Swim@ at Erskine Stewart's Melville Schools
Swim@ runs small-group lessons for 3 to 11 year olds in the pool at Erskine Stewart's Melville Schools, developed with Olympic medallists Becky Adlington and Steve Parry.
Who it suits
Parents of children aged 3 to 11 who want small classes at a private school pool, with a teacher in the water for the youngest beginners.
Why it stands out
- Developed with Olympic medallists Becky Adlington and Steve Parry, and taught at ESMS's own pool rather than a public leisure centre
- £52.50 a month covers one 30 minute lesson a week, with lessons running 50 weeks a year and closing only between Christmas and New Year
- Teachers get in the water with beginners rather than coaching from poolside
- Free swim cap provided at your child's first lesson, and weekly themed lessons to keep younger children engaged
- Free on-site parking within the school grounds, with the pool entrance reached via the gate on Ravelston Terrace
Our verdict
£52.50 a month for a single weekly lesson is toward the top of the market for group lessons in Edinburgh, and you're paying for small classes and a teacher who gets in the water with beginners rather than for anything unusual about the pool itself. Classes only run Tuesday and Thursday evenings, Friday evenings and weekend mornings, so this won't suit a family that needs a weekday daytime slot. It also starts at age 3, so there is nothing here for babies or younger toddlers.
What it is
Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools is a private school in Edinburgh’s west end, and its pool hosts Swim@, the children’s programme from Becky Adlington and Steve Parry’s swim! group. The programme takes children from 3 to 11, split into small classes with a teacher in the water for beginners rather than instructing from the side.
Who should book
Parents whose child is at least 3 and wants a weekly lesson somewhere other than a council leisure centre. The evening and weekend-only timetable, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, Friday evenings, and Saturday and Sunday mornings, suits families who can commit to the same slot each week rather than needing daytime flexibility.
What stands out
At £52.50 a month for one 30 minute lesson a week, this is one of the pricier group options in Edinburgh, and the price buys small classes rather than a bigger pool or extra facilities. Lessons run 50 weeks a year with only a Christmas to New Year break, so there’s no long summer gap to lose progress over. Every new swimmer gets a free swim cap at their first lesson and a weekly theme to keep things engaging, and parking is free within the school grounds, with the pool entrance reached via a separate gate on Ravelston Terrace rather than the main school entrance.
The verdict
£52.50 a month is a premium price for a weekly half hour lesson, and it buys small groups and a teacher who gets in the water with beginners rather than a bigger or better pool than the council alternative down the road. It suits a family set on one fixed weekly slot more than one that needs flexibility, since the timetable only runs five sessions across four days. There’s nothing for children under 3 here, so buggy-age siblings will need a different swim school until they’re old enough to join.
More Swim@ venues
All Swim@ venuesRebecca Adlington and Steve Parry's Swim! runs baby to age 11 lessons in a dedicated 18 by 7 metre pool on a south Leeds retail park, in classes capped at six children.
Swim! runs a dedicated 19 metre teaching pool at Speke, south Liverpool, with weekly lessons from baby swim up to age 11, plus private and school holiday intensive courses.
swim! runs a dedicated 18 by 7 metre pool on Archer Road for ages 0 to 11, £60 a month for a weekly lesson, with parents in the water for baby classes and a viewing lounge once children turn three.