Swimming lessons at Jellie Park in the Recreation Pool back to normal from Wednesday 22nd February
Swimsmart
Swimsmart is the Christchurch City Council’s Learn to Swim Programme. The Swimsmart programme is delivered by experienced tutors in the Council’s Recreation & Sport Centres and provides a range of classes for all ages and levels of ability.
Through Swimsmart you and your family can gain confidence and enjoyment in water, enabling you to tap into the benefits of aquatic activities for a lifetime.
Important Swimsmart Dates
- Term 1 2012 runs until Thursday 5th April 2012.
- Booking dates for Term 2 2012 not yet available.
- Term 2 2012 runs Monday 23rd April - Friday 29th June 2012. No lessons on Anzac day 25th April & Queen's Birthday 4th June.
Swimsmart Booking
Bookings for Term 1 2012 have now closed for lessons at Pioneer, Jellie Park & Graham Condon Recreation & Sport Centres. Bookings for lessons at Queenspark portable pool open until Sunday 19th February 2012.
Payment is required at the time of registration. Credit card phone bookings can be made by phoning 941-8888 or alternatively come down and visit the Swimsmart offices at Pioneer, Jellie Park or Graham Condon Recreation & Sport Centres.
Information on Swimsmart classes
| Class | Minutes | Students per class | Cost* |
| Parent & child (6 months - 3 years) | 25 | 10 | $80 |
| Pre School (3-5 years) | 20 | 3 | $100 |
| School Age | 25 | 4-8 | $100 |
| Mini Squads | 45-60 | 12 | $100 |
| Adults | 25-45 | 4-8 | $100 |
| Individual lessons (5 years and over) | 15 | 1 | $210 |
| Shared lessons (5 years and over) | 15 | 2 | $140 |
| Holiday Swim Classes | Minutes | Cost |
| Preschool | 20 | $50 |
| School Age | 25 | $50 |
| Individual | 15 | $105 |
* Prices effective from Term 4, 2011. Prices are based on one weekly lesson for a 10 week Term. Should a Term consist of more of less than 10 weeks, the price will be adjusted accordingly. There are no lessons on public holidays.
*Customers who hold a Community Service Card, Supergold or Kiwiable card are entitled to a 25% discount off the full fee when the card is shown at the time of payment.
For further information on classes and times please see our programmes & classes or contact us at swimsmart@ccc.govt.nz or ph 941 8888.
Swimsmart newsletters
November 2011 [PDF 2.67MB]
September 2011 [PDF 1.97MB]
June 2011 [PDF 692KB]
Learn to swim for Schools
Swimsafe
Swimsafe is Christchurch City Council’s swim education programme for school groups. The programme combines learn to swim components with water safety skills. Lessons are based on Swimming New Zealand’s foundation skills of entry, balance, buoyancy and breathing. Children learn about water safety in all aquatic environments and participate in lessons in inflatable boats and practice wearing lifejackets. SwimSafe gives children the opportunity to develop essential water safety and survival skills for life.
We can run Swimsafe lessons at any of our Recreation & Sport Centres, or we can provide tutors to run the programme in school pools. Lessons are typically 25 minutes in duration and booked in blocks of 10, but the programme can be tailored to meet the individual needs of any school group. Please contact the School Swimming Coordinator at learntoswim@ccc.govt.nz or ph 941 7010.
Kiwisport Fundamentals Learn to Swim programme
Christchurch City Council, Sport Canterbury and Water Safety New Zealand, with support from Swimming New Zealand and Red Bus, have provided funding for a further year of the Kiwisport Learn to Swim Programme. This initiative provides greater swim education opportunities for Year Three to Six students from:
all primary schools in Christchurch’s earthquake-damaged suburbs, east of Colombo Street
primary schools in the west of Christchurch whose pools cannot be used due to earthquake damage.
The programme provides students with free transport to and from their school’s closest Learn to Swim facility, where classes can undertake Swimsafe lessons. For further information please contact School Swimming Coordinator Paula Savage on 941 7010 or learntoswim@ccc.govt.nz.
Pools iN SchoolZ
Sport Canterbury, with funding assistance from the Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Trust, the Mainland Foundation, Rotary International and Water Safety New Zealand, has arranged the purchase of a portable pool.
