About Pool Babies

Pool Babies and The Morley Swim School have been in existence since 1989.

The Swim school started in 1989 and "Bubble Club" started in 1993, Bubble Club was renamed Poolbabies in 2003.

Marjolyn started the business with a partner when she felt the standard of local teaching was expensive, and of poor quality. Her children were achieving badge after badge with no real improvement to their strength or technique.

Marjolyn and her colleague resolved to offer something better and more affordable than her local rivals.

They undertook the ASA qualifications before transferring to the STA and undertaking their teacher training in both STA standard swim teaching and baby swim teaching.

Marjolyn has since explored a number of baby swimming organisations and has completed a qualification with Birthlight; a charity who promote baby aquatic teaching based on techniques used by South American native tribes when teaching their children to understand and respect water from birth.

Using these sources, we have been able to develop a unique baby swimming programme which allows babies to have the most fun possible, while training water safety & good habits for the future.

An example of this would be teaching baby to reach for a toy in the water or the poolside. As baby develops into a toddler and older child, this toy reaching technique forms the basis for the standard front crawl stroke.

Water Confidence

Regardless of age, all of our pupils learn water safety as part of their first lesson with us. We will show children and parents with baby how to make a safe entry and exit from the pool, and how to perform basic self rescue techniques to even the most nervous swimmer or parent.

We believe it is important that a child learns independence in the water, but the parent understands and trusts the child can perform self rescue when needed.

From birth to teenage years and beyond, we offer the STA badge achievement programme.

We have chosen this badge system as it allows children to achieve badges in their strength areas. We appreciate that for every speed swimmer, there is an endurance swimmer, a life saving expert and others.

The STA badge programme supports this and allows a child to feel achievement, rather than trying to attain a goal which is outside of their capability.

Our Methodology

Our teaching approach is also unique. Every lesson is staffed by two fully qualified teachers. This allows a lesson to take place in a group, with one to one tuition where required.

We teach older children from the water as well as the pool side, to allow them to make a first attempt at a new stroke or depth with the knowledge someone is there to catch them.

We believe that our biggest asset is our founder, Marjolyn Hanselman (pronounced Mar-Yo-Line). She is passionate about baby swimming and teaching water safety.

She is a long standing member of the STA and one of their regional organisers. She also attends the World Baby Conferences, this is an opportunity for baby swim teachers from all over the world to gather, swapping ideas on the latest teaching techniques and products.

She is also involved in tutoring new teachers for an independent training organisation and is currently working towards completing her Birthlight Diploma in Infant Aquatics.

Marjolyn always requests an informal discussion with parents before any new pupils  join, to ensure that every swimmer goes into the right class for their ability and experience. Please see our FAQ page for more information.