Frequently asked questions

Learn to Swim – 30 minutes per week, running to school terms
Session: $25 per child (*5% discount on 2nd/3rd child and 10% on 4th child and above)
Private sessions: $58/$52 concession

All fees must be paid in advance for the entire block of lessons listed on your invoice.
We reserve the right to refuse entry to patrons with unpaid invoices.
*Programs and times may vary depending upon demand & availability of staff.

Lessons can be suspended by a request in writing to the centre. Suspending lessons will not guarantee your place in the same session once you decide to return to lessons. We do require a minimum of two (2) weeks’ notice.

The remaining lesson fees will be left as a credit on your family account.

All enrolments are perpetual (ongoing), and payments will be required until written notice of cancellation is submitted.
Two (2) weeks’ notice is required to cease your enrolment.

A lesson cancellation request must be completed in full and emailed to swimwithus@alexindoorheatedpool.org.au.

If you are withdrawing due to medical reasons, we will action your cancellation as soon as we receive notification in writing, along with a copy of a medical certificate.

Credits or refunds will not be granted for missed lessons.

Generally, your child will swim with the same teacher each week. We have a set program, so if a regular teacher is absent, the teacher covering will teach all the skills necessary for that level.

We try to keep our students with the same teacher term to term, but this isn’t always possible, particularly as your child progresses through the levels of our Swim School program.

We find that at times a different teacher can in fact be a good thing, as they are often able to provide different teaching points to master a certain swimming ­skill.

We understand that things come up from time to time that may prevent you from attending your lesson, such as illness. If you can’t make it, please text us or email us and we’ll see you for the next lesson. Missed classes are not credited unless there is a medical certificate; this credit will be noted on your account and applied to a future invoice.

We offer make-up lessons if you cannot attend your lesson due to illness or injury, as we understand that this is not something you can control! You may be eligible for up to three make-up sessions in a six-month period. To ensure you remain eligible, please inform us as much in advance as possible when you cannot attend a session, and provide a doctor’s certificate when applicable.
All make-up sessions are subject to class availability.

Yes, parents and/or guardians must actively supervise their children during their lessons. It is a condition of entry to Alexandra Indoor Heated Pool Inc that all children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian whilst at the centre.

Children under 3 years old:            

A responsible parent/guardian will be required to be in the water during the lesson.

Children under 10 years old:

Must be accompanied into the centre by a responsible parent/guardian and be constantly and actively supervised. Participants under the age of 10 will not be accepted into lessons if their parent or guardian is absent.

Parents and/or guardians must have a clear view of their child at all times.
Please note that this also includes any non-swimming siblings.

Children over 10 years old:

For children 10 years and older, parents must use their knowledge of the child’s swimming ability and general development to determine the level of accompaniment required. This is then assessed by our qualified LTS teachers.

Alexandra Indoor Heated Pool Inc. is a Watch Around the Water accredited facility.

See the Lifesaving Victoria website for more information about water safety:
Watch Around Water https://lsv.com.au/pool-safety-services/watch-around-water/

Lessons run during the Victorian school terms and are subject to community need and the availability of staff. Some school holiday intensives are held. Enquire at the office and or look for notices on our Facebook page or in our term newsletter.

Alexandra Indoor Heated Pool Inc. is closed on public holidays. No lessons will take place on these days.

Our swimming lessons cater to ages 6 months to adults, and no one is ever too old to learn to swim or enjoy self-paced exercise. If you are interested in Learn to Swim sessions for adults, please enquire with the office.

Our teachers are all industry-trained with either Austswim or LSV. All staff are required to possess up to date first aid and CPR certification, and a current Working with Children’s Check.
Our program is accredited with the Royal Lifesaving Victoria Swim and Survive Program.
The centre is also an Austswim-accredited centre. We are members of Aquatics and Recreation Victoria (ARV) which is Victoria’s peak industry body for aquatics and recreation.

Students are assessed by their teacher.

Progress reports will be provided to you in a number of ways, including email and in-person where appropriate.

We will advise you when your child has completed their current level and what the next steps are.

If you ever have a question about your child’s progress, please speak to your Learn to Swim teacher.

We do our best to place children in sessions that work best for your family’s schedule. However, due to being a small facility, there is a limit to our flexibility. If you need to adjust your time or day, please contact the office and our admin team will do their best to find a mutually beneficial time slot.

Lessons are weekly and run during the Victorian school terms.

At present direct transfer is the only method of payment we can accept. All the information you need to pay your fees is included on your invoice, which will be emailed to you prior to you beginning sessions. 

