JA Swim Academy at Manchester Grammar School
JA Swim Academy hires Manchester Grammar School's pool on two weeknights a week for group lessons for 4 to 12 year olds, run by a small independent outfit rather than a national franchise.
Who it suits
Rusholme and south Manchester families who want their child taught in a proper school pool on a fixed weekday evening, and don't need daytime or weekend flexibility.
Why it stands out
- Lessons happen in Manchester Grammar School's own pool, a facility not normally open to the public
- One of the few Manchester listings priced as a flat 8-week block rather than a rolling monthly direct debit
- 10% off the first block brings the price to £54, a rare discount for a new starter in this directory
- Badges and certificates are a separate £6 add-on when a child earns one, rather than bundled into the lesson price
- Run by JA Swim Academy, a small independent operator based in Stockport, with Manchester as its one current venue
Our verdict
This is a straightforward, no-frills group lesson booked in blocks rather than an open-ended subscription, and at £7.50 a lesson it's cheaper per session than Puddle Ducks' £17.50 Castlefield price, though that school teaches babies rather than 4 to 12 year olds. Don't book if you need a daytime, weekend or under-4s slot, the only sessions are Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30pm, term-time only. Adult classes are planned for winter 2026 but aren't bookable yet, so don't go looking for them now.
What it is
JA Swim Academy is a small independent swim school based in Stockport that hires Manchester Grammar School’s pool on Old Hall Lane two evenings a week for group learn-to-swim lessons. It isn’t a franchise with a standard national price list: the whole operation currently runs from this one Manchester venue, and bookings go direct by phone or email rather than through a call centre.
Who should book
Children aged 4 to 12 who can make a Tuesday or Thursday evening slot between 6:30 and 8:30pm during term time. That narrow window is the main constraint: there’s no weekend option and no daytime class, so this suits families with an evening free rather than anyone needing to fit lessons around work or nursery hours. Under 4s aren’t catered for.
What stands out
The pool itself is the real draw. Manchester Grammar School’s facility isn’t something most families would otherwise get to use, and lessons there feel different from a shared leisure centre teaching pool. On price, £60 for an 8-week block breaks down to £7.50 a lesson, and a 10% discount on a first booking takes that to £54. Badges and certificates cost an extra £6 when earned, rather than being folded into the block price, so factor that in if your child is likely to progress quickly.
The verdict
For the price, a school pool and a fixed 8-week block is a good deal, and cheaper per lesson than the £17.50 to £18.00 charged at Puddle Ducks’ Castlefield venue for a younger age group, though that’s not a like-for-like comparison since JA teaches 4 to 12 year olds rather than babies. The catch is flexibility: two evening slots a week, term-time only, is all there is right now, and there’s no indication of a waiting list system if those fill up. Families who can work around that get a solid, honestly priced lesson in a pool most of Manchester never sees the inside of. Anyone needing a Saturday morning slot should look elsewhere.