requisites:	Skills - all Discovery level skills Depth - in 25m pool, some exposure to out-of-depth water
Students per class:	4
Description:	Swim-Prep further builds upon the child’s basic swimming skills, water safety, water survival and introduces basic rescue skills to the class. The Swim-Prep program has a supported focus on preparing the child for independent swimming lessons.
Experience in this level:	Independent float and recover, back and front (roll-over) Effective kick without an aid, back and front Basics of freestyle and backstroke Follow instruction in a class situation

Swim-Prep SKILLS
Pre-requisites:	Skills - all Swim-Prep-CORE level skills Depth - in 25m pool, some exposure to out-of-depth water
Students per class:	4
Description:	Swim-Prep SKILLS focuses on body position and breathing techniques - as well as introducing more advanced survival skills like sculling and survival backstroke.
Experience in this level:	Develop freestyle skills - side breathing, body position Develop backstroke skills - body position Introduce survival skills - survival backstroke, sculling

Swim-1
Pre-requisites:	Skills - all Swim-Prep level skills Depth - in 25m pool, some exposure to out-of-depth water
Students per class:	5
Description:	Swim-1 establishes the foundation for the strokes of Freestyle and Backstroke. There is an increased focus on water balance, sculling skills and developing the child’s understanding of how they move through the water. The Swim-1 program also continues to reinforce water safety and water survival, including limited exposure to out-of-depth water forming an essential component of this level.
Experience in this level:	12.5m freestyle with correct breathing 12.5m backstroke Demonstrate breaststroke and survival backstroke kicks Demonstrate dolphin kick

Swim-2
Pre-requisites:	Skills - all Swim-1 level skills Depth - lessons in the 25m pool with some possible exposure to deeper water throughout the term.
Students per class:	6
Description:	In Swim-2, Freestyle and Backstroke techniques are further developed and improved allowing for extended distances to be covered. We introduce the full survival strokes, serving as a basis for further development in Swim-3. The ongoing exposure to water safety and water survival continues, more focus on non-stroke based techniques like sculling.
Experience in this level:	25m freestyle with correct breathing, maintain technique 25m backstroke, maintain technique Demonstrate breaststroke and survival backstroke Introduce butterfly

Swim-3 Deep
Pre-requisites:	Skills - all Swim-2 level skills Depth - deep water, students must be able to complete 25m swim un-aided. Classes are held in the Dive Pool / 50m pool.
Students per class:	8
Description:	Swim-3 is all about extension. We extend distances again for Freestyle and Backstroke. The child is also introduced to the complete lifesaving survival strokes. The Swim-3 program helps the child to further develop an understanding of deep water and learning the skills to begin to safely operate out of their depth, all of which become a core tenet for this level. We touch on some competitive aspects of swimming like dives and turns, along with an introduction to basic survival and water safety practices.
Experience in this level:	Demonstrate deep water dive 50m freestyle, maintain technique 50m backstroke, maintain technique 25m breaststroke Demonstrate a variety of other survival strokes Tumble-turn Demonstrate butterfly Sequence: Safety Jump - tread water / scull 5 minutes - recover to edge

Guardians

SKILL-UP AND BECOME A GUARDIAN.

Our Guardian program is an adult-centric program, taught in the water with the parent / carer and child together. The parents’ participation is essential to their child's aquatic education, and the Guardian program allows for the development of skills, knowledge and confidence of both the child and parent through the delivery of water familiarisation, exploration and water safety skills, all within a supported environment.

For Guardians with babies 6 months to toddlers up to 3 years. We build water confidence and provide experiences to help the parents better understand some of the foundations that will give children a positive experience in the water (respecting the skills and limitations of each child).

For children over 3 years of age that want to continue their aquatic journey, we offer an optional Guardian-Discovery level where children can begin to explore independence with their Guardian in preparation for lessons with a teacher-only structure.

Guardian-1
Age Guide :	6 months to 24 months
Students per class:	6-8 (Guardians and children in the water)
Description:	In this age group, toddlers begin to independently explore a variety of aquatic experiences. Using their body more actively to pull with arms and to pump with their legs. Working on breath control and submersion when they are ready, the introduction to blowing bubbles, self holding and flotation with assistance, and assisted small jumps /glides. Skills taught in this level: - water familiarisation - introduction to submersion - assisted back and front flotation - vertical body rotation - kicks and pulls introduction - blowing bubbles introduction - assisted self holding

Guardian-2
Age Guide :	24 months to 3 years
Students per class:	6-8 (Guardians and children in the water)
Description:	In this age group, toddlers start to develop some independence. More effective pulls and kicks. Working on breath control and submersion, self holding and flotation. Skills taught in this level: - back and front flotation - vertical body rotation - kicks and pulls - blowing bubbles - self holding

Guardian-Discovery
Age Guide :	Over 3 years
Students per class:	6-8 (Guardians and children in the water)
Description:	This is the last level of guardians and children in the water together ... the Guardians are guided by teachers to encourage their kids to build confidence and independence through fun activities designed to develop skills and be aware of safety. The ultimate aim here is to build the bridge for the next step on the child's aquatic journey, being in a class on their own. This is an new optional level keeping adults and children in the water together while extending skills and building confidence. The aim of this level is to gently prepare kids for independent lessons. In this level parents and teachers work together to lead and encourage the kids to be independent and follow instructors in the water. Skills taught in this level: - Independently enter and exit the water safely - Get your face wet by yourself - Independent float and recover with aid - Independent kick with an aid

Equal Access

SWIMMING IS FOR EVERYONE.

