Frequently Asked Questions

These FAQs are for our main Learn to Dive programme (children aged 5–14). Looking for Teens or Adults sessions instead? Visit those pages.

Fees & booking

What does it cost to join? There’s a one-off £15 registration fee when you join, then membership is billed monthly at £37/month – there’s no need to pay upfront for a whole term.

Do I pay per term, or monthly? Membership is billed monthly by direct debit, not per term.

Is my place booked for a whole term, or can I leave any time? Your child’s place continues month to month rather than being tied to a term. If you need to leave the programme, just give us notice by the 20th of the month to ensure your billing stops cleanly at the end of that month.

Do sessions stop for school holidays? No – we run year round, including through school holidays, with just a two-week break over Christmas.

Progress and moving up

Can I see my child’s progress? Yes – your child’s skills and progress are recorded on our online parent portal, ThinkSmart. You will receive an invitation to the portal when your child is enrolled in the programme. You can log in at thinksmartsoftwareuk.com/customer_portal_v2 using our club code EQ6TM2SE.

How will I know if my child has moved up a level? We’ll let you know directly by email or system notification — there’s no need to chase this up. We run formal assessments approximately four times a year, and this is when the majority of skills are assessed and level moves are coordinated and confirmed. Occasionally a skill might be ticked off in between assessments, but moves themselves happen at these set points rather than one-off.

Does my child need to pass every skill to move up a level? Yes, all the core skills for a level need to be passed. Diving is a progressive sport, so we need divers to be consistently solid in all the skills for a level – not just able to do something once – before they move up. Seeing a skill done once (even well) isn’t the same as having the confidence and consistency needed to build safely on it at the next level, so our coaches look for that reliability across all the required skills before confirming a move.

What are the “Bonus Skills” I can see on the portal? On ThinkSmart you may notice some skills marked with a (B) – these are Bonus Skills. They’re optional extras: either a natural next step beyond the level’s core skills, or a fun challenge your child might pick up in free time. They’re not required to move up a level, so there’s no pressure to complete them – but they’re a great way to recognise extra effort and individual achievement, give your child an added sense of progress and motivation, and give you a bit more insight into what they’re learning and enjoying in sessions.

Sessions and group sizes

How many children are in each group? Groups can be up to 12, but we aim to keep them to around 6–8 wherever possible, so each diver gets good individual attention from their coach.

Do you offer one-to-one sessions? Yes – one-to-one sessions are available to children already in our Learn to Dive programme. Please contact our administrator, Susie, to check availability and book.

What to expect

What should I expect from the Learn to Dive programme? First and foremost, it’s about having fun – while learning to be safe on the boards and building skills at a comfortable pace. Most of the programme runs at your child’s own pace: coaches will push them to try new physical skills when they’re ready, but we also recognise that being physically capable of something and being mentally ready for it aren’t always the same thing, and we won’t rush that part.

Still have questions? Contact Susie