The Jelli Swim Academy
About Us
The Jelli Swim Academy (JSA) is a small, family-run swim school with a big heart. Formerly known as Diddy Dolphins, the school was lovingly taken over by Laura in 2023 and rebranded to reflect a fresh vision rooted in inclusivity and trust.
Laura is our Company Director, Lead Teacher, and Safeguarding Lead, as well as a provisional STA Tutor. She is supported by an amazing, dedicated team who share the same passion for nurturing confident, happy swimmers.
We are proud to be recognised for our child centred, inclusive approach. Our lessons are child-led and focus on learning through play and fun, creating a calm and supportive environment where children feel safe to progress at their own pace. We never force a child to do something they are not ready for, instead, we build trust, confidence, and security in the water.
This approach has led to an excellent success rate with children who experience water phobias, helping them overcome fears and develop a positive relationship with swimming that lasts a lifetime.
We have three programmes available: Jelli Babies, Jelli Juniors & JelliENGAGE.
FAQ
What age can my baby start swimming lessons with JSA?
Your baby can join us from 12 weeks. If your baby was premature, it is best to check with a medical professional that your baby is fit to swim.
Does my baby need to have their vaccinations before attending?
The current NHS guidelines state that babies do not need their vaccinations before swimming.
What temperature are your pools?
All of our pools are 30 degrees or warmer. Typical leisure centres sit around 28/29 – so we are proud that our pools are much toastier!
How do you recognise progress?
We are partnered with Watch Me Awards who celebrate each individual skill rather than hard to achieve stages, we also provide end of term reports AKA Feedback Bubbles, hand written by our teachers.
What are the three JSA programmes?
We are so proud of our three programmes; Jelli Babies, Jelli Juniors & JelliENGAGE. You can find more information about each programme by visiting the pages.
What payment methods do you take?
You can either pay upfront for the term via BACs, or you can pay monthly direct debit via GoCardless.
What do I need to pack in my swimming bag?
Once you have completed the enrolment process, you will be directed to our parent pack which has all the information in that you will need.
What makes you an inclusive swim school?
We have designed our JelliENGAGE programme with neurodiversity at the forefront of our minds, you can find out more about this on our ‘JelliENGAGE’ page. We also have a ‘calm corner’ available in lessons for all children who may need a moment or two to decompress and would benefit from sensory stimulation.