Swimming
lesson FAQs

Here are the questions we're asked most. If you can’t find an answer below, please contact a member of our friendly team, and we’ll be happy to help.

A round logo with a dolphin, with a green leaf at the top and surrounding the dolphin. The text reads 'Happy Fins Swim School'.
A round logo with a dolphin, with a green leaf at the top and surrounding the dolphin. The text reads 'Happy Fins Swim School'.

FAQs
Starting lessons

  • You can find all information about our available lessons and prices on the online booking page.

    → Online Booking

    As a rough guide, prices start from:

    • Baby and toddler: from £46 a month

    • 1-to-1 and 2-to-1: from £66 a month

    • SEND: from £132 a month, with external funding available

    • Bluefins: from £55 a month

    • Aquanatal: £12.60 a class


    Have a different question about pricing? Please contact our friendly team, and we’ll be happy to help.

    → WhatsApp: 07707 863277

    → Email: info@happyfins.co.uk

  • We teach baby swimming lessons from 3 months to 3 years.
    Our main award scheme can be started as young as 2, depending on experience and confidence.

    🐠 BABY SWIMMING LESSONS (3 MTHS – 3 YRS)

    🐬 1-TO-1 AND 2-TO-1 LESSONS (2.5 – 11 YRS)

    🐋 SEND SWIMMING LESSONS (2.5 – 13 YRS)

    🪼 BLUEFINS SWIMMING CLUB (7 – 12 YRS)

  • Any time after your first trimester.

    Former midwife Katrina leads classes in our private pool at Thorncote Green, heated to 31 degrees, with no deep end.

    🐚 HAPPY NATAL AQUANATAL CLASSES (FROM 12 WKS PREGNANT)

  • Our friendly team will chat with you about your swimmer’s experience with water and confirm the level your child should start at. Please contact us by WhatsApp message or email.

    → WhatsApp: 07707 863277

    → Email: info@happyfins.co.uk

  • Small class sizes and teachers in the water make our lessons cost-efficient. We find children learn faster and feel more confident and happy in the water than they do in larger groups.

    Every lesson is tailored to your child's needs. Even in a 2-to-1, the lesson and the partner are chosen by our knowledgeable team to support your child’s progress.


    Kind words from families with little ones in 1-to-1 and 1-to-2 lessons:

    "My two children have just started lessons and love it. My autistic son has 1-1 lessons with Liam, who is very patient, understanding and resilient to my son’s needs. He makes the lessons fun, and it's lovely to hear my son’s laughter for the whole session.
    My daughter swims with Tristan, who again is amazing and makes the lessons so much fun for her. Both children love their lessons and instructors." — Natalie Bee, Huntingdon (Sawtry)

    "My daughter had never swum without floats. She has gained huge confidence and has come on leaps and bounds in a short time. The 2-to-1 lessons are really great, and my daughter looks forward to her lessons every week. She loves her teachers, Kevin initially and now Henry - they make lessons fun as well as learning, and there is plenty of encouragement and high fives!" — Natalie Walker, Biggleswade (Thornecote Green)

    "My daughter loves the 1:2 teacher-to-student ratio, which ensures that progress is made in every session. We've struggled to find a swim school that didn't feel too serious and leave her disengaged, this one is completely different. She's already made a friend, as the teacher thoughtfully paired her with another child of similar ability. By lesson two, she's already excited to attend!" — Zoe Sanigar-Stephenson, Huntingdon (Sawtry)

  • Children will need a pair of goggles (we recommend goggles without an adjustable nose piece and we don’t recommend snorkel style goggles because both styles tend to leak).

    We encourage a one piece costume for girls and swim shorts for boys.

    Swimmers will be given a hat at their first lesson.

    We have a shower so bring a towel and shampoo if you wish to use this after lessons.

FAQs
How we teach

  • We build our swimming lessons around guided play because we understand that our little ones learn differently than adults; they learn through play, exploration, and fun.

    Our methods help children build skills and confidence in the water naturally, without feeling stressed, pushed, or out of their depth.

  • We use a bespoke Happy Fins award scheme, tailored to reflect our in-water, hands-on teaching approach and our decision not to use flotation devices. Our progression framework is closely aligned with the STA’s swim programmes, but has been adapted to suit our small group ratios and more personalised style of teaching.

    All our teachers either hold an STA Level 2 or equivalent teaching qualification or are working towards it while completing structured in-house training. Every teacher is mentored and supported to deliver safe, engaging, and high-quality lessons in line with our teaching philosophy.

  • No. Our lessons are taught without flotation aids from the very beginning, so we don't have to spend time re-teaching children to swim without them. Instead, our teachers use a hands-on approach in the water, teaching children how to be truly safe in the water right from their first splash. We may use equipment for safety skills or advanced techniques.

FAQs
Portal login, booking
and payments

  • You can log in to the parent portal here.

  • You can book online quickly and easily by using our online booking form. If you’d like more guidance, please fill out our enquiry form, and we’ll help you find the right lesson.

    → Online Booking
    → Enquiry Form


    Not quite ready to book or enquire? If you have a more general query and haven’t been able to find an answer in our FAQs, please get in touch with our friendly team, and we’ll be happy to help.

    → WhatsApp: 07707 863277
    → Email: info@happyfins.co.uk

  • We have a courtesy class system that you can access via our parent portal.
    Parent Portal: swim.happyfins.co.uk.

    Here, you can book out of a class with at least 24 hours’ notice. Then you will be allocated a courtesy class, which is valid for 6 months from the date of issue, to use in a suitable replacement class (subject to availability), also found via the parent portal.

    If you have any issues, contact our friendly team, and we’ll be happy to help.

    → WhatsApp: 07707 863277

    → Email: info@happyfins.co.uk

  • We run 42 weeks a year, closing for Easter (2), Christmas (2) and the Summer Holidays (6). We DO run lessons on bank holidays and half terms.

    Your parent portal shows all upcoming lesson dates.

    Term Dates
    Tuesday 1st September - Sunday 20th December 2026
    Monday 4th January - Thursday 25th March 2027
    Friday 9th April - Wednesday 21st July 2027
    Thursday 2nd September - Sunday 19th December 2027

  • Our Baby Swimming (Adult and Child), 1-to-1, and 2-to-1 lessons are all 30 minutes long and run weekly for 42 weeks a year.

    Bluefins and Happy Natal classes are 45 minutes long.

    Crash Courses are 30 minutes long and run over 4 consecutive days.

  • Please contact our team to request a cancellation: info@happyfins.co.uk.
    They will help you cancel your lesson.

    Our lessons run on monthly Direct Debit. Payments are requested from the bank several working days before they leave your account, so if you give notice less than 5 working days before your payment date, we can’t stop that payment in time.

    In addition, our classes run close to full capacity. Having clear notice allows us to offer your space to another family on the waiting list and plan lessons fairly for all swimmers.

    For this reason, cancellations usually take effect at the end of the following calendar month, which ensures your payments and lessons balance fairly.

    Our full terms and conditions can be found here: https://swim.happyfins.co.uk where our cancellation policy is explained.

Still have a question?

Can’t find the answer above? Please contact a member of our friendly team, and we’ll be happy to help.

Alternatively, if you’re ready to book, follow the link to our online booking platform. We can’t wait to help your family discover a love for swimming!

Book Online
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