The Sussex Swim School in Haywards Heath

I am so happy to be part of The Sussex Swim School team. All the teachers are so friendly and efficient. They want the very best for their pupils and it shows in their lesson planning.

I have been working with The Sussex Swim School since 2008 and really enjoy teaching the children to swim. My main job is looking after my 2 young sons, Finn and Jamie, and my beautiful daughter, Eden. Prior to having my children, I was an Occupational Therapist working with adults and the elderly - specialising in Stroke Rehabilitation within the community from 1999-2007. Some of my hobbies (prior to having a family) are travelling – I spent a year travelling after University, and my favourite place was South America (Patagonia). I have always loved the water. I enjoy Canoeing which is where I met my hubby Gavin, surfing, and Underwater hockey which is basically like a rugby scrum underwater. I enjoy swimming, going to the cinema & catching up with friends.

Swimming is my passion, having been in or around a pool since the age of 8. I previously competed for Haywards Heath Swimming Club (now Mid Sussex Marlins) and was the 100m Butterfly Sussex County Champion. Since then I have competed as a Master and then had my daughter. My daughter and I went through adult & baby lessons and then when she went on to swim with the Club, I couldn't watch from the side quietly so I took the decision to teach! In my spare time I enjoy all sorts of sport, both watching and playing. In November 2014 I trekked 100km through the Sahara Desert in aid of Cancer Research.

I have gone from the air to the water! I flew as cabin crew for 10 years until I had my second son. Once he was settled into school I began my training as a swimming teacher. Teaching children to swim is so very rewarding and enjoyable – I love working with Hilary at The Sussex Swim School teaching the pre-school children to swim. I am proud to say that I am a member of The Sussex Swim School. We pride ourselves on teaching in a safe, professional and fun manner and providing the very best lessons to our pupils. I like to make my lessons enjoyable. Children learn indirectly, so introducing fun progressive elements ensures they are learning, whilst having a great time. When I am not in the water I enjoy being with my family, baking cakes and desserts (especially chocolate ones!) which I then work off by keeping fit! I recently ran a half marathon! In May 2014 I trekked 100km from London to Brighton within 24 hours ... ouch!

I learnt to swim at the Redhill and Reigate Swimming Club when I was very young and started my competitive swimming career there. After a family move I joined the Croydon Amphibians Swimming Club and competed for them for many years both in youth and masters swimming. Swimming runs in my family as my mum was a competitive swimmer and a swimming teacher as well. I gained my qualifications about 20 years ago when I was still competing. I have been teaching swimming since then for the local council, local swimming pools but for the last 10 years for the Croydon Amphibians Swimming Club. I had my first child, Ben in 2009 and my second Annabelle in 2013. After relocating to Horsham and no longer being able to continue my career working for a firm of solicitors in Wimbledon or travel to Croydon to teach, I was lucky enough to find Sussex Swim School to continue with my first love, teaching children to swim. I don’t have a great deal of spare time but when I do I enjoy cycling, walking and gardening. My partner is a keen Formula One fan and I have grown to love it too and hope to attend some live races around the world. I would like to get back into open water competitive swimming once my children are older.

I am delighted to be part of The Sussex Swim School. I have has spent my working career involved with leisure provision having spent my full time working career in leisure centre management. During this time I qualified as a Level 1 and 2 swimming teacher, and have since added the Adult and Child qualification to that. If I say that I often bump into people who remind me that I taught their child to swim, and that child has just graduated from University, you will probably guess how long I have been teaching swimming. However that doesn’t mean I have lost any enthusiasm for teaching swimming, in fact I have become even more passionate about making sure that every child I teach are given those early fundamental skills and confidence that are needed for this essential life skill. Along with teaching swimming, I am also a qualified tennis coach, teaching the under 8’s at Horsham Tennis Club, and also a qualified trampoline coach, taking sessions at a Disability Sports Club. When I have time I enjoy playing tennis, baking (I’m told I make an awesome chocolate brownie), and skiing in the winter months.

