Yes. It is essential that you book your swimming lessons in advance, as spaces are limited and demand is high. We recommend securing your place as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

To book swimming lessons, visit our Book Swimming Lessons page. You'll be guided through a few quick and simple questions to help us identify the most appropriate swimming level for you or your child.

Once the assessment is complete, you will be taken to our online booking system where you can view available lessons, choose a suitable day and time, and complete your booking.

Children can begin their swimming journey from as young as 4 months old through our Adult and Child swimming lessons.

These parent or guardian-assisted classes are designed to introduce babies and young children to the water in a safe, supportive and fun environment, helping to build water confidence and develop key aquatic skills from an early age.

As your child progresses, they can move through our structured Swim School programme, developing their confidence, technique and water safety skills at every stage.

Please bring suitable swimwear for each lesson.

For younger swimmers, please bring any approved swim aids or armbands that may be required, particularly for supporting confidence in the water.

If your child requires a swim nappy, please ensure they arrive wearing one before entering the pool. We kindly ask that all used swim nappies are disposed of in the designated nappy bins provided within the changing areas.

Don't forget to bring a towel and any toiletries you may need after your lesson.

Please use the Leisure Pool changing rooms for Adult & Child lessons.

Our changing areas provide a range of individual and family cubicles within our communal changing facilities to help make your visit as comfortable as possible.

To help keep our facilities clean, please wear the blue shoe covers provided when entering the changing rooms with outdoor footwear. If you are attending with a young child, please use the designated nappy bins provided.

Please do not use the dry changing rooms for swimming lessons, as these areas are not designed for wet changing and are intended for use by other facility customers.

Thank you for helping us maintain a clean, safe and welcoming environment for all visitors.

This Guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits.

If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit Colchester City Council t/a Leisure World Colchester will notify you 10 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request Colchester City Council t/a Leisure World Colchester to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request.

If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by Colchester City Council t/a Leisure World Colchester or your bank or building society, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society.

If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when Colchester City Council t/a Leisure World Colchester asks you to.

You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.

Swimming lessons do not take place during scheduled holiday breaks. Details of upcoming breaks can be found on our Swim School Holiday Breaks page.

Swimming lesson Direct Debit payment plans have already been adjusted to reflect all scheduled holiday breaks throughout the year. Direct Debits are calculated based on the annual cost of 40 swimming lessons and are spread evenly across 12 monthly payments. This means that holiday breaks are automatically taken into account, helping to keep your monthly payments consistent throughout the year.

Your lessons will automatically resume following each scheduled holiday break.

When your child successfully completes a swimming stage, you will be notified and can move them to the next level through our Home Portal.

• Certificates are awarded for every stage completed.
• Receive a free Leisure Pool swim voucher when the corresponding stage badge is purchased.
• All children enrolled in our Swim School programme enjoy free Fitness Pool swimming during public swim sessions.

We love celebrating every achievement and helping your child progress confidently through their swimming journey.

Yes. Our on-site Paddy and Scotts coffee shop is a great place to relax before or after your lesson. We offer a wide selection of hot and cold drinks, including expertly crafted coffee, along with a variety of snacks and refreshments.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Our self-service Home Portal is available for customers enrolled in our Swimming Lessons programme.

Once you have set up your online account, you can:

• View the date and time of your next lesson.
• Monitor swimming progress and achievements.
• Move your child to the next stage once they have successfully completed their current level.

Adult and Child Award: The Swim England Adult and Child Award helps both you as the supporting adult and your child to enjoy swimming in safety and with confidence. It rewards you with a certificate on achievement of six practical skills as well as completion of a short, verbal test on your knowledge of water safety, handling and support.

Discovery Duckling 1-4 Awards: These awards are perfect for babies, toddlers, and up to around 3 years old. Once your child is confident enough to swim on their own, they can go on to achieve the Duckling 1-4 Awards in one of our Preschool Classes

No. If your child has not had the head start of Baby/Toddler/Preschool swimming, this is not a problem. They are still more than welcome to start their journey in Stage 1 as a complete beginner.

Please note: we always recommend getting little ones started on their swimming journey as early as possible to build fundamental movement skills and water confidence. This has a direct effect on the duration of time spent in stages 1 and 2.