Swimming teacher
Share

Explore careers

Swimming teacher

Also known as: Swim teacher, swimming instructor, swimming coach, head swimming coach

The role of the swimming is to plan, deliver and evaluate a series of swimming lessons providing a safe learning environment. 

Industry

practitioner

Professional standard

Swimming Teacher

The role

What does a Swimming teacher do?

Swimming teachers plan, deliver and evaluate a series of swimming lessons while providing a safe learning environment. Through their engaging, fun and safe delivery of activities, swimming teachers will be able to develop water confidence, safety and technical skills for a range of participants from non-swimmers to those with advanced skills. 

In addition, swimming teachers provide learners with core aquatic skills and a range of pathways for continuous development while promoting awareness of swimming opportunities. Swimming teachers must also be able to supervise and lead assistant swimming teachers and provide high levels of customer care and engagement. 

What it takes

Skills and behaviours

The following common or transferable skills are most frequently asked for by employers in swimming teacher job adverts across the UK:

Skills and behaviours % Prevalence in job ads
Teaching 72%
Communication 26%
Enthusiasm 26%
Swimming 24%
Customer Service 20%
Coaching 18%
Relationship Building 16%
Training And Development 13%
Management 11%
Patience 8%

To find out more about the minimum knowledge, skills and behaviours an individual must understand and demonstrate to become a swimming teacher, you can visit our occupational professional standards library.

Getting in

How to become a Swimming teacher

There are several ways you can become qualified as an assistant swimming teacher. Look at the options below to explore what option works best for you.

Complete a qualification with a training provider

There are several options of qualifications you can complete to become a swimming teacher such as:

  • STA Level 2 Award in Teaching Swimming
  • STA Level 2 Certificate in Teaching Swimming
  • Swim England Qualifications Level 2 Teaching Swimming
  • Professional Development Award Swimming Teaching (SCQF level 7)

You can browse all CIMSPA-endorsed swimming teacher qualifications on our Training Directory.

Course entry requirements, delivery and cost

Some Level 2 Teaching Swimming qualification courses will require you to hold a Level 1 Swimming Teacher qualification before you can start the course. You can check specific entry requirements with your chosen training provider.

Swimming teacher courses are delivered in person or via a hybrid delivery format (online or in person). The total course cost, study time and guided learning hours will vary depending on the delivery format, qualification and training provider you choose.

College or university

Some colleges have embedded swimming teacher qualifications into their learning programmes.

In the CIMSPA Endorsed Training Directory, you can also check what courses our endorsed colleges and universities offer as well as course entry requirements, a summary of course content/material, as well as more information on how to apply.

Apprenticeship

The Leisure Team Member apprenticeship offers options to become qualified not only as a swimming teacher, but as a gym instructor, pool lifeguard and first aider. You can find out more about completing a Leisure Team Member apprenticeship in via The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) website.

Training

Courses that will qualify you

Swim England Qualifications Level 1 Swimming Assistant (Teaching)

Qualification
Provided by Institute of Swimming

Role snapshot

Typical earnings

Not currently available


Demand

Not currently available


Typical working patterns

Not currently available

Career paths and progression

Career pathways

As a Swimming teacher you have several next steps, side steps, and aspirational career opportunities for you to consider.

Side Steps

Practitioner

Coaching assistant

Coaching assistant
Practitioner

Group exercise instructor

Group exercise instructor
Practitioner

Pool plant operative

Pool plant operative
Practitioner

Recreation assistant

Recreation assistant

Next Steps

Practitioner

Pilates instructor

Pilates instructor
Practitioner

Coach

Coach
Practitioner

Gym instructor

Gym instructor
Practitioner

Personal trainer

Personal trainer
Practitioner

Tai Chi or Qi Gong for health and wellbeing instructor

Tai Chi or Qi Gong for health and wellbeing instructor
Practitioner

Yoga instructor

Yoga instructor

Aspirational Steps

Managers and Leaders

Entry manager

Entry manager
Managers and Leaders

General manager

General manager

Career progression

As well as exploring new career pathways, as a swimming teacher, you can also choose to progress your career by completing further training or continued professional development (CPD) in your role. This training can be added to enable swimming teachers to show their expertise in additional populations, in different environments and with technical specialisms.

Examples of specialisms that may be added are:

  • Working with disabled people
  • Working with ante/postnatal populations
  • Working with adults
  • Working with early years (under 4 years old)

Continuing Professional Development

Working with a Swimming Assistant

CPD
Provided by Institute of Swimming

WG Coaching: New Year’s Swimming Teachers’ Resolutions – Making 2024 your Best-Ever Swimming Year

CPD
Provided by Safety Training Awards

VTCT Skills (ITEC) Level 2 Award in Infection Prevention (COVID-19) for Sport and Fitness Sessions (603/6162/1)

CPD
Provided by Activate Learning Education Trust

VTCT Skills (ITEC) Level 2 Award in Infection Prevention (COVID-19) for Sport and Fitness Sessions (603/6162/1)

CPD
Provided by VTCT Skills

Find a job as a Swimming teacher

The content of the job posts displayed on the CIMSPA jobs board are pulled in through feeds from websites which are not under the control of CIMSPA.

CIMSPA will not be liable for any false, inaccurate, inappropriate or incomplete information presented on the jobs board.