 
I am a fully qualified ASA Swimming Teacher. I joined the Sussex Swim School in September 2014 where Hilary and her team have been very welcoming and supportive.
I have grown up in and around a swimming pool in the Netherlands and my sisters were national level swimmers. My first swimming competition was at the age of 5 and I swam until age 10. Swimming has always remained a passion of mine and I am a firm believer that the skills you learn at a young age you will never forget. In the last 15 years I have spent many years swimming with the Horsham Amphibians Triathlon club and 5 years with a US Masters swim team in California (Burlingame Masters Aquatics).
I decided to pursue my dream and become a swimming teacher.
My daughters (born in 2007 and 2009) have also been a great influence in this change in work scenery. This dream has now come true with support from Hilary and her team at the Sussex Swim School. I am looking forward to passing on my swimming knowledge to the pupils and to enhance my skills with further courses along the way.
I am also a fully qualified teacher in health related exercise for children and look forward to teaching exercise to children at schools and clubs as well.
 

I have a competitive swimming background and was trained formally as a swim teacher in Durban, South Africa. I have been trained internationally in Elementary and Intermediate courses, including changing basic strokes to competitive ones. I was also trained in teaching babies 3-18 months. In the UK I have a current STA Pool Safety Award, as well my STA Swim Teachers Award. I have just been passed by the ASA as a Level 2 Swimming Teacher.

I ran my own swim school from 1993-2002. My passion is to impart a love for swimming and skills acquisition in a fun, safe and rewarding environment. I have two sons and a daughter and live in Copthorne, West Sussex.

Qualifications:I am a fully qualified ASA Level 1 & 2 teacher. I have also gained the following qualifications: ASA Adult and Child; ASA Diving; City & Guilds Level 1 & 2; NVQ in Swimming & Coaching, Competitive Swimming. I also have current qualifications for The Royal Life Saving Society's Teachers Rescue & for the full National Pool Lifeguard Qualification. With current British Red Cross Emergency First Aid & CPR, together with the Royal Life Saving Society's CPR & Automated External Defibrillation qualification. Other qualifications include Child Protection, Competitive Starts & Turns, Flip & Fun (diving), Teaching Children with Behavioural Difficulties, Teaching the Deaf, Coaching the Disabled, Risk Assessment and Health & Safety.
From a young age I swam competitively for Wembley Swimming Club and was Brent Junior Champion Swimmer in Front Crawl, Back Crawl and Butterfly for a number of years. I trained as a swimming teacher when my son Jonathan was a small baby. I have a passion for swimming, and teaching children to swim in a professional, friendly, safe and fun environment. We have a wonderful team of expert swimming teachers who include: Julia, Rachel, Tessa, Sara, Leonie and Ellen and our wonderful Swimming Coach, Louise. Our combined years of swimming teaching experience totals over 115 years.
We keep our skills and qualifications up to date in teaching swimming, life guarding, first aid and aquatics by regularly attending continuous professional development training courses. I believe this keeps us “fresh” and motivated.
Teaching children to swim is the most rewarding, fulfilling and exciting career. Every day is different. Swimming is such a huge and important part of my life.
I love it!
 

 
I am a fully qualified ASA Swimming Teacher and have always enjoyed the water. I am also an advanced trained scuba diver.
Once my eldest child started school, and following a decision to change career, I completed my training to become a Swimming Teacher. This has allowed me to fulfil my aspiration to teach children to swim.
Prior to becoming a Swimming Teacher, I worked for the NHS as a Physiotherapist specialising clinically in Neurology; providing a service for the rehabilitation of adults and young people following stroke, head injury and other long term Neurological conditions.
Since having my children it has been really important to me that they feel confident and safe in and around water, especially as we live by the coast as a family.
I am very enthusiastic about joining Hilary’s team at The Sussex Swim School and being able to teach children how to swim and acquire aquatic skills in a safe, positive, fun and meaningful manner.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, visiting the park with the children, taking cycling trips and participating in Pilates classes.