The Equal Access Program consists of specialised swimming lessons created to best support the learning and development of children with disabilities and neurological differences.

Classes are available in 1 on 1 or small group lessons sizes, allowing for skills and techniques to be approached by individual’s own strengths and communication styles.

The Equal Access program has more of a focus on water safety, familiarity and confidence building - but we always customise the program to suit the individual.

Lessons are taken by teachers with experience and training with children with disabilities and neurological differences in aquatic environments.

Enrolment

Open to all children and teenagers with any form of disability or neurological difference between the ages of 5-16. To start the enrolment process, fill in our online form here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/equalaccess

Pricing

The Equal Access Program is now the exact same as the Learn to Swim program, with concession rates available. More information can be found at: www.hobartaquaticcentre.com.au/About-us/Fees-and-Charges#section-4

DKHAC do not provide private lessons outside of this offering.

Adults

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN.

Our Adult Swim program is aimed to provide an introduction to the swimming environment, learning basic swimming skills and developing water confidence.

The program aims to give a clear and accessible pathway for those community members that have previously experienced barriers to starting their aquatic journey, as well as a progression through to independent swimming. The classes build water awareness, confidence, skills and knowledge.

The sessions have been developed to guide the participants on the path to becoming an active and safer swimmer and increase the opportunities for individuals to safely participate in water-based recreation and sport.

Available to all Tasmanian community members aged 16 years and over, the Adult Swim Program is subject to availability.

This program requires a direct debit payment to be setup, payment is fortnightly in advance.

To register your interest in the Adult Program, please complete the preferences form below.

Program Levels

LEVEL 1: Adult Beginners – Session Duration: 45 minutes – max 4 students.

Our beginning level is appropriate for persons with no previous understanding or exposure to water.

Description: Adult Beginners is a multi-faceted program that provides adults with fully supervised water access. This program is designed as an entry point for adults who have never been in, or have had minimal contact with water during their life. This program will enable all participants to have a basic understanding of water-based activity and familiarisation. We move through towards unsupported entry and basic water-based competency. By the end of this level, participants will be at the stage where they can adapt to confidently negotiate and navigate water from zero depth to a depth of comfortable manageability, including submersion.

LEVEL 2: Adult Intermediate – Session Duration: 45 minutes – max 6 students.

The next step in your aquatic journey involves getting more comfortable in the water and starting to learn skills required for swimming by yourself.

Description: Intermediate is working on skill development pre and post submersion. This program incorporates aquatic breathing, submersion for objects, jump or stride entry, dive entry, and basic survival techniques. Pending the participant’s progression, considerations will be made to incorporate stroke instruction.

Note, we split this level into two based upon swim distance:

Level Intermediate-A: aiming to swim 12.5 metres independently
Level Intermediate-B: aiming to increase distance to swim 25 metres independently

LEVEL 3: Adult Advanced – Session Duration: 45 minutes – max 8 students.

Our final swim level starts to build your confidence in your aquatic skills, extend your distance and broaden your understanding of the aquatic environment.

Description: Stroke correction, distance improvements, building efficiency and effectiveness of strokes.

Ticket to Play

Ticket to Play is a Tasmanian Government initiative designed to reduce the cost of sport and active recreation membership and/or registration for eligible children.

Ticket to Play provides two vouchers worth up to $100 each towards swimming lesson fees for children aged 5-18 years who are listed on a Services Australia Health Care or Pensioner Concession Card or are in Out of Home Care. Vouchers can be used at two different activity providers, or both can be used at one activity provider.

The key objective of Ticket to Play is to increase the number of young Tasmanians participating in sport and active recreation.

Website:https://www.tickettoplay.tas.gov.au/

Who is eligible for a voucher?

Applicants must be:

aged between 5 and 18 years old at the time of application; and
listed on a valid Services Australia Health Care or Pensioner Concession Card (either their own or their parent, guardian or carer’s) or be in Out of Home Care

Special consideration may apply if the child is aged 5 to 18 years, is a resident in Tasmania and meets the following criteria:

the child/family is a temporary or provisional visa holder, undocumented migrant or international student.

What can I use a voucher for?

DKHAC Aquatic Programs are listed as an approved activity provider.

What is the process to apply the vouchers for the DKHAC Aquatic Programs?

Go to the Ticket to Play website: https://www.tickettoplay.tas.gov.au/
Apply for a voucher
When you receive your voucher from Ticket to Play, email it to dkhac@hobartcity.com.au with your Child's full name and Date of Birth
You will be contacted by email when the voucher has been redeemed.

Calendar

CALENDAR FOR 2024.

Download our Learn to Swim calendar to put on your fridge.

LTS-Calendar-2024.pdf(PDF, 353KB)

Are you interested in becoming a swimming teacher? Click here to see the current opportunities at DKHAC.

DKHAC Learn to Swim is a member of the Australian Swim Schools Association.

dkhac@hobartcity.com.au
(03) 6222 6999

Australian Swim Schools