The National Post Lockdown Return to Swimming Lessons Survey Summary report June 2020

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The Survey in numbers

The National Post Lockdown Return to Swimming Lessons Survey Summary report June 2020

+19 key questions giving you the answers you need before reopening

47K

154103

16

UNIVERSITIES

3

2SWIM SCHOOLS

Pool and Leisure Operators can take the guidance from the Swimming Teachers Association (STA), Swim England and now the Return to Swimming Lessons Survey Benchmark Report June 2020 by Leisure-net Solutions to design and transform their Swim Schools for now and the future. By continuing to raise standards and add value to the programme and ultimately the swimmer in the water there will be a great future for learning to swim.

This is an opportunity to challenge programmes across the week to more accurately meet the needs of the communities they serve and deliver an even greater product and service, all focused on the needs of the customer.

Bigwave media

COVID-19 has demonstrated that data and insight is critical, not only in its ability to tell us what has already happened but also to help us plan for the future. We need targeted insight to allow operators the best possible chance of getting people back in pools in a safe and sustainable way. This report represents a vital step in that journey.

DataHub

Swim England will be using the valuable insight in this report to drive our upcoming marketing campaigns to help encourage customers back into their local pool.

The report highlights some of the understandable concerns parents have about returning to leisure centres in the current climate. To help address these concerns we have, after thorough consultation with operators and industry experts, released our guidance for both operators and users to reassure swimmers and their families about the measures that can be put in place to reduce any risks.

We are working with the Institute of Swimming (IoS), the largest trainer of swimming teachers in the UK, to host a series of free webinars to help increase the confidence of swimming teachers to deliver high quality, enjoyable lessons in the new environment. These webinars will address the specific issues that the report has highlighted which are issues of concern to parents such as teaching from poolside, effective communication and teaching in deep water.

Swim England

Quotes Putting the customer at the heart of the decision making process has always been our goal. This survey allows operators to understand the needs and wants of their customer in a way not seen before.

Leisure-net Solutions

With an overwhelming 90% of respondents saying they will resume swimming lessons straight away or from September is really positive news for the industry, and it will provide real encouragement to STA’s 12,500 members and swim school partners. For our members too, who teach pre-schoolers and beginners, one of the biggest challenges with the proposed COVID-19 social distancing measures are the restrictions about being able to teach in the water; it is therefore pleasing to see that nearly half of the respondents do not see this as a barrier to returning to the pool and would be happy for their child to be taught from the poolside. Overall, whilst there are still many practical and financial implications that swim schools need to consider before they can safely reopen, this survey shines a positive light for all those involved in the future of swimming teaching. I’d also like to say a huge thanks to Leisure-net and all those that have supported this survey; the results have given us all a great insight into parent’s expectations, which we can now use to further enhance the support we provide to our pool operators and swim school network.

The guidance to manage the COVID-19 situation when pools reopen is now published, but every customer has a different perception of the risk based on their own circumstances. The survey was essential to give an indication of how customers feel about returning to swimming and how they would be likely to react based on different ways of implementing the guidance. The results give some direction on what to plan for reopening, how many customers are likely to return and, crucially, when they are likely to return. The e-focus platform provides results and graphs at-a-glance and filtering based on certain responses can be completed on the online platform without the need to download to a spreadsheet - you don’t need to be an Excel expert!

Dave Candler, CEO of STA, a UK governing body for swimming

The National Post Lockdown Return to Swimming Lessons Survey Summary report June 2020

Examples of Key Takeaways

The National Post Lockdown Return to Swimming Lessons Survey Summary report June 2020

• People feel slightly less comfortable about returning to swimming lessons compared to using other leisure facilities

• The three areas that are most important for operators are to look at social distancing, cleaning changing rooms after every use, and restrictions on numbers

• Just over half of the respondents said that they would return immediately, with another 45% saying they would come back in September

• 57% stated that they would continue if there was a small increase in prices, with 33% saying they could not afford any increase

would continue if there was a small

increase

57%could not afford

increase

33%

Most parents completing the survey had 5-9 year olds in lessons

5-9 year olds 66.0%

3-4 years old 14.0%

10-14 years old 10.0%

0-36 months 8.0%

45-54 years old 1%

35-44 years old 1%

15-24 years old 0%

25-34 years old 0%

55-64 years old 0%

65-74 years old 0%

75+ years old 0%

% 20 40 60 80 100

5-9 years old

3-4 years old

35-44 years old 45-54 years old

0-36 months

10-14 years old

66.0%

14.0%

10.0%

8.0%

The National Post Lockdown Return to Swimming Lessons Survey Summary report June 2020

Over 3/4s attended lessons in Leisure Centres or Community Pools

% 20 40 60 80 100

Private Pool

Hotel Pool

Leisure Centre or Community Pool

School Pool

Leisure Centre or Community Pool 77.0%

School Pool 14.0%

Private Pool 6.0%

Hotel Pool 3.0%

77.0%

14.0%

6.0%

3.0%

The National Post Lockdown Return to Swimming Lessons Survey Summary report June 2020

There was fair representation across all levels of learners

% 20 40 60 80 100

Beginner (able to swim less than 10m) 34.0%

Improver (able to swim between 10 and 25m) 31.0%

Advanced (able to swim 25m or more) 18.0%

Non-swimmer 17.0%

Advanced (able to swim 25m or more)

Non-swimmer

Beginner (able to swim less than 10m)

Improver (able to swim between 10 and 25m)

34.0%31.0%

18.0%17.0%

The National Post Lockdown Return to Swimming Lessons Survey Summary report June 2020

COVID Guidance and Social Distancing are critical to returning customers

% 20 40 60 80 100

Swimming lesson providers should provide guidance on COVID measures in place to ensure swimmer safety

Social distancing should be enforced in spectator areas

The number of people allowed to accompany their child during swimming lessons should be restricted

Changing areas should be sanitised before and after each use

All equipment should be sanitised before and after each activity

Teachers should follow current government guidance on social distancing when interacting with pupils in class

After the lesson participants should dry off and change quickly then shower at home

Teachers should follow current government guidance on social distancing between the pupils in the class

Participants should arrive at the pool ready to swim with swimwear under their clothes

The pupil or their accompanying adult should put on goggles/swimming caps etc. to avoid physical contact with the teacher

Wearing of face coverings should be made compulsory in spectator areas

Participants should bring their own equipment

The National Post Lockdown Return to Swimming Lessons Survey Summary report June 2020

Importance of Factors When Returning (% Stating Strongly Agree/Agree)

98.0%

96.0%

91.0%

90.0%

89.0%

82.0%

82.0%

78.0%

78.0%

72.0%

60.0%

53.0%

Wouldn’t until I could watch

N/A

Would still attend

Almost one third of parents/carers stated that their child would not attend until they could watch them swim

% 20 40 60 80 100

Would stIll attend 59.0%

Wouldn’t untIl I could watch 32.0%

N/A - Adult or under 3s lesson 9.0%

32.0%

9.0%

59.0%

The National Post Lockdown Return to Swimming Lessons Survey Summary report June 2020

Full report will include all responses, further analysis, solution sign posting and key insights from;

The National Post Lockdown Return to Swimming Lessons Survey Summary report June 2020

• Bigwave Media• Leisure-net Solutions• Geoff Wade - Go Gateshead• Swim England• STA• DataHub

To purchase a full report or to discuss how this research can help your business bounce back when reopening, please contact David Monkhouse on davidmonkhouse@leisure-net.org

To purchase the full report please go to www.leisure-net.org/swim-report The full report costs £100 ex vat

The National Post Lockdown Return to Swimming Lessons Survey Summary report June 2020

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