Swim For Life Reviews 

70
•
TrustScore 5 out of 5

4.9

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Evaluating 26 reviews, reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company. Customers frequently share wonderful feedback about the swimming instructors, describing them as exceptionally patient, kind, and deeply encouraging during every single lesson. People constantly mention that teachers create a wonderfully fun and calm environment where both children and adults can rapidly build their water confidence. Some reviewers were not happy with certain class dynamics, noting that limited individual feedback or initial personal jitters sometimes made the learning process quite challenging. Others mentioned that overcoming deep water fears took considerable time, though incredibly dedicated coaching ultimately helped them make amazing progress in the pool.

What people talk about most

Staff

Clients share satisfaction regarding the staff, noting that instructors are consistently patient,... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My granddaughter loves her swimming sessions. After over a year of previous lessons she gained confidence to jump in at her first lesson here! Edward was a delight to deal with and he worked extra... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My daughter really looks forward to her swimming lessons with Edward. He is patient and encouraging, and makes every session fun. She’s always smiling in the pool and growing more confident each week.... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Since my two sons have started swimming lessons they have grown so much in confidence in the water but their technique in the water is what has seen the most improvement. Edward’s patience and dedicat... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Edward is a brilliant coach! After a loss in confidence around breathing and a commitment to get better at technique and swim more, I decided to get some coaching. Edward put me at ease instantly. He... See more


Company details

  1. Swimming Instructor

Written by the company

We are a swimming business that offers something a little bit more. We teach alongside Swim England's national plan for teaching swimming and also the more holistic Shaw method approach to swimming alongside open water coaching and wild swimming. I love the water and teach with enthusiasm and passion. it is so important to me that my students get a great experience in the water and we develop the foundational skills correctly.


Contact info

4.9

Excellent

TrustScore 5 out of 5

70 reviews

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4.9

All reviews

(70)

26 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Attention to detail

My two children (8 and 15) have improved vastly during just a short time with Edward and Scarlet. Their attention to detail and instant feedback mean that the children can adapt their technique immediately, and develop their skills quickly. Their relaxed but focused style makes the lessons fun and my children can't wait to go each week.

October 9, 2026
Unprompted review
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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I started 1:1 lessons with Edward a…

I started 1:1 lessons with Edward a while ago now at the age of 66 and always having had a fear of the water.
The first time I went I thought "what the heck am I doing here" and had Edward not been so thoughtful and encouraging would probably not have gone back a second time.
Its taken a while, but thats down to my lack of confidence rather than Edwards teaching, and I can now see that I am not far from being able to say I can swim, something I never thought I would be able to say!
I would highly recommend Edward to any older adults looking to learn to swim.

October 7, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My son’s been doing 1:1 lessons for a…

My son’s been doing 1:1 lessons for a month now and even in a short space of time has made great progress. Both Edward and Scarlet are lovely and kind and Digby is thoroughly enjoying his lessons. Would highly recommend recommend!

October 6, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent teacher and really supportive

Edward is a lovely teacher — patient, clear, encouraging and really focused on helping you learn good technique from the start.

Before my lessons with him, I could barely swim and wasn’t comfortable breathing in the water at all. After just three lessons, I already feel much more confident. I’m now comfortable breathing in the water, getting the hang of my kicking and starting to learn log rolls.

I honestly thought it would take me months to get to this point, so I’ve been really surprised by how quickly I’ve progressed. I still have a long way to go, but Edward has made learning to swim feel much more achievable than I expected.

I’d definitely recommend him, especially to anyone who is nervous or starting from scratch.

October 6, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My son has tried various swimming…


My son has tried various swimming lessons in the past and never enjoyed or wanted to go to the lessons, however since starting with Edward he looks forward to going and already is more confident in the Water. Edward is a brilliant teacher, he’s kind, calm and knowledgeable in the way he delivers the lessons.

September 21, 2026
Unprompted review
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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Best swim teacher in Cheltenham!

Edward is really great and knowledgable. I have made more progress in the last few weeks with Edward's help than in the previous six months! He's very patient and pays lots of attention to your stroke / what you need to work on.

September 2, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Since my two sons have started swimming…

Since my two sons have started swimming lessons they have grown so much in confidence in the water but their technique in the water is what has seen the most improvement. Edward’s patience and dedication to developing their skills in the water is what I’ve been most impressed with. Would highly recommend.

July 6, 2026
Unprompted review
Swim For Life logo

Reply from Swim For Life

Many thanks for your review and kind words. Our customers are really recognising our values and that means a lot. Skills and techniques are fundamental to great swimming and confidence. Thank you for recognising the work we put in to try and achieve the best we can for our children in the water.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Swim for Life praise

The teachers are unfailingly kind, good natured, smiling and patient. Our granddaughter loves going for her lessons. They may not be the cheapest but worth every penny.

June 29, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Swim For Life

Many thanks for your review and kind words. Somebody famous once said 'Price is what you pay, value is what you get'. We want to ensure every child gets the very best tuition we can provide and to do that, we feel we have the best teachers. We're not a big business but we hope to create a massive impact for the benefit of our children. Many thanks.

