Established in 1991
Since 1991 The Flipper Club has been teaching children and adults to swim, developing swimming skills that will enable pupils to swim with assurance and confidence, generating a life long love for swimming and water, and to do it in a way that is enjoyable and engaging.
We look forward to teaching you!
Amanda and Team
Our Swim School Team
Amanda Sharples
As a keen swimmer myself, there is no greater joy than being able to share my love for the water by teaching others - both children and adults, to swim, and to see their confidence grow in the water and out.
Paul Dewey
As a swimming teacher and parent I recognise the relevance and salience of this important life skill. I find it particularly rewarding whether teaching a beginner or a more advanced swimmer to see the progress that individuals can make in honing their skills. There is no greater experience, as a swimming teacher, than watching a beginner flourish through their swimming journey and emerging the other side as a confident and capable swimmer.
Jen Schultze
I like to teach swimming as it's an important life skill and I love seeing the children progress in the water. It's rewarding and enjoyable to teach.
Jill Blake
I love teaching and seeing the children enjoy the water, having fun and learning at the same time.
Pollyanna Hatjimarkou
Fernanda Townrow
Swimming has always been second nature to me, and I absolutely love it. Being able to teach is great fun, and it's fantastic to see the swimmers progress, enjoy themselves and learn such an important life skill.
Penny Palmer
Swimming has always been a massive and passionate part of my life from swimming competitively as a child – reaching County levels – to gaining many medals as a Master swimmer with various Master swimming clubs - currently Redhill & Reigate Swimming club. I believe that together with both my parenting and swimming experience, I have the right credentials to lead our young future swimmers to become not just confident swimmers - but to also become as passionate as I am about all water-related activities throughout their lives. I thoroughly enjoy teaching my skills to your children, and I really hope you can see this through the lessons that I teach.
Matthew Crawford
Julia Dawes
I’m a swimmer turned teacher and I love the opportunity to see children learning this wonderful skill. I’m still competing so I keep up with the latest techniques which I use to help the more advanced swimmers and adult learners. In my opinion though there nothing like the first time one of your non- swimmers take their first “steps” in the water.
Sam Barford Allsopp
Christine Addison
I founded The Flipper Club in 1991, I still get immense pleasure seeing children grow in confidence and enjoy the water through carefully structured enjoyable, lessons.
Beth Simpson
I have been a keen swimmer all my life, and am now happy to be able to transfer this experience to new swimmers by teaching. It is lovely to see them progress and gain confidence in the water, through a varied and fun approach during their lessons. A skill they will use for the rest of their life.
Ella Lawrence
Sharon Martell
Richard Lyth - L1
Staff profiles
We are happy to introduce a variety of members of The Flipper Club staff - from teachers, helpers and lifeguards - and their stories. Click on the profiles to read more…
Testimonials
We are so proud to teach families - both children and parents alike. Here are just a few comments from swimmers and parents...
“Thank you so much for all your flexibility it really helped. Jill is just fabulous! Such a wonderful nature with them all. She has done a brilliant job in making Isobel feel super confident in the water! Thank you”
“Thank you so much for all your hard work, you and the team make the lessons so much fun that both of mine can’t wait for the next lesson each week.”
“I have great memories of swimming with The Flipper Club. I swam with them for nearly 6 years. I made lots of new friends and managed to get my Gold and some lifesaving awards. There is a really friendly atmosphere and a range of fun swimming classes.”
“I just wanted to say how wonderful Matilda’s lesson was last week. I can’t believe how much she did in just one lesson. Thank you! She loves it!
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“All four of my children thoroughly enjoyed their swimming classes with The Flipper Club, gaining awards and working towards new skills over a six year period. Thank you Christine!”
“She’s come on incredibly since this time last summer when she hadn’t had a swimming lesson since she was 18mths old and refused to ever get her face wet even in the bath!
All thanks to you and your teachers!”
“I did just want to say a massive thank you for how much Fraser’s progressed in such a short period.
Not only on his butterfly but his stamina has increased significantly just over one term! Sadly he’s missed a lot of lessons due to exams and ailments so I was so pleased to see his confidence in the water.
Thank you to you and all your team that have helped him and once again thank you for keeping the Flipper Club going! ”
“Through Christine’s teaching at the Flipper Club, both of my children have become confident swimmers. Izzy now enjoys helping out and is keen to do lifeguard training.”
“Laura really enjoyed her lessons at the Flipper Club, so much so she now helps out at lessons. A really fun place to learn and work.”
“We discovered Christine, with her smaller classes and her enjoyable and motivating approach, our two boys continued enthusiastically with regular swimming well into their teenage years.”
“Just some feedback on Kaitlyn’s lesson this week. She had a smile on her face the full half an hour, which was so wonderful to see, and although she’s just in the early stages of learning how to swim, she is having the best time doing so! Thanks to your team for making it such a good experience so far!”
“Our gratitude to you, Christine and the whole team of instructors. You are all amazing.”
“Have to say, so impressed with Flippers. Can’t believe the rate they’ve progressed her to given she was a non swimmer when she started in the autumn. It’s really impressive, thank you.”
“His ability and confidence has grown immeasurably from his time with Paul, who I could not recommend enough as a teacher. He really has taken time to understand how Sam works best, and been so thoughtful, and we are so appreciative.”
“He has had a great 7 years with Flipper Club, overcoming a fear of water and jumping in! Thank you for all your hard work, patience and nurturing to get William swimming.”
“They are enjoying the lessons so much and progressing quickly. I wish they had joined flipper club years ago!”
“Thanks so much for all you have done with him. We have recommended Flipper school to many friends as we have been extremely pleased with what the school has done for both our boys. ”
“Thank you so much for everything this year, Amanda. I cant believe this time last year Honey hadn’t really swum since classes as an 18mth old and was terrified of getting her face wet.
You and your team have created a total convert and she now says she wants to be a Championship swimmer. Mind blown at the change. ”
“She has thoroughly enjoyed this term and we have seen her make so much progress. It still amazes me that she jumps off of those starting blocks without any float aids with so much confidence and she’s only just 5! So thank you to you and your team.”
Work With Us
We are always looking for enthusiastic, skilled and personable swimming teachers to join our friendly team. Please complete the below form to speak to us about swimming teacher jobs: