MORE than 1,500 pupils each term are taught to swim through City of York Council's SWIM YORK initiative.

Private swimming lessons have been held at the Edmund Wilson and Yearsley pools for decades but they are proving as popular as ever.

The SWIM YORK programme has been designed to complement the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) National Teaching Plan.

Children from six months old can start in the Ducklings classes, and progress through a series of levels before going on to coaching levels and additional courses such as synchronised swimming, water polo, personal survival and lifeguarding.

Each level is assessed by the teacher and badges and certificates awarded on the successful completion of each stage.

This month a new teaching plan is being introduced which will improve the quality of lessons.

For the first time each course will run for a fixed 12 weeks, rather than following the number of weeks in a school term.

This will allow better lesson planning and delivery for teachers who, before now, have had to fit the level into a course running for between nine or 13 weeks. This consistency will be reflected across both pools, where all swimming teachers have recently been given further training and lesson planning guidelines.

SWIM YORK only uses experienced and qualified swimming teachers, with assistants who have the assistant teacher qualification.

Teacher-pupil ratios will be improved by employing more assistant teachers to help teachers deliver the course.

All courses have lifeguards at poolside for safety reasons, but assistant swimming teachers can help assist those who need individual attention or in-water demonstrations.

Other changes, such as teaching all strokes from Level 1, will also be introduced from this month, ensuring that children have a basic confidence in various swimming techniques as soon as they start to swim.

Andy Laslett, head of facilities, said: "Our swimming teachers have always been well qualified, experienced and dedicated but this new scheme will help increase the standard of swimming lessons. Once a child has learnt to swim it opens up all sorts of exciting sports and activities, so it's important to get that confidence in water early on."

SWIM YORK runs lessons weekdays, weekends and in the evenings throughout the year.

Children enrolled on SWIM YORK also have unlimited free swimming at both Edmund Wilson and Yearsley pools while the course is running.

For further information, to enrol or to book a free swimming assessment call either pool on 01904 552424.