Find out about supervising children, pool hygiene and using our changing rooms, to help keep our facilities clean, and make sure you and your family have a safe time using the pool.
Children under the age of 8 should be actively accompanied by a responsible adult (aged at least 16) in both the changing area and the swimming pool.
Actively accompanied means that the adult must stay in the water with young children, and should maintain a constant watch over the children in their care - this means being within arms reach and able to provide immediate assistance at all times.
Ratio of adults to children
The general rule is one adult to two children aged under 8.
This is for all our pools - the small learner pool, or the 6 lane or 8 lane main pools, and applies whether or not the children can swim. Children must only go beyond the 1.2 metre line if they can swim 50 metres or more.
In the learner pool, or main pools up to the 1.2 metre line, the ratio can be increased to one adult to three children aged under 8, when one child is wearing approved flotation aids or armbands with the CEN safety mark.
Pool competency test
To go past the red line, swimmers must be able to:
Jump into deep water.
Swim 50m in a recognised stroke.
Tread water for 30 seconds.
Moveable pool floor
The pool floor at the Healthy Living Centre is movable, so please check with a lifeguard to find out where the 1.2 metre line is when you visit.
Different ratios apply for pool parties, please see below.
Small pool party
Parties in the small pool including the use of floats, pool toys and rafts:
- adults are required in the water with children under 8 years of age, at a ratio of 1 adult to 4 children
- all non-swimmers and weak swimmers must wear armbands and be supervised on a one to one basis
- the maximum number of swimmers at a small pool party, including adult supervision, is 40 guests
Main pool 'floats and toys' party
Parties in the main pool including the use of floats, pool toys and rafts:
- adults are required in the water with children under 8 years of age, at a ratio of 1 adult to 2 children
- all children must be able to swim at least 50 metres
- the maximum number of swimmers at a main pool party, including adult supervision, is 30 guests
Main pool 'aquarun' party
Parties in the main pool using the large inflatable aquarun:
- all swimmers must be aged between 8 and 15 years of age
- all children must be able to swim at least 50 metres
- the maximum number of swimmers at a main pool party, including adult supervision, is 30 guests
Blue lagoon party
Parties in the pool including the use of floats, pool toys and rafts:
- adults are required in the water with children under 8 years of age, at a ratio of 1 adult to 2 children
- the maximum number of swimmers, including adult supervision, for a whole pool party is 50 guests
- the maximum number of swimmers, including adult supervision, for a toddler party (in a cordoned off shallow area of the pool) is 20 guests
Our pools have village style changing rooms - this means they are shared by everyone.
The village changing rooms make it easier for families and carers to get ready for swimming, and include single cubicles, larger family sized changing areas and changing spaces for use by people who are less mobile or that have a disability.
For your privacy, please remember to lock the cubicle door, and use one of the individual shower cubicles if you want to undress while showering - please keep covered up when you are in the communal areas.
Outdoor shoes
Please take off outdoor shoes when entering the changing area, or use the blue over-shoe covers provided at the door, this helps keep our floors clean for you when you are getting changed.
Please shower well before getting into the pool, to keep the water clean and safe for everyone.
Showering before swimming helps remove toiletries, lotions, sweat, bacteria and other substances from your skin that could make the pool water dirty or unhealthy. It also means means the chlorine in the pool won’t have to work as hard.
It's a good idea to have a shower after swimming too.
Had a tummy bug?
If you've had a tummy bug, such as sickness or diarrhoea, please don't use our pools until two weeks after your symptoms have cleared up. This might sound a long time, but even though you feel better, your body can still have the germs for several days afterwards, and we don't want those germs to pass onto other people.
Never come swimming if you are unwell, and please don't bring poorly kids to the pool, we don't want anyone being ill.
These are just a few things from our pool admissions policy, contact us for more details.