Business Details
23 Years
experience
Trusted Swimming Lessons for Babies & Children
Swimbabes Lessons was founded in 2003 by Laura and George Molloy, driven by their personal experience of the transformative benefits of baby swimming lessons. Starting with just 11 swimmers in Huddersfield, we have grown to serve over 1,800 children weekly across Yorkshire and North Derbyshire. Our team of qualified instructors delivers tailored lessons in warm pools, prioritising safety, confidence-building, and life-saving skills.We introduced the Swimstars programme in 2014, aligning with nationally recognised STA Awards. With a dedicated office team since 2007 and an online parent portal, we combine expertise, innovation, and a commitment to making swimming accessible and enjoyable for all families. Our growth reflects our unwavering focus on quality, customer satisfaction, and fostering a lifelong love of water safety.
Services
Baby Swimming Lessons
Children's Swimming Lessons
Photoshoots
Online Parent Portal
Pool Finder
Details
- Year established: 2003
Highlights and features
- We offer 20+ years of experience teaching 0-10 year olds water safety skills
- Our STA-certified instructors deliver nationally recognised swimming programmes
- We provide tailored lessons in temperature-controlled pools with 1:6 teacher ratios
- Our online portal tracks progress and simplifies lesson management
- We operate across 15+ locations with flexible mid-term booking options
Associations and certifications
- STA Awards
What people say
Patient instructors
Structured lessons
Confidence-building
Warm pools
Flexible booking
Services
Baby Swimming Lessons
Our baby swimming programme caters to ages 0-4 with bespoke lessons in warm pools. Qualified instructors focus on water confidence, bonding, and early safety skills through playful activities. Each session maintains a 1:6 teacher-to-child ratio for personalised attention.
Children's Swimming Lessons
Swimstars classes for ages 4-10 follow STA Award standards, accommodating beginners to experienced swimmers. Structured progression builds stroke technique, endurance, and independent water safety skills in temperature-controlled pools with certified instructors.
Photoshoots
Professional underwater photography sessions capture milestones in children's swimming journeys. Priced at 30 per child, shoots include 30-minute sessions with up to six swimmers, with images available in secure online galleries for print ordering.
Online Parent Portal
The Soakly portal enables real-time lesson tracking, payment management, and progress monitoring. Parents access schedules, update medical details, and receive instant notifications about cancellations or venue changes through integrated mapping tools.
Pool Finder
Interactive map tool helps locate swimming lessons across 15+ venues. Displays addresses, availability status, and booking options for each location, with mid-term enquiry functionality when bookings are temporarily offline.
People
Laura Molloy
Founder
Co-founder with 20+ years' experience in baby swimming instruction. Transformed personal passion into business after seeing benefits for her own children. Leads curriculum development and teacher training.
George Molloy
Founder
Co-founder instrumental in establishing Swimbabes Lessons' operational framework. Oversees venue partnerships and programme expansion while maintaining hands-on involvement in instructor accreditation.
Questions
What age groups do you cater for?
We offer baby swimming lessons for 0-4 year olds and Swimstars classes for children aged 4-10 years.
How do I book swimming lessons?
Use our Pool Finder to locate available venues, then book directly through our website or contact the office for mid-term availability.
What should I bring to lessons?
We recommend swim nappies, towelling robes, and swim caps. Full equipment guidance is available in our FAQs section.
Are your instructors qualified?
All instructors hold STA certifications for their specialism, with regular CPD training to maintain industry standards.
Do you offer make-up sessions?
Cancelled lessons are marked in your Soakly portal with real-time updates. Make-up options depend on availability at your venue.
Can I watch my child's lessons?
Parents participate in baby classes. For older children, we encourage independent learning but provide progress tracking through our online portal.
Reviews (6)
Joseph Bates
Jan 22, 2022
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Is it me or was the pool water GRIM today? (22/01/22) you could hardly see the bottom and the bottom was very slimey underfoot.
Rachel Taylor
Dec 17, 2021
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From a stocksbridge swimmer
Thank you to all at Swimbabes / stars for the most amazing teaching of both of my boys since they were little (now 7 & 9). We have loved the lessons and, without your help when things got hard, we wouldnt have persevered (particularly with Thomas - that was a long hard swimming year!!). Both of the boys love being in the water and have starred body boarding when we go away with no fear of the water. We wish you every success as a business for the future.
Thank you to all at Swimbabes / stars for the most amazing teaching of both of my boys since they were little (now 7 & 9). We have loved the lessons and, without your help when things got hard, we wouldnt have persevered (particularly with Thomas - that was a long hard swimming year!!). Both of the boys love being in the water and have starred body boarding when we go away with no fear of the water. We wish you every success as a business for the future.
Kristie Carr
Oct 08, 2021
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We are week 5 into our first term with Swimbabes and I can’t sing their praises enough. I have a really severe phobia of swimming in uncontrolled environments/ the unknown (I can swim at my own pace, and in my own time but not as a group and find enclosed pools really difficult) so swimming lessons with my daughter terrified me - to the point where… I had a panic attack in the changing rooms before our first lesson. I knew I didn’t want my irrational fear to affect my daughter so we took the plunge (pun intended). The instructors have been amazing with my daughter (who initially
Megan Swift
Sep 24, 2021
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We absolutely love coming here for our swimming lessons, it’s reasonably priced, lovely staff, warm pool, clean facilities and even accommodating when you can’t make a class you can move to another day that suits you! Keep up the good work guys!
John Southerden
Dec 12, 2020
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Really good swimming instructor and great course. Advice for young little ones, bring your own changing stuff as no facilities are laid for them (changing tables) Highly recommended course, patient instructors and friendly atmosphere
Lee Wilson
Oct 27, 2020
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Love our weekly swim lessons with Fiona, she is a great instructor and always makes the lessons fun. My 2 boys are coming along great with their swimming. The covid rules and distancing have been managed really well, thanks swimbabes and Fiona for making it possible to get back in the pool