The pool is operated by the Christchurch City Council, who will provide swim education for Christchurch students who lost the use of their local pools after the recent earthquakes.
Eligible schools will be invited to apply for Kiwisport funding which will provide free transport to and from the portable pool for Year 3–6 students.
The first portable pool was available for use in Term 4 2011 and is based at 232 Queenspark Drive, next to Queenspark School. The second pool is based at Linwood Avenue School, 260 Linwood Ave, and will open during Term 1 2012 on 13th February. Outside school hours, the pools can be booked for community use. Please contact Sport Canterbury on 373 5060 or sport@sportcanterbury.co.nz.
For Term 1 2012 Christchurch City Council will be offering their Swimsmart afterschool programme at the Queenspark Portable Pool. This will run from Monday 30th January to Thursday 5th April 2012. Children who are booked in for Swimsmart at the portable pool in Queenspark will receive a special gift – a child’s concession pass, good for five free swims at Pioneer, Jellie Park or Graham Condon Recreation and Sport Centres. The passes are valid for to use during Term 1 2012 only.
Kiwisport Fundamentals
What is Kiwisport?
Kiwisport is a government funding initiative to promote sport for school-aged children. It was launched by the Prime Minister in August 2009. Kiwisport provides funding to schools for Year 1-8 students and Year 9-13 students through the Ministry of Education and SPARC who funds regional sports trusts. It aims to:
increase the number of school-aged children participating in organised sport
increase the availability and accessibility of sport opportunities for all school-aged children
support children to develop skills that enable them to participate confidently in sport
What is the Kiwisport Fundamentals Learn to Swim Programme?
Sport Canterbury, Water Safety New Zealand, Christchurch City Council, Swimming New Zealand, private aquatic providers and Red Bus have joined together, using Kiwisport funding to provide water safety lessons to Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 students. Year 2 funding will focus on transport costs for the first set of 10 lessons for all Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 children in:
- eastern primary schools
- western primary schools with damaged pools that can no longer deliver lessons on site
Who are the funders?
Sport Canterbury and Water Safety New Zealand. Christchurch City Council and Swimming NZ contribution in kind.
Which schools are eligible?
There are 53 schools eligible for funding. Eighteen of these schools are also eligable for Low Decile funding.
What is Low Decile funding and how is this different to Kiwisport?
The Canterbury Community Trust made a donation to Swimming New Zealand in order to assist low decile schools with swimming and water safety lessons. The funding is to cover transport costs and is available to eligible primary schools in Christchurch with a decile rating of 3 and below only. It is not exclusive to any particular year groups.
Kiwisport covers funding for Years 3, 4, 5 & 6 for the schools listed in Appendix 1. If a low decile school is listed in Appendix 1, they can apply for Low Decile funding initially to a maximum of $2000 (ex gst) and top up with Kiwisport funding.
How many children would receive lessons?
Based the July 2011 updated school roles, if all eligible schools applied for the funding, this would provide lessons to 8420 children.
Can the 10 lessons be split over 2 terms?
No – the funding applies for the first set of 10 lessons, these are to be taken consecutively to gain best results.
Why use the funding on swimming?
Research shows that swimming skills in New Zealand are declining with only one in five 10 year olds able to swim 200m (Water Safety New Zealand’s benchmark for swimming and surviving). The KiwiSport programme aims to increase swimming abilities so more children meet this threshold and water safety awareness is increased. The 10 lessons focus on a combination of water safety skills and swimming techniques.
Which Aquatics facilities provide Kiwisport Lessons?
The following Aquatic Facilities support this initiative and have been established as clusters in the community to provide lessons. The School Swimming Coordinator will notify you of your closest facility.
Aquagym Swim School
Pools iN SchoolZ (Queenspark)
Graham Condon Recreation & Sport Centre
Kings Swim School
Jellie Park Recreation & Sport Centre
Starfish Swim School
Pioneer Recreation & Sport Centre
Wharenui Swim School
How do I apply for Kiwisport Funding?
Read the Kiwisport letter and follow the “Process to apply for Funding and Booking”. Application form also available. For further information and for Low Decile Funding please contact School Swimming Coordinator, Paula Savage on (03 9417010) or learntoswim@ccc.govt.nz