No Pay – No Swim: Our management team are all volunteers and are parents themselves so they get it – it can be challenging to juggle payments and bills. However, we operate as a Not for Profit (NFP) – an incorporated body. This means we don’t have the resources to offer payment plans, or to chase people to pay for prior lessons. We request that you pay your term invoice up-front before arriving for your first session, and we reserve the right to refuse entry to patrons with unpaid invoices.

Our no-fee no-swim policy has been in place since early 2021.

We currently accept a Pension or Disability Card only for concession – a Health Care Card is not accepted.

Please make sure the office has your details on file to get a discounted class price.

Of course! Contact our office with your voucher number so that we can amend your invoice.

Well-fitting bathers, goggles, a towel, and a swimming cap (optional but encouraged). Long hair must be tied back or covered with a swim cap.

All Learn to Swim equipment is provided during the lesson.

Please note we have a no-jewellery policy. All jewellery must be removed before lessons and/or taped with waterproof tape.

For public health reasons, parents should ensure that:

• Children participating in parent/toddler classes wear an aqua nappy while in the pool;
• Children of any age who are not toilet trained wear an aqua nappy while in the pool;
• Any swimmer who has recently had diarrhea or gastro symptoms does not attend swimming lessons or use the pool for at least 14 days after symptoms have ceased; and
• If any swimmer has a cough or cold, you should let them recover fully before resuming classes.

The maximum number of students in a lesson varies by age group and skill category of the swimmers.
We are a small pool, so our numbers are low to ensure safety at all times.

As a general guide, the maximum number of students enrolled in each class is:

• Babies (6 months-3 yrs old): Maximum of 8 students per class.
• Pre-school (3-5 years old): Maximum of 4 students per class.
• School aged (5-14 years): Maximum of 6 students per class.
• Adults (15 and over): Maximum of 5-8 students per class.

We recommend you arrive 10 to 15 minutes before your lessons to get yourself settled and ready for the lessons.

On arrival

We ask on arrival that you report to reception and wait downstairs until the class running is finished to avoid congestion. We are trying to reduce the number of people on deck during classes.

We respectfully ask that parents be present at the pool while classes are running, as it is the responsibility of both parents and teachers that our kids are safe around water, especially those under 10 years of age. Please see Do parents need to attend LTS lessons with their child/ren? for more information.

Siblings of swimmers are of course welcome; however, we request that parents ensure supervision around the pool and the stairs. We also request that siblings remain inside the building, for safety reasons.

Food and drink

Please ensure no food and drink (other than water) is up on the deck.

Earrings and piercings

NO earrings or piercings TO BE WORN IN THE POOL. These can be a puncture hazard to our liner.

Swim caps can be worn, or jewellery can be removed or taped. Waterproof tape can be purchased at the supermarket or chemist.

Showers

Please use our on-deck shower before entering the pool and feel free to rinse post-session as well.
If you are using the all-abilities shower downstairs, please limit your time and respect others waiting.

The Royal Life Saving Society of Australia (RLSSA) and Life Saving Victoria (LSV) assisted in the development of the Victorian Water Safety Certificate (VWSC). The VWSC is equivalent to the successful completion of Level 6 within the Swim & Survive program.

• Do you have shower facilities?

We have one all-abilities shower cubical on the ground level and an on-deck rinse shower which must be used before entering the pool.

• Is the pool salt water or chlorinated?

Our pool is a mineral saltwater pool.

• Is your pool heated?

Our pool is heated up to 33ᴼC using a solar heat pump system.

• Do I have to book a session, or can I just walk in?

Yes, you do have to book a session. This is so we can make sure there is enough space for everyone to do their exercise. You can book by calling the facility or by emailing us at  swimwithus@alexindoorheatedpool.org.au

Yes:

• Male and female accessible toilets
• A unisex accessible toilet and shower with bench seat
• A wheelchair lift for access to the pool deck
• A hoist for access to the pool
• A Platypus aquatic wheelchair

If you have further needs that you feel aren’t addressed by our facilities, please feel free to contact the office for a chat!

We are funded by the community who need to Learn to Swim sessions for their children and Self-Paced Exercise classes for recovery and gentle exercise. Their payments help us keep the doors open.

We are supported by a volunteer committee of management, an amazing paid staff team, and HUGE business and community support.

We apply for grants to ensure our infrastructure projects are funded and value the support of project partners such as the Victorian State Government, Murrindindi Shire Council, and FRRR.

Many local residents quietly donate time and or resources for smaller items needed to ensure our community-run, community-funded venue is successful.