This sheet provides information about our instructors, classes and facilities. If you have any questions, please talk to your child’s instructor or call 6473 8353 and speak to our office staff. Also, Jane Marsden is contactable on her mobile 9621 9965.
Instructors
We have three full-time instructors – Jane, Jason and Wendy – and several part-time ones (including Jana, Lisa, Nikki, Paula, Alvin, Pete and Sek Chuan) who teach at Holland Road, the Australian International School of Singapore, Avondale Grammar School, Queenstown pool, Turf City and private residences. All our instructors are certified by AUSTSWIM, the key Australian body that provides comprehensive swimming and water-safety teacher education. They are qualified to teach infant, general and adult water familiarisation, water safety, and learn-to-swim and stroke correction. Most are also qualified to teach people with special needs. Most of our instructors are university educated.
Jane and Jason Marsden are also ASCTA (Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association) members, PADI scuba-diving instructors and Emergency First Response (first aid) instructors with a combined 15 years of teaching experience. Jane’s grandfather coached Britain’s 1948 Olympic swim team, including Bronze medalist Cathy Gibson and her uncle was the fastest long-distance freestyle swimmer in England for four years. Holding a Master’s Degree in Primary School Teaching, Jason swam competitively for Hong Kong when he was a teenager and did his practical training for his ASCTA Bronze Coaching Licence under the Singapore Olympic Swim Squad’s head coach, Australian John Dempsey. Wendy worked for several years with AUSTSWIM clubs and schools in Perth, Western Australia, before joining Marsden Swim School.
Office staff
Apart from Jane Marsden (mob: 9621 9965), office administration is done by Anne and Melissa. If you want to check the class schedule, need to call in sick or have questions about payment, speak to either of them on 6473 8353 OR LEAVE A MESSAGE ON THE VOICE MAIL. Between 9am and 1pm on weekdays you can usually find one of them at the desk inside the sliding glass doors near the covered porch in the playground.
Expectations
Safety is the highest priority in any aquatic activity. No swimming class can ‘drown-proof’ a child or non-swimming adult, but it can increase their ability to assess and avoid potential aquatic dangers (for example through the use of safe entries) and develop a realistic understanding of their swimming ability. The three initial skills beginners must acquire are water familiarisation (which can take several months), buoyancy and mobility. Emphasizing strengths in a fun, non-intimidating atmosphere is vital to building self-confidence in the water. Whenever possible, students should also swim at least once or twice outside class times to reinforce skills. Please talk to us if you have queries or concerns, wish to change times or instructors, or have suggestions!
Assessment
Certificates of achievement, based on levels recognized by AUSTSWIM and the Australian International School, are presented twice a year.
Class size
There are a maximum of six students per group class, with an average of three to four, depending on student age and ability. Individual classes can also be arranged if a student requires extra tuition or special help.
Parent/caretaker participation
If your child is unable to swim independently, regardless of his/her age, you may need to be in the water with them during group classes. Please bring your swimming costume! If you do not wish to get in the water with your child, you may wish to book individual lessons so they can be supported by the instructor, or at least request your preference not to get into the pool when making a booking.
Facilities
At Holland Road, we have a private, heated tuition pool in a pleasant garden setting. If you arrive early or have children in back-to-back classes, a swing set is in the front garden (to be used at your own risk). Under the awning you’ll find a seating area, a notice board, registration forms, the class register, a lost property box and the payment box. Please check the notice board for news! At the back of the Holland Road premises are a toilet, change area and a hot-water shower. At Turf City, there is a covered playground just next to our covered pool. Within our premises are showers; the toilets are a short walk inside the shopping complex. Our other venues at the Australian International School and Queenstown Swimming Complex all have showers, toilets and change facilities.
Hygiene
All children under three must wear disposable or permanent swimming diapers/nappies (such as Huggies ‘Little Swimmers’, which can be bought at Cold Storage supermarkets). If you cannot find them, we can sell you diapers for S$1 each.
Aids
Flotation aids (kickboards, backpacks and noodles) help beginners practice skills with less fatigue and also help timid students maintain a buoyant position. Kickboards are invaluable in teaching stroke correction. However, some children dislike aids so wherever possible their natural swimming style is encouraged. Dependency on aids is also avoided by alternating between aided and non-aided swimming within the class.
