Supervision
An adult with eyes on the water, always — at the pool, the lake, the bathtub. Lessons never replace watching; they buy time and calm when something goes wrong.
Safety, published
Safety isn't a unit. It's the curriculum
Drowning prevention is why this school exists — the strokes are the pleasant side effect. Here is exactly what we do about it, written down where you can hold us to it.
The honest frame: lessons are one layer of four
Swim lessons reduce risk — nothing eliminates it, and a school that calls any child "drown-proof" is selling comfort, not safety. We teach families all four layers and we're honest that we're only one of them.
Barriers
Fences, locked gates, pool covers, door alarms. The layer that works while everyone's asleep.
Lifejackets
On boats, docks, and open water — properly fitted, actually worn. Skill doesn't cancel cold water or currents.
Lessons
The layer we provide: swimmers who can roll to a breath, reach a wall, and stay calm long enough to be helped — or to help themselves.
Our standards
Six commitments you can audit from the gallery
A certified lifeguard on deck, always
Separate from the instructors in the water — a dedicated guard watches every lesson, every minute, with a clear deck and an unobstructed line of sight.
Published ratios, audited monthly
4:1 for learn-to-swim levels, 6:1 for stroke levels, 8:1 with a parent in the water. Mara audits actual class sizes against these caps every month — a cap that flexes isn't a cap.
Safety skills at every single level
Roll-to-rest, jump-turn-return, clothed swims, and deep-water self-rescue aren't a bonus unit — they're threaded through every rung of the ladder, from Tadpoles to Swim Strong.
Warm water, small groups, no rushing
32°C water and 30-minute lessons keep small bodies warm and calm. A frightened, freezing child learns exactly one thing: to fear the pool. We refuse to teach that lesson.
Trained-and-retrained instructors
Every instructor holds current learn-to-swim certification, CPR-C, and first aid, re-drills emergency response quarterly, and teaches under a lead before ever owning a class.
Honest conversations with parents
Lessons reduce drowning risk — nothing eliminates it. We'll never call a child 'drown-proof,' and we teach families the layers: supervision, barriers, lifejackets, lessons.
Published ratios
Every level's cap, in writing
These are hard caps, not targets — Mara audits actual enrolment against them monthly, and a class never quietly grows past its number.
| Level | Ages | Swimmers : instructor | Class cap | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tadpoles — Parent & Tot | 4 mo – 3 yr | 8 pairs : 1 | 8 | 30 min |
| Preschool 1 — Water Comfort | 3 – 5 yr | 4:1 | 4 | 30 min |
| Preschool 2 — Float & Glide | 3 – 5 yr | 4:1 | 4 | 30 min |
| Preschool 3 — Paddle & Breathe | 3 – 5 yr | 4:1 | 4 | 30 min |
| Preschool 4 — First Strokes | 4 – 5 yr | 4:1 | 4 | 30 min |
| School Age 1 — Water Comfort | 6 – 12 yr | 4:1 | 4 | 30 min |
| School Age 2 — Glide & Kick | 6 – 12 yr | 4:1 | 4 | 30 min |
| School Age 3 — Freestyle Foundations | 6 – 12 yr | 4:1 | 4 | 30 min |
| School Age 4 — Endurance & Breaststroke | 7 – 12 yr | 6:1 | 6 | 30 min |
| School Age 5 — Butterfly & Turns | 8 – 12 yr | 6:1 | 6 | 30 min |
| School Age 6 — Stroke Strong | 8 – 12 yr | 6:1 | 6 | 30 min |
| Teen & Adult Learn-to-Swim | 13+ | 4:1 | 4 | 45 min |
| Adult Stroke Clinic | 16+ | 6:1 | 6 | 45 min |
| Swim Strong | 8 – 14 yr | 8:1 | 8 | 45 min |
Who's in the water
Instructor requirements, non-negotiable
- Current learn-to-swim teaching certification, renewed on schedule — no lapsed cards, no exceptions
- CPR-C and standard first aid, rechecked annually
- A full quarter teaching alongside a lead instructor before owning any class solo
- Quarterly emergency-response drills — missed drill, no deck time until it's made up
- Criminal record checks (vulnerable sector) on hire and on renewal
The facility
Pool facts, published
- Water temperature
- 32°C, always Warm water relaxes new swimmers — cold, shivering kids don't learn.
- Teaching shelf
- 0.9 m shallow shelf Preschoolers stand flat-footed with heads well above water.
- Pool
- 20 m, 3 lanes + shelf Purpose-built for lessons — no lap swimmers ploughing through class.
- Deck supervision
- Certified lifeguard, every minute A dedicated guard on deck in addition to every instructor in the water.
- Viewing gallery
- Full-length window seating Watch every minute of every lesson. No mystery, ever.
- Changing rooms
- Family + accessible rooms Warm floors, swimsuit spinners, and a shower-before-you-swim policy.
Find your level
Safety starts at the right level.
A swimmer placed too high learns fear; placed too low, boredom. The level tool recommends the honest rung — and the placement check confirms it in the water.