We are a popular Club with about 120 members at any time. We have developed a fair and open way to run our waiting list, with priority codes as below (we actively promote the children of regular volunteers to the top of the waiting list, see the Volunteer Vacancies page for jobs that are currently vacant, and let us know how you can help by the box on the Membership Application form, or by emailing us)
As you read through, you will see that we refer to 'tryouts' - these are not a pass or fail test! We run tryouts every 3-4 months, sometimes longer if there is no movement in the registers or waiting list. It is an opportunity for the teacher to see which of the NPTS Stages will suit your child the best. It also gives you a chance to meet us and see if you like what we do!
If we invite you for a tryout, which you don't attend without contacting us, we will remove your child's name from the waiting list.
A few general points to remember about our waiting list:
We actively promote the children or grandchildren of regular volunteers to the top of the waiting list for their Level - they are Priority 1
Siblings of existing members are our next priority - so if you have one child in the Club, and the subs are consistently up to date, their brother or sister will go higher up the waiting list to Priority 2
All other applications are Priority 3
ALL applications are sorted in date order, so that applications received in January, for instance, are above those received later in the year
The try out system has been reviewed as at July 2011, we now offer trials to children that we have spaces for, it is only if they are not suitable for that space that they will go back on the waiting list.
We move existing members through the Stages, and fill any spaces from the waiting list
Please be aware that all lesson providers have slightly different expectations of their swimmers - our expectations are relatively high! For instance, this means that if your child is in Stage 6 with another provider, we may assess them as appropriate to our Stage 5.
Don't worry if your child has not had lessons before, or has not passed any NPTS Stages or badges! We teach children across all ages and range of ability - that's what the tryouts are for!
Sorry - it's impossible to say how long it may take to get a place if your child's name is on the waiting list! Sometimes places become available quite quickly (a couple of months), for other Stages it may be many months.
Please keep in touch with us if you move or your details change, and make sure that you print your email address clearly - we sometimes have places for children or would like to see them for a tryout, but can't contact them!
But please don't keep emailing us asking for updates - if there has been any change that affects your child or children, we will contact you. Remember that this club is run by unpaid volunteers in their own spare time. Thanks.
You can apply for membership by completing the On Line application form, this is the only method we accept now as it is easier for administration purposes, to go straight to the form, click here
Here's how it all works once we have received your completed form:
Children under 4 years old
We hold the details of children under 4 until they reach their 4th birthday. At this point, they are NOT on the waiting list.
At some point after that, we will contact you to see if you still require a place. If so, we may invite your child for a tryout. After the tryout, if we do not have space at the appropriate Stage for your child, their details will be placed on our waiting list. We will contact you if a place becomes available and maybe ask your child to do another tryout to make sure that they haven't got significantly better or lost confidence or technique, in which case they might be more appropriate in another Stage.
Children over 4 years old
All applications go on the waiting and are filed in date order but an invitation for a trial is based on the childs age and ability to tie in with any vacancies we may have, so other than the small pool waiting list the main poool list is in no particular order
If there is room for your child AND there are no existing members suitable to fill that space AND your child is the highest priority, they will be offered a place.
If there is not a space at the appropriate Stage, your child's details will remain on the waiting list.
In the Small Pool, we may sometimes give priority within a Stage to an older child. We find that older non-swimmers can progress quite quickly and so they come and go through the lower Stages in good time and move on to the Main Pool, freeing up that space again in the Small Pool.
When there is some movement through the Stages, we will contact you to see if you still require the place. In this case, we might ask your child to come back in for another look, to make sure they have not got significantly better (maybe through lessons somewhere else) or lost confidence or technique (possibly because they have not been swimming for a while), in which case they might be in another Stage!
If your child has remained at that same standard AND we have a place AND your child's name is the next on the list, we will offer that place to you.
If your child has improved and needs to go up a Stage or two, we'll see if there is room for them there. If there isn't, we'll slot them into the new Stage at the appropriate place.
Membership is accepted and continued on the basis that the member continually pays their subscriptions ON TIME or in advance, stays within the Constitution, Code of Conduct and Club Rules. Please make sure you have read, understood and accept these before you apply for membership.
The Club will take action if members do not comply with Club rules, for the safety of the swimmers, teachers, other children and the Club as a whole. We want everyone to be happy and safe during our time with us.
If you have any questions about applying for membership, how we operate the waiting list, etc, please contact us:
broadstairsswim@sky.com