Lightning/Rain Policy
If your class is definitely cancelled due to lightning or torrential rain, your instructor will phone you ideally at least half an hour before the class starts. Otherwise, if you have not heard anything from your instructor, please show.
A make-up will be offered for all classes cancelled ahead of time due to lightning/heavy rain.
If, during the class, lightning strikes, the instructor will ask everyone to immediately vacate the pool. If the class can recommence after 15 minutes of no lightning, the instructor may choose to combine classes or start subsequent classes slightly later to accommodate all students as fairly as possible. If the class has to be cancelled because the lightning does not stop, a makeup will be offered except when 15 minutes or more of the class had already been conducted before the lightning struck.
For offsites, if you wish to cancel the class ahead of time due to heavy rain/lightning, please ring your instructor directly ideally at least half an hour before the class starts. A make-up class will then be arranged at no extra charge. If your offsite instructor shows and there is lightning at the start of the class, the instructor may make a decision to wait no more than 15 minutes to determine whether the class can go ahead OR to reschedule the class for another time. If 15 minutes or more of the class has occurred before lightning strikes, no makeup class will be offered for offsite classes.
Parking
At Holland Road, three cars can fit in the driveway in the painted white carpark rectangles. Other cars can park in the slip road parallel to Holland Road. Please don't box in our Chevrolet Spark or we may have to ask you to move your car during a lesson. At Turf City, there is unlimited parking. At the Australian International School, parking before 4pm on weekdays is in the street just next to the school. After 4pm on weekdays and all day on the weekends, free parking is allowed in the school carpark. At Queenstown swimming complex, parking is in the public carpark where coupons apply.
Charges per half-hour class
Group class:
S$25 per child student (maximum of six per class)
S$25 per domestic helper student (maximum of five per class)
S$30 per adult student (maximum of three per class)
Semi-private group class:
S$35 per child student (two in a class)
Individual class:
S$45 per child student
S$50 per adult student
Offsite class:
S$20 per student (minimum charge of S$60)
Charges per hour class
Group class:
S$60 per adult student (maximum of three per class)
Individual class:
S$80 per adult student
Children’s Swimming Squad
Once your child have mastered the strokes during learn-to-swim classes, they are welcome to join our fun swimming squad, conducted on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at Queenstown pool (50m) and Sunday mornings at the Australian International School pool (25m). For one or two hour-long sessions a week, the charge is S$30 per week, payable on a term basis.
Payment
There is a one-off registration fee of S$25 per student which is due the first week of class. We have a quarterly invoicing system (i.e. January to March, April to June, July to September, October to December) If you join part-way through the a term, you will only be invoiced for the remaining classes. Please return the payment slip with your cheque and PLEASE MAKE CHEQUES PAYABLE TO C LICENCE PTE LTD (NOT MARSDEN SWIM SCHOOL). We also accept cash and credit card payments.
Make-up classes
A maximum of two make-up classes per term per child is offered if advance
notice is given if your child is sick, for instance. Make-ups will not be
offered for ad hoc holidays of which we were not informed before the
beginning of term. (If you know you will be away for part of the term,
please let us know in writing before the term begins and we will not invoice
you for the classes you will miss.) Three alternative classes will be
suggested for each make-up but Marsden Swim School cannot be held
responsible if they don't fit into your schedule. If you must miss a class,
please ring us and leave a voice message before the class so we can give
another child a make-up class in your child's absence. IF YOU DO NOT RING
US, YOU WILL FORFEIT YOUR CLASS FEE.
If You Miss Your Make-Up Class
If you miss your make-up class, that missed make-up class will be considered
one of your two make-ups for that term. It is an administrative nightmare to
try to schedule make-ups for make-ups, as we are sure you will appreciate!
Absence without informing us
If you are absent from class for two weeks in a row, without informing us in advance, we will assume that you are no longer interested in attending and may fill your space with someone else. Because the instructor will turn up even if you don’t, you will also be liable to pay for missed classes when you do not let us know if advance. WHENEVER POSSIBLE, PLEASE RING US (TEL: 6473 8353) AND LEAVE A MESSAGE IF YOU CAN’T ATTEND A SESSION. We also ask that you inform us in writing if you do not wish to resume classes in the following term.
Holidays
CLASSES WILL NOT BE HELD ON SINGAPORE PUBLIC HOLIDAYS UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED.
