Learn to Swim
We now run the Scottish Swimming Award’s Learn to Swim Programme! This fantastic swimming lesson programme is an enhancement on our current successful programme and is in association with the Scottish Swimming Awards.
Our qualified and expert staff will teach your child to swim giving them a valuable life saving skill! Not only will your child be able to swim, but they will have fun developing their swimming skills in all strokes.
We run classes from Adult & Baby right through to Swim Club Level. We also offer Adults classes, so it’s never too late to learn!!
Lessons are run in blocks of a 30 min class each week, or 45 mins for Adult classes. All lessons must be pre-booked and paid before attending. Check out our pool venues for more information on booking and timetables.
Benefits of swimming lessons
- Safety in water, saves lives
- An exercise that can be used throughout life
- A sport that you can be trained in and developed to competition level
- A social sports group activity for kids
- An activity that can be participated by all ages and abilities
Benefits of the Learn to Swim Programme @ Xcite
- All of the above PLUS:
- Lesson are taken by qualified Swim Teachers.
- Lesson are taken in our Main or Teaching Pools depending on lessons level.
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Learn to Swim Levels
Tadpole - Adult & Baby 4-15months
Frog - Adult & Toddler 16mnths - 2½ yrs
Duckling- Adult & Child 2½ - 3½ yrs
Otter - Adult & Youngster 3 ½ yrs+
Level 1
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Level 2
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- Understanding of basic pool rules
- Walking in water with water at shoulder level
- Enter and exit pool safety with assistance
- Float on front and back with an aid and assistance
- Get face wet without submerging
- Blowing bubbles
- Regain feet from a floating position with an aid and assistance
- Kick on front and back with aid
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- Understanding of basic pool rules
- Pick up objects from the bottom of the pool in shallow water
- Enter and exit pool safely without assistance
- Using a board/aid, float on back unassisted
- Bob up and down repeatedly, submerging body and blow bubbles through nose and month
- Roll 180 degrees from front to back then regain feet
- Kick on front with aid unassisted
- Kick on back with aid unassisted
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Level 3
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Level 4
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- Perform a surface dive
- Safe pool entry from a standing and sitting position
- Demonstrate a floating position on front and back for 10 seconds
- Push off wall and glide on front and back then regain feet
- Demonstrate rotary breathing - show nead turing to the side to breathe
- Rotate 360 degrees without touching the pool floor
- Demonstrate a freestle arm action with a board for 5 metres
- Demonstrate a backstroke arm action a with a board for 5 metres
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- Using an aid, tread water using a cycle kicking action and a breaststroke type leg action for 20 seconds
- Demonstrate a handstand from the bottom of the pool
- Demonstrate a sitting dive and glide
- From a floating position, swim through submerged hop
- Push and glide on front and back holding glide for 2 metres
- Swim 5 metres freestyle breathing to the side
- Swim 5 metres backstroke tummy up
- Swim 5 metres froggy arms
- Kick on front and back with board for 10 metres
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Level 5
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Level 6
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- Demonstrate a forward somersault from a standing position
- Demonstrate a kneeling dive
- Demonstrate 3 different floating positions
- Demonstrate a good push off from the wall on front and kick in a streamline position
- Demonstrate understanding of bi-lateral breathing
- Swim 10 metres freestyle breathing to the side
- Swim 10 metres backstroke keeping head still
- Swim 10 metres on front showing breaststroke type action
- Kick on front and back for 15 metres with no support
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- Tread water for 30 seconds keeping the head clear of the water and then swim 15 metres
- Surface dive and retrieve an object from the pool floor in deep water
- Demonstrate a kneeling dive and swim out
- Demonstrate a good push off with steamlining, on front and back from good starting position
- Using a pull buoy, scull 10 metres on front in a forward direction
- Swim 2 x 15metre freestyle showing good technique and breathing without stopping
- Swim 2 x 15 metres backstroke showing good technique without stopping
- Using a kickboard, kick 2 x 15 metres breaststroke
- Kick 10 metres arms by side using a butterfly style undulating action
- Swim 4 x 10 metres each of freestyle and backstroke without stopping
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Level 7
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Level 8
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- Demonstrate life jacket use/survival position i.e H.E.L.P or huddle
- Demonstrate a front somersault from floating position
- Demonstrate a crouching dive
- Using a pull buoy, scull 15 metres on front head first and feet first
- Swim 25 metres freestyle with good technique
- Swim 25 metres backstroke with good technique
- Swim 15 metres breaststroke with correct timing
- Attempt butterfly arms and legs together for 5 metres
- Tread water attempting eggbeater kick for 45 seconds then swim 25 metres
- Swim 50 metres using 2 different strokes holding good technique, attempting turns without stopping
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- Learn to Swim Level 8
- Demonstrate a standing dive into deep water
- Demonstrate a good push, glide and streamline on front and back; hold and kick under water for 5 metres
- Using a pull buoy, scull 15 metres on front and back head first and feet first
- Swim 50 metres freestyle demonstrating good rhythm and breathing
- Swim 50 metres backstroke demonstrating good rhythm and breathing
- Swim 25 metres breaststroke attempting pull out and regular breathing
- Swim 10 metres using a butterfly action
- Using a kickboard, kick 4 x 25 metres freestyle and backstroke
- Pull 25 metres freestyle using a pull buoy
- Swim 100 metres using 2 different stroke holding good technique and turn without stopping
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After completing Level 8 kids can continue onto our Rookie Lifeguard course, allowing them to learn lifesaving skills and first aid.
We do host a number of West Lothian Swim Clubs at our pools that your child can apply to enter:
- Aquanauts Livingston Swim Club
- Armadale Barracudas Swim Club
- Bathgate Amateur Swim Club
- Broxburn Amateur Swim Club
- Fauldhouse Penguins Swim Club
- Livingston & District Dolphins Swim Club
- Trojan Whitburn Swim Club
Please note Swimming Clubs are not operated by Xcite @ West Lothian Leisure. To find out more please contact
Sarah Pryde Swimming Development T: 01506 776180
The Learn to Swim Programme is available @ the following Xcite Swim venues
- Xcite Armadale Swimming Pool T: 01501 678520
- Xcite Bathgate Swimming Pool T: 01506 774670
- Xcite Broxburn Swimming Pool T: 01506 775680
- Xcite Linlithgow Leisure Centre T: 01506 775440
- Xcite Whitburn Leisure Centre T: 01501 678070
