The Standen Swim Academy

Fun, friendly and supportive swimming lessons.

Founded and led by the Standen family, our swim school brings 25 years of experience to creating a positive and enjoyable learning environment for both children and parents. We are supported by Hampshire’s best swimming instructors, carefully chosen for their expertise, reliability, and creativity, who are committed to delivering high-quality, fun lessons in a safe setting.

Personalised Learning

Our classes are intentionally small to ensure every child receives individual attention, with a maximum of three swimmers per group (Duckling and Stage Classes), we also offer private 1:1 and 1:2 lessons for a fully tailored experience.

Recognised Excellence

As a registered Swim England Swim School, all our instructors are fully DBS-checked and hold Swim England or STA qualifications. Following the Learn to Swim framework, we teach essential water safety while celebrating every step of your child’s progress with official badges and certificates.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive community and look forward to welcoming you to the poolside!

Dive in with the Standen Swim Academy

Whether your learner is taking their very first splash or building on existing skills, our tailored lessons adapt to every stage of their journey. From gentle, confidence-building guidance to specialised support, including dedicated Special Educational Needs (SEN) sessions led by our qualified teacher, Vikki Townsend, we ensure every swimmer receives the exact care they need to thrive.

You can find full details of our lesson types, swimming stages, and pricing using the links below.

Our term-time programs offer the perfect rhythm for continuous progress. By learning alongside our expert instructors week after week, swimmers develop strong technique, essential safety skills, and a lifelong love for the water. Autumn term time bookings are open now!

We also offer Holiday Courses for more accelerated progress. We still have some availability for Summer Holiday courses, scroll down to discover more!

Don’t forget to check out our FAQ page too, it’s packed with useful information for new and returning swimmers.

Lesson Types
Lesson Stages
Prices
Term Time Dates

Holiday Courses

We also run holiday courses, designed to keep swimmers active during school breaks, these focused sessions help refine technique, boost core skills, and accelerate confidence in the pool.

An intensive course can be a fantastic opportunity for children to build skills faster or focus on specific techniques that need improvement.

We still have Summer Holiday Course spaces available, so book now before they are gone!

I want to book a space!

We pride ourselves on being a personalised, family-run swim school, so if you have any questions please feel free to email us, and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

Also check out our socials to see what we are up to and what a fulfilling place The Standen Swim Academy is to learn to swim!

  • “Our children have developed a newfound confidence in the water, that I never thought we’d find especially with our youngest, who now has just started swimming unaided this very week. It has taken Sophie (their instructor) just 6 weeks to achieve something we couldn’t in the 2 years he had been with his previous swimming academy. We couldn’t be more pleased with the instruction and facilities that I believe have helped massively with the boys’ improvement.”

    — Parent of brothers who attend private 1:2 lessons

  • “Piper and Cole have come on more than I could ever of imagined and that’s totally down to Henry, he was just brilliant from start to finish, kept each class engaging, fun and really gave both children the confidence they needed to progress. They are both at quite different levels but he just knew how to get the best out of both of them, and in 30mins a day I thought that was pretty amazing.”

    — Parent of Summer Holiday Course Swimmers

  • “Our kids had their first lesson last week and Emma was brilliant, she encouraged our daughter and we couldn’t believe the things she was doing by the end of the first lesson. Our little boy was overwhelmed the first time and cried instantly but everyone was so friendly and welcoming they soon had him poolside playing with the toys. Sarah was amazing and as she had some spare time she very kindly spent it with him and eventually managed to get him into the pool, by the end of the lesson both of our kids were jumping into the pool from the side. Sarah and Emma thank you so much, you and the whole team are fantastic. Both kids really enjoyed it.”

    -Parent of swimmers in private 1:2 lesson

  • “Staff who went above and beyond…Maddie – She welcomed us on our first day, then greeted the boys by name every day afterwards. She was super polite, and a real credit to your company. Issy and Sarah – Max went from being terrified to putting his face under to picking up sticks from the bottom. His confidence has improved massively in just one week. The boys were both thrilled with their medals and certificates today. It was truly worth every penny.”

    -Parent of Summer Course Swimmer

  • “Can I just take the opportunity also to thank Sarah for today. My girls took to her straight away. My eldest in particular has in the past been an extremely nervous swimmer and can take huge persuasion when in the water. I was so pleased to see how quickly she trusted Sarah and the confidence she had in herself just within that first session. It was wonderful! “

    -Parent of Holiday Course Swimmer