The school's name originates from its founder, Rita Goldberg, who established the program in Manchester, England, before bringing it to Florida in the early '90s.
“Her motto was ‘survival of the littlest,’” franchise owner Ashley Yates said. “She really wanted to take a different approach to swim lessons.”
This approach distinguishes itself from traditional swim programs by prioritizing survival techniques, such as floating and safely exiting the water, over stroke development.
“We differ in that we don't teach strokes before people have the safety skills,” Yates said. “Learning those survival skills like floating on their backs actually gives students the correct body position in the water to be more effective when they start swimming.”
For infants, the program blends fun and engaging activities to help teach water safety skills.
“We use a lot of gentle techniques—lots of singing, lots of games and interaction to make learning those skills an enjoyable experience,” Yates said.
Parental involvement is also a key component of these early lessons, providing caregivers with the knowledge to safely engage with their children in the water and understand the purpose of the exercises.
“We often hear parents say, ‘I think I'm learning more than my baby is,’” Yates said. “We really get a chance to educate the parents too, which is a great tool.”
Recognizing the diverse needs of their community, British Swim School has developed programs for teenagers and adults learning to swim for the first time. These programs teach similar techniques to the children's classes but are tailored to be age-appropriate. For Yates, it’s incredibly rewarding to teach swimming across different age groups.
“Swimming really is a lifelong skill. It's never too early and it's never too late to learn,” she said.
With extensive experience, instructors are trained to modify their techniques to help individuals of all abilities learn to swim. This adaptability is particularly important in their special abilities program, designed for children with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
“Children with autism are 160 times more likely to drown than their neurotypical peers because of the way their brains are wired,” Yates said. “A lot of them are sensory seekers, so they really enjoy the pressure they feel when they're under water.”
With a clear understanding of this connection, the special abilities program is designed to meet the specific sensory processing patterns of each student.
“The program is adapted to understand how their brains work, why they seek certain behaviors, and then how we can use those natural inclinations while we're teaching them how to be safe,” Yates said.
All instructors undergo 40 hours of intensive training, combining theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience. Yates noted the staff's dedication and low turnover, attributing it to the school's emphasis on continuous learning and the instructors' sense of purpose in their work.
“Our employees’ jobs give them the opportunity to keep growing and make a career out of saving lives,” Yates said. “It's not just a job. They’re not just here clocking in and clocking out. They know they're here for a purpose, for a mission, and that's heartwarming for them.”
Beyond teaching swimming skills, British Swim School aims to instill confidence and resilience in its students. Yates shared several compelling success stories, including that of a teenager who experienced a significant reduction in anxiety through swimming.
“We had a teenaged student whose mom called us. She was in tears because she didn't know what else she could do for her son’s [anxiety],” Yates said. “He started swimming with us as a beginner. We began by teaching him how to float, and he ended up in one of our highest stroke development levels. She said that he was able to get off his anxiety medicine because of the physical activity. It boosted his confidence, and that bled over into school as well.”
To promote water safety beyond the pool, British Swim School teaches the safer three, a set of guidelines from the National Drowning Prevention Alliance. These guidelines emphasize three key areas for water safety:
- Safer water, including adding pool fences and removing toys from the pool
- Safer kids, involving teaching children essential skills such as floating
- Safer response, encompassing CPR training and teaching children safe ways to help others
The school also partners with the Hope Floats Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises money for swim lesson scholarships.
“The goal of working with Hope Floats is to break down the financial barrier and to help give access [to swim lessons] to the communities who need it the most,” Yates said.
British Swim School actively participates in fundraising efforts to support this cause, one of which is a swimathon taking place May 12-16.
“The swimathon is an amazing way that we're able to give back and help make sure that we're living out our mission to break down as many [financial] barriers as possible,” Yates said. “Last year, we were able to award 25 scholarships. This year, our goal is to at least double that. We're always looking for families that we can bless and help support.”
British Swim School is committed to not only teaching swimming but also fostering a culture of safety, confidence and community support.
To enquire about which program is best for you or your child, visit the British Swim School website or call 281-601-4588 today.
Locations in Harris County:The above story was produced by Multi Platform Journalist Sydney Heller with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
