Progression through the club is ability based, by attaining certain skills and reaching benchmarks before progression to the next level.

Swim School is organised into ability sets and new swimmers begin swimming widths; gaining confidence and skills in accordance with the National Plan for teaching swimming. By the end of swim school it is the aim that swimmers will be competent and have attained level 7 of the plan.

Swim school swimmers may be invited to join the competitive development squad.  There is no automatic progression into the competitive squads.  Bristol Henleaze is a competitive swimming club and as such must give preference to swimmers who show promise, commit to appropriate training levels and who will represent the club at galas and competitions.

As in most sporting diciplines success is attained through practice; the number of hours of training input and the experience and confidence gained from the galas and competitions attended.

Bristol Henleaze strives to make available training hours appropriate to the swimmer and access to a range of competitive galas to suit all abilities. We employ a Chief Coach to administer our training programmes through the Club and oversee the teaching provision.

We have produced many very competent swimmers over the years who have won honours at County and Western Counties level, and a select few who have gone on to compete at National level.

If you have any questions regarding your child or the progress they are making you are welcome to discuss this with your squad coach at the end of a training session.