Brightwater Swim School

Website

Brightwater Swim School Brightwater runs weekly children's swimming lessons in Harrogate, York, Pocklington and Cundall Manor. Max of 4 children per class with teachers in the water.

Brightwater is a friendly, family run business providing swimming lessons for children from 3.5 years old. We have small group sizes with a maximum of 4 in a class and all are teachers teach in the water. Brightwater has a strong ethos concentrating on good technique as well as providing fun and interactive lessons to promote enjoyment and water confidence.

Swimming is a fantastic way for children to develop important motor skills while having fun in the water.From coordinati...
12/10/2026

Swimming is a fantastic way for children to develop important motor skills while having fun in the water.

From coordinating their arms and legs to maintaining balance and controlling their body position, swimming from an early age encourages lots of different movements to work together.

Over time, this can help develop coordination, strength, spatial awareness and overall body control.

When pushing away from the pool wall, stretch your arms out in front, keep your head tucked between them and make your b...
09/10/2026

When pushing away from the pool wall, stretch your arms out in front, keep your head tucked between them and make your body as long and straight as possible.

This streamlined position helps reduce water resistance, allowing you to glide further before you start kicking and swimming.

At Brightwater, we encourage children to practise pushing off and gliding from an early age to help develop good body positioning, balance and swimming technique.

Did you know that chlorine can gradually damage swimwear, causing colours to fade and fabrics to lose their elasticity?T...
06/10/2026

Did you know that chlorine can gradually damage swimwear, causing colours to fade and fabrics to lose their elasticity?

To help your child's swimming costume or trunks last longer, rinse them in cool, fresh water after every swimming lesson to remove chlorine and other pool chemicals.

Avoid wringing out the fabric, using harsh detergents or putting swimwear in the tumble dryer. Instead, gently squeeze out excess water and leave it to air dry away from direct sunlight.

When swimming, keeping your body long and horizontal helps reduce water resistance, allowing you to move through the wat...
05/10/2026

When swimming, keeping your body long and horizontal helps reduce water resistance, allowing you to move through the water more efficiently.

If your head is lifted too high or your hips and legs begin to sink, your body creates more drag, making swimming harder and more tiring.

That’s why we encourage children to develop good body positioning from an early age at Brightwater. Learning to stay streamlined helps build stronger technique, improve efficiency and make swimming feel easier! 🏊💙

It’s completely normal for a child’s swimming to vary from one lesson to the next.They might arrive one week feeling con...
02/10/2026

It’s completely normal for a child’s swimming to vary from one lesson to the next.

They might arrive one week feeling confident, energetic and ready to tackle anything, while the next they could be tired, distracted or a little less sure of themselves.

Children are also constantly learning and processing new skills, so something they mastered last week might not feel quite as easy this time.

That doesn’t mean they’re going backwards.

When learning to swim, it’s much more useful to look at progress over weeks and months rather than individual lessons.

Learning how to get out of the water independently is an important water safety skill for every child.During swimming le...
30/09/2026

Learning how to get out of the water independently is an important water safety skill for every child.

During swimming lessons, we practise reaching the side, holding on securely and climbing out safely. Building these skills from a young age helps children understand what to do if they ever find themselves in the water unexpectedly.

It’s also a great skill to practise together during family swims – encourage your child to find the side and climb out independently, while always staying close and ready to help.

Before we focus on backstroke technique, there’s an important first step: helping children feel happy and comfortable on...
29/09/2026

Before we focus on backstroke technique, there’s an important first step: helping children feel happy and comfortable on their backs in the water.

For younger swimmers, lying back can feel strange. They can’t see where they’re going, water surrounds their ears and they have to learn to trust that the water will support them.

That’s why we start gradually, using supported floats, games and plenty of reassurance before slowly reducing support as confidence grows.

Once a child can relax, balance and move comfortably on their back, we can begin introducing the kicks, arm movements and coordination needed for backstroke.

Ever wondered why swimmers stretch their arms out and make themselves as long as possible when pushing off the wall?It’s...
25/09/2026

Ever wondered why swimmers stretch their arms out and make themselves as long as possible when pushing off the wall?

It’s all about water resistance, also known as drag! A long, streamlined body creates less resistance as it moves through the water, helping swimmers glide further and more efficiently.

By keeping their arms extended, head in line and body straight, children can learn to move through the water without using as much energy.

Family swimming sessions outside of lessons are a great opportunity to practise the skills your child is learning with u...
23/09/2026

Family swimming sessions outside of lessons are a great opportunity to practise the skills your child is learning with us.

If your child is ready, encourage them to try a familiar skill with a little less support.

For example, floating without holding your hands, pushing off the wall independently or swimming a short distance without a float.

Keep it fun, stay close and let your child set the pace. Even a few seconds of independent floating or a couple of confident kicks can be a big achievement!

When children are learning to swim, it’s easy to think that moving their arms faster will help them swim faster. But rus...
21/09/2026

When children are learning to swim, it’s easy to think that moving their arms faster will help them swim faster. But rushing can actually make each stroke less effective.

In front crawl, a controlled arm movement helps swimmers catch and push the water effectively, maintain a good body position and coordinate their breathing. Moving too quickly can lead to shorter, less efficient strokes and make swimming more tiring.

At Brightwater, we encourage children to focus on smooth, controlled movements before building speed, helping them develop strong technique to build on.

Address

Harlow Moor Drive
Harrogate

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4pm
Friday 8:30am - 4pm
Saturday 9am - 6:30pm
Sunday 9am - 6:30pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Brightwater Swim School posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category