Swimming holiday courses

Our intensive holiday swimming courses will help toddlers and children in stages one to six improve their swimming skills.

Children in pool for swimming lesson

These short courses run during school holidays at Riverside Leisure Centre and South Woodham Ferrers Leisure Centre (SWFLC). Our swim instructors will help children perfect their swimming skills as toddlers or older.   

In small groups, children are gently guided through the key skills they need to swim safely and feel comfortable and confident in the water, under the watchful guidance of our swim instructor. Lessons are based on the ASA Learn to swim framework.

Stage 1

These sessions are for non-swimmers aged 4 and up. They include swimming aids and an assistant in the water.

  • Monday 30 March to Thursday 2 April 2026, 8.30am to 9am, £31.20
  • Monday 30 March to Thursday 2 April 2026, 9.30am to 10am, £31.20

Stage 2

These sessions are for children aged 4 and up. They must be able to swim 5m front and back without aids and there will be an assistant in the water.

  • Monday 30 March to Thursday 2 April 2026, 9am to 9.30am, £31.20

Stage 3

These sessions are for children aged 4 and up. They must be able to swim 10m front paddle and backcrawl or be in our Stage 3 weekly lessons.

  • Monday 30 March to Thursday 2 April 2026, 10am to 10.30am, £31.20

To book you course, you can call Riverside Leisure Centre on 01245 615062 or 01245 615050.

You will need an ourChelmsford card to book.

Discounts can only booked in person at our centres or by phone Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm and cannot be booked online. Please see our pre-course information page for full details.

  • For Riverside, all equipment is provided, so children will just need swimwear, swim hats and a towel.
  • Children must arrive swim ready and will be assessed on the first day. They may be moved to a different time slot to suit their swimming ability.
  • We will provide discs as buoyancy aids during our lessons. If your child wants to use arm bands, they can bring their own if they have them.
  • If you have not booked and paid for a session, you will not be able to attend.
  • Please arrive five minutes before your child's course is due to start.

Suitable for

Age 3
to age 15
Bring swimwear
Bring a towel

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You can report issues with the website using this form, which will go directly to the Web Team (and not to the leisure centre). The Web Team will be unable to deal with your enquiry if it is about an issue with the booking system.

(Please give the URL of the page, such as https://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/council-tax/bands-and-amounts/)

 

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