Why a Swim School? While living in Sydney, Australia, I operated a small swim school from 1988-1990 while teaching in a Kindergarten and completing my Early Childhood Studies. I completed my Austswim Instructors Certificate in 1989 and also taught for the New South Wales Department of Sport and Recreation in Sydney for 2 years.

When I returned to Queenstown in 1994, the need for a swim school in the Wakatipu Basin became apparent to me when I realised that local children wishing to join the local swimming club then, were required to show they could swim 25m competently. There were no ongoing learn to swim lessons.

 

I continued my swim teaching and worked as a volunteer coach with the Queenstown Amateur Swimming Club for 2 years and as an instructor with Wakatipu Waterbabies (now Water Discovery) for 3 years.

 

In January 1995, the Wakatipu Swim School was born. Starting with only 6 students in the local Community Pool after school twice a week, word of our Learn to Swim classes quickly spread and numbers began to swell. We moved to a local hotel indoor pool for 3 years but with increasing numbers the need to find a new pool with longer hours became desperate.

 

We relocated to the Queenstown Primary School Pool in December 1998. This pool was purpose built for Learn to Swim but was lacking any formal heating. With some financial support, we installed a heat pump, spruced up the surrounding with some paint and non-slip matting, upgraded the toilet facilities and we now had the ideal pool for teaching Learn to Swim.

 

I continued my swim teaching studies in New Zealand, completing the KiwiSwim Instructors Course in 1995, the SwimSafe Course for Instructors in 1998 and the New Zealand Certificates in Swim Teaching for Babies, Preschoolers, School Age Children and Adults in 2001. In 2002, I was awarded the New Zealand Diploma in Swim Teaching and became a Tutor for Swimming NZ's ASTA course for trainee teachers.

 

In April 2009 the Wakatipu Swim School extended the programmes to include year round aquatics with Sunday classes available at Alpine Aqualand. We have also extended our Learn to Swim Programme to include squad training in preparation for Swimming Club and competition; Adult Rehabilitation Clinics in associaition with local chiropractors, and physio's; PrAMS in Water programme for preganant women wishing to remain active throughout their pregnancy.

 

We are passionate about extending your aquatic skills. If you have any questions we are naturally your first place to stop.

 

Jane Hughes

Founder, Director and Teacher