IT'S the successful swim school promoting a lifelong love of the water in 500 tiny tots each week.
Turtle Tots Southampton and East Dorset specialises in teaching babies and pre-schoolers to swim in calm, warm pools including Ashurst Lodge, Cedar School, Red Lodge Pool, Regents Park Community College, and Springwell School.
A highly-trained team of teachers ensure little ones, from just a few weeks old, are taught this essential life-saving skill in a fun, engaging and inclusive way.
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Sian Green, owner and long-time swimming teacher, told the Daily Echo: "We teach essential life-saving skills, water confidence and promote bonding time and a welcoming social environment for adults and children.
"We support local charities too with a portion of our lesson income being donated.
"Our lessons are completely child-led. We never force children to do anything they don't want to do.
"When asking our customers why they rebook each term, we hear it's because of the amazing communication, that we're friendly and knowledgeable, that catch up lessons are offered for those missed and that we recognise NHS and blue light heroes with a discount."
The first year of a baby's life is the perfect time to gently introduce them to the water.
By the time each child has reached the end of the Turtle Tots baby programme, they have been taught all the techniques and practices necessary for independent swimming. They then continue on to the next two stages for up to four-year-olds.
Turtle Tots Southampton and East Dorset has been operating since 2019, but only traded for ten weeks in the tax year from 2020/21 due to Covid restrictions on pools, which had a huge financial impact.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, staff had to learn a whole new way of teaching from poolside, ensuring socially distant lessons for all. They're now back in the pool and the business is going from strength to strength.
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