Behaviour Management Plan
The Rules
1. Follow the teacher's directions.
2. Listen when the teacher is talking.
3. Keep your hands and feet to yourself.
4. Walk around the pool area.
5. Use respectful language with your fellow swimmers and coaches.
6. At Marsden Swim Squad, keep lanes/swim areas clear for other swimmers.
7. At Holland Road pool, stay on the platform when you are not swimming.
Consequences
1. In the event of disruptive behaviour, the teacher will first state the consequence as a choice e.g. "You have a choice, please follow my instructions or leave the pool for five minutes."
2. If student chooses to leave the pool for five minutes, and then gets in and disrupts the class again, the next time-out will be 10 minutes.
3. The third time-out will be removal from the pool for the duration of the session.
4. With dangerous or violent behaviours, immediate removal from the pool and possibly from the swimming venue will be requested.
CPR/First Aid courses
If you, your domestic helper or child is interested in receiving up-to-date first-aid training, please ask us about the different courses available. We offer an internationally recognized CPR/First Aid course specifically focused on infants and children or we can tailor a course to meet your specific needs. Please contact Anne on 9227 7747 or Anne@FirstAidTuition.com
Swim Gear
Children's and adults' goggles, swim flippers, noodles, kickboards, toypedoes, dive sticks, ear bands, Marsden Swim School squad and school t-shirts and other swim gear are available in our swim school shop near Anne’s desk. There is also a merchandise list on our website.
PADI Scuba-Diving Courses and Dive Gear
If you wish to become a certified PADI Open Water Diver (and are 10 years or older), please call Jane Marsden on 9621 9965 or email her at HYPERLINK "mailto:jane@c-licence.com" jane@c-licence.com. Children's and adults' wetsuits, fins, masks, snorkels and other dive gear are available in our shop or can be ordered through our wholesalers at very competitive prices.
For our female swimmers/mothers
Recently several clients have chosen to miss one class a month because of their period/menses. We have spare tampons for female clients if you come without; unless you are ill from your period you will be expected to forfeit your class fee if you choose not to enter the water for your or your (accompanied) child’s class.
Feedback
As a family-run business, we pride ourselves for our individual-focused service. We respect and welcome your continuing feedback to help us improve. Please email feedback to HYPERLINK "mailto:marsdenswim@pacific.net.sg" marsdenswim@pacific.net.sg or request a Feedback Form (hard copies available in the Information Folder on the table under the covered porch at Holland Road) or contact Anne or Jane on tel: 6473 8353. We also have a clipboard with blank paper on the wooden desk for you to write any notes to Jane or Anne.
Registration Form
All students (or their guardians) must fill in a registration form before joining a class. If you wish to enroll your child, please complete on below and mail or drop it into Marsden Swim School, 113 Holland Road, Singapore 278556.
MARSDEN SWIM SCHOOL: REGISTRATION FORM
STUDENT’S NAME:
PARENT’S NAME:
ADDRESS:
……………………………….……………………………
HOME TEL:
WORK TEL:
HANDPHONE NO:
EMAIL:
DATE OF BIRTH:
PAST SWIMMING EXPERIENCE:
DOES PARENT/CARETAKER SWIM: …………………………………………
MEDICAL CONDITIONS/DISORDERS:
PREFERRED DOCTOR/HOSPITAL NAME & EMERGENCY CONTACT NO :
OTHER COMMENTS:
PREFERRED START DATE & TIME:
HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT US:
MARSDEN SWIM SCHOOL INCLUDING ITS SERVANTS AND AGENTS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE OR LOSS SUFFERRED BY OR CAUSED TO THE STUDENT OR STUDENT’S CARETAKER/FAMILY OR PROPERTY FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER AND HOWSOEVER OCCURING ON THE PREMISES OF 113 HOLLAND ROAD, SINGAPORE 278556 OR AT ANY OTHER PREMISES WHERE MARSDEN SWIM SCHOOL IS CONDUCTING SWIM/SQUAD SESSIONS. THE UNDERSIGNED HEREBY UNDERTAKES TO INDEMNIFY MARSDEN SWIM SCHOOL AND/OR ITS AGENTS/SERVANTS AGAINST ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF DAMAGE OR LOSS SUFFERRED BY OR CAUSED TO THE STUDENT OR THE STUDENT’S CARETAKER/FAMILY OR PROPERTY.
I HAVE READ MARSDEN SWIM SCHOOL’S TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND AGREE TO THEM
SIGNATURE: ………………………………………. DATE: