Programmes Offered

  • Children
Calendar
Spring Term 2025
6 Jan – 6 Apr
Summer Term 2025
22 Apr – 3 Aug
Autumn Term 2025
1 Sep – 21 Dec
Exclusions
5 May
|
26 May
Lesson Times
Mon-Fri
15:30 - 18:30
Sat
9:00 - 14:00
Sun
9:00 - 16:00
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About this location

Nestled in the heart of Paddington, the Porchester Centre offers a stunning art deco swimming pool that provides an inspiring space for kids to learn and grow in the water. At this historic venue, Swimming Nature exclusively runs its children’s program, focusing on tailored 1:1 and 2:1 private swimming lessons.

Our expert instructors provide personalised guidance to ensure every child builds confidence and progresses at their own pace. Whether your child is taking their first steps in the water or looking to develop advanced swimming techniques, our program is designed to meet their individual needs.

With small, focused sessions and a calm, supportive environment, the Porchester Centre is the ideal place for children to develop their swimming skills while fostering a lifelong love of the water.

Instructors Available

Claudia
Claudia is a dedicated swim instructor with nearly five years of experience helping students of all ages and abilities achieve confidence and mastery in the water. Originally from the United States, Claudia was a competitive swimmer for nearly a decade, an experience that fostered both a deep love for the sport and a keen understanding of the techniques and discipline required to excel. Through patient, personalized guidance, Claudia empowers each student to overcome challenges, set and reach their goals, and cultivate a lifelong appreciation for swimming. With a strong focus on water safety, skill progression, and positive reinforcement, Claudia creates a supportive and motivating environment for swimmers to thrive. Whether working with beginners taking their first strokes or advanced swimmers refining technique, Claudia is committed to building both skills and confidence that extend well beyond the pool.
Nadia
Nadia Barhoua, originally from England, is a multilingual individual fluent in English, Arabic, and French. She has a passion for swimming and has been actively involved in the sport since she was three years old. Nadia holds qualifications such as the STA Award Level 2 Swim Teaching and STA Award Level 2 Lifeguarding. She recently became a qualified Swimming Teacher in April 2023 and started working in May 2023. In terms of sporting achievements, Nadia participated in swimming competitions back in 2016-2017, where she achieved commendable results. Aside from swimming, her other hobbies and activities include football, which she plays regularly, and website creation. Nadia has a diverse professional background in teaching and coaching. From 2016 to 2018, she worked with Fit For Sport, teaching children of different age groups and organizing activities, including swimming, during holiday camps. In 2018-2019, she taught children football through TheLittleFox. She also worked as a trampoline coach at Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre from 2018 to 2019, focusing on teaching proper techniques and ensuring safety. In 2019-2020, Nadia pursued her passion for swimming by becoming a lifeguard to further enhance her knowledge of swimming techniques and promote safety. She eventually became a Lifeguard Supervisor at Virgin Active from 2020 to 2023, where she gained valuable experience in handling accidents and incidents and saving lives. Driven by her desire to teach swimming and help others develop their skills, Nadia decided to transition into becoming a swim instructor/teacher. She values the opportunity to teach others the correct stroke techniques and oversee other instructors of all age groups. Nadia appreciates the Swimming Nature Programme for its focus on teaching the best techniques and enabling her to become a proactive swim instructor. She enjoys teaching all age groups and levels, displaying patience and a commitment to helping her students progress. Nadia chose to become a Swimming Nature teacher because of the company's reputation for supporting swim instructors in becoming proactive and delivering high-quality instruction. Her goal is to continue helping individuals learn, progress, and develop their swimming abilities while sharing her passion for the sport.
Sam
A dedicated and enthusiastic athlete, Sam was not only the Kent County Champion over 100m and 200m backstroke in 2004, 2005 and 2006, but also the 2006 national Aquathlon Champion and finished in the top thirty in the country for the 100m backstroke. He is also a keen triathlete racing for Great Britain during the 2008/9 season and obtaining his Level One ASA British Triathlon Coaching Award alongside his swimming teaching qualifications. For Sam it is the unique hands-on techniques that Swimming Nature encourages that are one of his most valuable teaching tools and considers providing each student with the means of understanding the feel of each correct movement an invaluable asset. Also having a teacher within the pool alongside each student means he is able to offer hands-on support as quickly and as often as needed to ensure each swimmer feels at ease in the water and any incorrect technique can be altered as soon as needed. Sam is a versatile teacher able to teach a wide range of programmes; baby, child, adult and Triathlon too.
Zsanett
Pool Size
10.5m x 30.3m
Pool Depth
0.9m - 1.9m
Pool Temp
30°C
Pool Size
9m x 23m
Pool Depth
0.9m - 2m
Pool Temp
30°C
Find Another Pool

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What should I bring to a lesson?
    Please bring a swimsuit, towel, goggles and a swim cap. For babies, you’ll need one disposable swim nappy and one happy nappy (or equivalent).
  • What happens if I miss a lesson?
    If you notify us at least 24 hours in advance, we can cancel the lesson and credit you with a ‘make-up’ lesson. Contact us as soon as possible to reschedule.
  • Are there any rules I should be aware of?
    Yes, all swimmers must shower before entering the pool. Parents/guardians are required to supervise children outside of lesson times. Food and drinks (other than water) are not permitted on the poolside.
  • What are the pool's water temperature and depth?
    Check out the information provided above for details on this specific pool’s water temperature and depth.
  • How long are the lessons at this pool?
    Lessons at this pool are typically 30 minutes long. This allows for focused, quality instruction while keeping students engaged and energised.

Building a natural bond with water

Our award-winning Swimming Nature method makes learning to swim a natural, relaxed and fun experience with easily recognisable results.
  • Swimming
    For babies
    Our methods maximise the benefits of early introduction to water.
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  • Swimming
    For children
    We emphasise aquatic comfort to accelerate learning progression.
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  • Swimming
    For adults
    Tailored, personal-training approach for novice to experienced swimmers.
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The best way to learn to swim

We go beyond teaching and build a natural bond with water for life. Our unique method has made Swimming Nature the most popular and most respected private swimming tuition provider in the UK.