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My granddaughter loves her swimming…

My granddaughter loves her swimming sessions. After over a year of previous lessons she gained confidence to jump in at her first lesson here!
Edward was a delight to deal with and he worked extra hard to find a class and venue that fitted in with my daughter-in-law's work schedule.
The classes are tiny, so lots of one to one. I haven't managed to swim yet . Even after many decades of lessons. I had a bad experience as a seven year old that had made me nervous of the water. Perhaps I should go to lessons too!

June 29, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Swim For Life

Many thanks for such a lovely review. Our aim to to ensure our customers receive the best swimming lessons and best service we can. I'm so pleased to read your review and I know Scarlet and I will continue to support your granddaughters swimming as best we can.

If you would like adult lessons, please do fee free to reach out. We are launching a whole new specialist adult programme soon. Currently we can do 121 adult lessons but we will be offering the following group sessions soon:

12 week - Couch to 1km
4 weeks - Specific stroke masterclasses
12 week - get triathlon ready

We'll look forward to seeing you soon.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Happy with the progress.

Edd is really good with my daughter. She has made plenty of progress. She is not the best listener, but Edd is very patient with her. I strongly recommend the class.

June 30, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Swim For Life

Many thanks for your review James. We really appreciate the positive feedback. Your daughter is a pleasure to teach. Many thanks.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Overcoming a long-held fear of swimming

After years of being afraid of the water I finally plucked up the courage to try some swimming lessons and after just a few weeks I am already feeling so much more confident. Edward is a patient, kind and intuitive instructor. Most importantly he knows when to hold back and when to encourage me to push myself a little outside my comfort zone! I would recommend his lessons to anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation.

June 5, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Now my son loves swimming

To give some history. My son was swimming elsewhere for a few years, in large classes and not progressing from stage 1. He didn’t overly enjoy swimming, wasn’t confident in water and spent half the lesson on the side. When given feedback there was no chance to develop on it due to class size so he would forget by the next lesson and I just felt he wasn’t getting anywhere. I therefore chose to move him to an instructor with smaller classes.

After a google of many places with similar prices, I saw Swim for Life had openings with small classes of just 4 children (compared to other places that had 6). I had a chat with Edward and it was very evident he was passionate about swimming and teaching so felt this would be perfect… and I was right! From the first lesson I saw my son’s confidence grow massively! He was actually interested in learning, not spending half the class waiting for his turn, so he could really get into it and enjoy it. He now says he can’t wait for Monday’s to go swimming, which he NEVER said before. In fact he would moan going to lessons before, so it’s so nice he’s now excited about swimming.

Edward gives feedback throughout and allows him to practice and develop straight away. He hasn’t even needed a float, as Edward offers support helping him get into a natural swimming position and use his body to float, which my son prefers. Even one of the parents commented (on his 2nd lesson), saying how calm and good my son is in the water, and I said he was never like this before. Edward is very calm and patient with the children and I feel this has rubbed off onto my son, allowing him to feel safe in the water and most importantly have fun!

Would 100% recommend! We even got a free hoodie, which was a lovely welcome gift.

April 20, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Swim For Life

Thank you very much for a lovely review and kind words Nikki. You've highlighted so many reasons why I love teaching. I'm really excited to be joined by Scarlet soon too and she shares the same values and passion as me. Together I hope we can make a positive difference to children's lives and I'll continue to try my best for your son and his development.

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A patient teacher with a kind approach

Our daughter has been having lessons with Edward over the past term. Her confidence had stalled a little after a long period of no swimming. Edward has been extremely kind and patient with her and encouraged her back into the water at her own pace. We’ve seen a big improvement in confidence, but more importantly joy, in the water - all over a short space of time. Looking forward to seeing our daughter continue to grow in skill and confidence under Edward’s excellent tutelage.

March 1, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I am being taught by Scarlett

I am being taught by Scarlett, I get the full half hour, (no skimping on time, which can sometimes happen with other things). Scarlett is a natural teacher, I'm coming back to swimming after a very long break, and never learnt properly. She's encouraging & patient, & will go over things as many times as you need. She clearly enjoys her work. I would definitely recommend lessons even if you can swim, to improve your technique & make the trip to the pool all the more worth in. Edward is very attentive about email communication too. Well worth the money. Thanks E & S.

March 1, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We are loving our daughters swimming…

We are loving our daughters swimming lessons , she has become very confident and has improved her swimming skills a lot. The lessons are fun and very engaging. Edward is a great instructor

March 10, 2026
Unprompted review
Swim For Life logo

Reply from Swim For Life

Thankyou so much for your review and kind words. It’s a pleasure to teach your daughter and be part of her progress in the pool. She’s a confident girl and im sure will evolve into a beautiful swimmer in time.

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Edwards is a fantastic teacher

Edwards is a fantastic teacher. He has an excellent manner with our daughter who is making strong progress in learning to swim. Most important she really enjoys the lessons!

February 10, 2026
Unprompted review
Swim For Life logo

Reply from Swim For Life

Many thanks for your review. It's a pleasure to help and work with your daughter. I'm looking forward to seeing her progress through her swimming.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Edward is a brilliant coach

Edward is a brilliant coach! After a loss in confidence around breathing and a commitment to get better at technique and swim more, I decided to get some coaching. Edward put me at ease instantly. He is calm, explained everything thoroughly and his encouragement has helped greatly to spur me on more. Thank you.

February 1, 2026
Unprompted review

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