Frequently asked questions

For our swimmers aged 3+:

• Swimming costume (no pockets)

• Goggles

• Swim cap if you own one (we issue club caps) or tied-up hair off face

• Towel

• No jewellery (except for medical alert bracelets or items of religious significance, which must be taped/secured)

• No food or glass items are permitted on the poolside

For children under 3 years:

• A double nappy system for the swim class - a disposable or reusable swim nappy, with a snug-fitting neoprene nappy on top with close-fitting leg and waist ribs

• Wetsuit or Rash Vest for warmth

• Towel for your baby and for yourself

• Toiletries

• Regular Diapers for after the lesson

Please note: If a pool closure occurs because a child was not wearing the correct double nappy system, the parent/guardian may be held liable for the costs associated with pool cleaning and cancelled classes.

Our sessions run throughout the year including most school holidays, except:

• Bank holidays

• Easter long weekend

• August (all)

• Christmas - New Year (exact dates confirmed in December)

Highbury Grove School closes some school holidays with the dates confirmed in the weeks before.

Fees are prorated taking into account these closures.

We now have lessons (1 to 4 ratio) for three year olds - these are our Little Anaconda lessons and show on the Enrol button on this page but are in high demand.

For our standard learn to swim provision when they are four you will be able to book an assessment. The booking timeslots are released 35 days in advance. Wait lists are operated for full sessions but to join your swimmer must have completed the assessment.

One makeup lesson is available per month and must be the same level, and is subject to a space being available in another class. Use the button below to request.

There is an administration fee for rearranging lessons for personal reasons. Make-up lessons at no additional charge are only provided at our discretion for significant medical reasons or other exceptional circumstances.. The SportsEngine system keeps track of accrued makeup lessons automatically and attending a makeup lesson will be recorded on your swimmers attendance record.

Yes, please see Access Fund for details. Please note: Funded and sponsored spaces are in high demand. Repeatedly failing to notify us of absences via the app may result in the funding being withdrawn.

To add an additional lesson for your swimmer use the Enrol button and log in with your existing SportsEngine account and check out. The multiple class discount (where applicable) will be automatically calculated and applied to your next monthly payment.

Use the button below to complete the form. If you choose to cancel within 14 days of your initial booking, any unused sessions will be refunded. After this 14-day period, notice must be given via our cancellation form. If you submit the form on or before the 20th of the month, your cancellation takes effect at the end of that month. If submitted after the 20th, you will be charged for one final month, and your cancellation will take effect at the end of the following month. This is as per our Terms and Conditions.

Learn to Swim group lessons (per child)

• 1 lesson per week: £12.25/lesson (£49/month)

• 2 lessons per week: £9.80/lesson (£78.40/month)​​

Little Anaconda lessons

• £22 per weekly One to Four session (£88/month)

• £33 per weekly One to Two session (£132/month)

• £44 per weekly One to One session (£176/month)

City of London Stronger Communities Grant: City of London (Square Mile) residents receive a reduced rate of £6/lesson (£24/month for group lessons at any of our pools. This reduced rate is available until April 2027. To request this discount, please register for your lessons normally and then email city@hackneyanaconda.org to have the discount applied to your account. Proof of residency (postcode verification) is required.

We have waitlists for full sessions. To join the waitlist please register for lessons and check out. Once a place becomes available you will receive an email notification and have 24 hours to accept the place. We have a limit of 2 places per session on wait list to ensure your swimmer has a reasonable timeframe for starting lessons.

Use the button below to complete the form to change the day/time/pool of an existing lesson.

Please check in with the teachers poolside for guidance. The majority of swimmers who progress from swimming lessons to our Academy squad progressed from two weekly sessions.

Although we do not have a separate "trial" offering, should you register for classes and within the first 14 days of your online registration date not wish to continue you may cancel lessons and we would refund any future prepaid lessons.

You can send a message to your child's teacher using the mobile app. Please do not approach teachers on the poolside during lessons or during the brief changeover between classes, as they need to actively supervise the children in the water. If you need to discuss progress, please speak to the Receptionist/Lead Teacher on duty or use the app.

This can be done using the app, please see the links below to install. Help and FAQs for the app are here.

Please install the SportsEngine Motion app. This will allow you to see class times, attendance history, future and previous charges, update your payment details and more.

Our swim teachers are fully qualified to Swim England standards with DBS checks and safeguarding training.​​

Many swim schools (including us) follow the Swim England Learn to Swim framework - the stages for each of our classes are shown in our pathway.

This is a general guide and suitable for helping choose which class to start out in - our team will make their own assessment in the first lesson to ensure your swimmer is in the class best suited for their progress and well-being.

We often get asked how "Better" hat colours map to our classes. Here is a guideline, you can also ask their existing teacher the Learn to Swim stage they are working towards.

• Beginners: Red

• Improvers: Amber, Green

• Competent: Bronze, Silver

• Advanced: Gold, Blue

Use the Enrol button on our page - this will show you a list of the times you can register and whether spaces are available. You can also specify the start date for lessons. If your preferred lesson time is full you will be able to register for the wait list if spaces are available.

Please arrive on time. For safety reasons and to avoid class disruption, children arriving more than 10 minutes late will unfortunately be refused entry to the water. No refunds are given for missed time, though you may request a paid make-up lesson.

If your child is under 8 years old, a responsible adult must remain at the venue for the entire duration of the lesson. For children aged 8 and over, parents may leave the premises provided the child is confident, independent in using the changing rooms/bathrooms, and the parent remains contactable in an emergency. Our staff are not permitted to assist children in the bathrooms.

If your child is going to miss a lesson, you must notify us in advance using the 'Notify Instructor' feature in the SportsEngine Motion app. This ensures our teachers aren't left waiting. Please note that for funded or sponsored placements, repeated unnotified absences (three 'no-shows' in a 3-month period) may result in the withdrawal of funding or the space being cancelled.

No. In line with Swim England's Wavepower safeguarding policy, the use of mobile phones, cameras, or any recording device is strictly prohibited on the poolside and in the changing rooms.

For the health and safety of all swimmers and staff, please do not bring your child to lessons if they have a contagious illness. In particular, swimmers must not enter the pool for at least 48 hours after the last episode of sickness or diarrhoea. You must report all absences prior to the lesson using the 'Notify Instructor' feature in the SportsEngine Motion app. Unexplained or persistent absences may jeopardise your place in the swim school if your swimmer has a sponsored place.

No. Because we run a continuous assessment programme with limited spaces, we do not offer the option to freeze or pause your enrolment. If you need to leave, you must cancel your space, and you can re-enrol in the future subject to availability.

If your payment fails our system will retry in a few days. Please note an unpaid balance must be cleared before your child can attend further sessions. If the balance remains unpaid by the end of the month, your enrolment will be automatically cancelled.

Please use these instructions to register yourself or your swimmers for SMS messaging. Any messages sent to swimmers are also copied to the registered account holder.

In the event of unforeseen facility closures (such as mechanical failure at the leisure centre or extreme weather), we cannot guarantee refunds or make-up lessons, as these events are beyond the club's control. We will always endeavor to communicate any emergency closures to parents as quickly as possible via email, the SportsEngine Motion app (if installed) and SMS (if you have opted in).

These are displayed and required to be electronically signed during the class registration process.