My working life… Baby swimming teacher

Carmel Tiley is a baby swimming teacher who founded the North London franchise of swimming school Water Babies.

‘I never planned to become a swimming teacher – my background is sales. But when the markets crashed in 2009, I was made redundant. My sister’s six-month-old son was doing swimming lessons with Water Babies. She invited me to watch. I saw him do the “Ready, go!” command, which is how we prepare babies to swim underwater. Babies have a gag reflex – they instinctively hold their breath and avoid inhaling water. He shut his eyes tight and went under. I was amazed.

‘Since 2010 we have grown from teaching 44 babies in the first term to having about 1,200 on our books. With eight other teachers we deliver about 170 weekly classes. I teach for 15 hours and spend two days in the office a week. Much of my role is dealing with finances – bills, invoices, wages, recruitment and appraisals.

‘On teaching days I arrive at the pool half an hour before lessons start. I test the water to make sure the temperature and chlorine levels are correct. I put up cots in the changing rooms and set out floats, rubber fishies and other aids.

‘Babies can start swimming from birth. Our classes cover 17 chapters (or terms). Up to chapter five we have strict lesson plans. At this stage you’re mainly teaching parents how to hold the babies, good swimming positions for them and getting the parents used to the babies swimming underwater. Once children are two, they are more capable of understanding, copying and reacting to you.

‘I go through the registers and think of activities to help those kids specifically. You need to know your pupils. I may concentrate on them being on their backs and rotating. If a child struggles, I’ll think of a way for them to feel they’re progressing and enjoying themselves even if progress is small.

‘A lesson for smaller babies usually starts with some bouncing in the water. After the warm-up they practise swimming positions, chasing toys and swimming underwater. We use songs and nursery rhymes throughout. We also teach them to swim, get to the side and hold on. One day this could save their life.

‘I’ve never had to deal with an emergency, although we are trained to. Once I had a baby whose gag reflex was so strong they held their breath for about a minute after going underwater. That was scary, but I kept calm and the baby was fine.

‘I don’t have a break unless I’m teaching for five hours straight. Your stamina builds quickly, although you do shrivel up a bit. You also get good at spotting poos in the pool. We have a double waterproof nappy system – waterproof disposable nappies with a fabric one on top – to prevent it happening, but if it does, you have to evacuate the pool.

‘After lessons I tidy up and make notes about children’s reactions.

‘You need to relate to babies and toddlers to do this job. We call it “the thing” at Water Babies. Some people have it and some people don’t. Getting little smiles from the babies means everything. It doesn’t matter what mood you’re in, once you’re in the pool you can’t help but be happy.’

CV

Employment history

2010-present Swimming teacher and franchisee, Water Babies, North London

2008-2009 Financial PR executive, Conduit PR

2005-2008 Sales manager and advertising manager, Mining Communications

2003-2004 UK and Channel Islands account manager, Misys Retail Banking Systems

2001-2003 UK marketing and sales executive, Misys International Banking Systems

1998-2001 Data sales manager, AP Information Services

1997-1998 Temporary positions, Blue Arrow Personnel Services

1997 English teacher, UNESCO

Qualifications

BSc Hons Maths and Physics, University of Leeds, 1997.

Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) Level 1 Teaching Aquatics, 2009.

ASA Level 2 Teaching Aquatics, 2010.

National Rescue Award for Swimming Teachers and Coaches, Royal Lifesaving Society, 2010, 2012, 2014.

Water Babies residential instructor training, 2010.

Swimming Teachers Association (STA) Baby and Pre-School Certificate, 2010.

STA Level Swimming Pool and Spa Water Treatment, 2012.

ASA Extended Diploma in Baby and Pre-School Swimming, 2014.

Training

There is no minimum baby swimming teaching qualification. But to teach alone in a pool you need insurance, which requires having a Level 2 qualification, such as the Swimming Teachers Association’s Level 2 Award in Aquatic Teaching – Baby and Pre-School.

Water Babies teachers must complete an Extended Diploma in Baby and Pre-School Swimming, which includes and surpasses the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA)’s Level 2 Swimming Teacher. This involves 341 hours of work: pre-coursework, a residential course, post-course e-learning and teaching a minimum of 20 supervised lessons. The course is financed by Water Babies. Candidates must have an ASA Level 1 qualification.

Useful websites

Water Babies, www.waterbabies.co.uk

Institute of Swimming, www.theiosonline.com

STA, www.sta.co.uk